Alaska’s capital city endured a wetter and warmer than normal May, but good weather arrived just in time for the Memorial Day weekend, according to a monthly summary compiled by the National Weather Service.
May 2017 goes into the books as the ninth wettest May in Juneau’s history since accurate record-keeping started at the airport in 1936. At the airport, the weather service measured 5.19 inches of rain, which ties May 2001. The record wettest May was in 1992, when 9.2 inches of rain fell. The average is 3.4 inches.
Temperatures during the month averaged 49.1 degrees; that was half a degree above normal for the month. Average temperatures during May have declined each year since 2015, when they set a record at 54.1 degrees. Last May averaged 51.8 degrees and was the sixth-warmest May on record. This year was the 21st warmest.
Despite that ranking, this May did have warm moments. On May 16, temperatures at the airport reached 71 degrees. It was the first 70-degree day of the year in Juneau, and it came on the same day that Fairbanks recorded its first 70-degree day. Anchorage didn’t record a 70-degree day until later in the month.
During an average year, Juneau sees 19 70-degree days.
Looking ahead, weather service forecasters expect seasonally gray and damp weather to continue through the weekend and early next week. A chance of showers or rain is predicted for every day through Thursday. Temperatures will range between the mid-40s and mid-50s.
Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com or call 419-7732.
