North Slope - Prudhoe Bay Weather Conditions

As you can imagine, Prudhoe Bay weather conditions on the North Slope can be quite severe. For example, here's a snapshot of North Slope weather conditions at the Kuparuk field taken on New Year's Day 2007:

-74° wind chill = Instant ice-cream headache. 

North Slope weather can vary significantly from field to field, especially in the winter. The weather at Prudhoe Bay can be clear with temperatures in the upper 20°s but only 50 miles away they'll be below zero.

A lot depends on whether or not your location is close to the Arctic Ocean or further inland. In general, the farther inland you are the colder it is in the winter and the warmer it is in the summer. 

In my experience, typical temperatures in the winter are from -25° to +10°. In the summer, temps from the mid 30°s to the mid 50°s are most common. 

Summer or winter, wind chill can have a huge impact on your comfort factor so be sure to dress for the wind chill. Also, know that weather conditions can change VERY quickly. Always look at the posted forecast and be prepared for the worse. 

A few years ago we had a gorgeous summer and the Prudhoe Bay weather station recorded more than 20 days with temperatures in the 60°s and 70°s. The sun felt great. Unfortunately, the mosquitoes enjoyed it too. When it's hot out, pray for a breeze. No breeze? Then you'll want to bathe in insect repellant. 

When searching for Prudhoe Bay weather or Deadhorse weather (they're the same thing) you'll want to use "SCC" as the airport identifier. 

Click here for current North Slope weather conditions (or Deadhorse weather).   Prudhoe Bay Weather Link.