YellowknifePhoto: Sebastian Schlaeger · CC BY-SA 2.0Canada · North America
Best time to visit Yellowknife
Yellowknife in Canada's far north is one of the most reliable places for the northern lights. Short bright summer, very cold winter.
Climate decision
Best travel months for Yellowknife
Top recommendation
Next highest scores
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Latest 5-year values 2021–2025
Average of the five most recent complete years compared with the 1991–2025 climate average.
February · Mean daily maximum
-25.8 °C
1991–2025: -22.7 °C
-3.1 °C · lower
Notable five-year difference; do not read it as a long-term trend.
December · Wet days
7.2 days/month
1991–2025: 5.2 days/month
+2 days/month · higher
September · Monthly precipitation
33 mm/month
1991–2025: 44.6 mm/month
-11.7 mm/month · lower
August: 0/155 days at or above 30 °C; highest single value 29.9 °C.
Five-year historical sample, not a weather forecast or long-term climate trend. Individual hot days can be far above the monthly mean.
Annual profile · Seasonal contrast
Yellowknife: temperature opens and closes the travel window
Average daily highs span 47.1 °C across the year. This marked contrast shapes the choice of month more than small differences in rain or sunshine.
The key decision
Choose the suitable temperature range first. Within that window, dryness and sunshine identify the stronger month.
Lowest average daily low
January · -33.9 °C
Highest average daily high
July · 20.9 °C
Fewest rainy days
February · 4.3
Most sunshine
June · 7.6 h
Month by month
Overall suitability per month. Tap a month for details.
All climate figures compared
The table is the complete accessible data view; the charts below highlight selected patterns.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Rain mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -26 | -34 | 5 | 19 | 0.3 | 95 | 3.0 | 40 |
| February | -23 | -31 | 4 | 14 | 1.2 | 96 | 3.0 | 41 |
| March | -14 | -24 | 5 | 21 | 3.3 | 95 | 3.4 | 43 |
| April | -2 | -10 | 5 | 20 | 5.8 | 90 | 4.1 | 47 |
| May | 10 | 2 | 8 | 45 | 7.1 | 75 | 4.4 | 53 |
| June | 18 | 10 | 9 | 52 | 7.6 | 67 | 4.0 | 74 |
| July | 21 | 13 | 11 | 54 | 6.7 | 64 | 3.7 | 79 |
| August | 18 | 11 | 9 | 53 | 5.1 | 69 | 3.9 | 74 |
| September | 11 | 4 | 9 | 45 | 3.1 | 78 | 4.1 | 49 |
| October | -2 | -7 | 8 | 33 | 1.3 | 89 | 3.5 | 37 |
| November | -17 | -23 | 6 | 24 | 0.4 | 95 | 2.9 | 38 |
| December | -24 | -31 | 5 | 19 | 0.1 | 95 | 3.0 | 39 |
Climate through the year
Compare temperature, rainy days, sunshine and, for coastal destinations, sea temperature month by month.
Find a place to stay
Where to stay in Yellowknife
Compare available stays, prices and cancellation terms for Yellowknife on Booking.com.
Booking.comFind places to stayAffiliate link: there is no extra cost to you.
Useful next decisions
More comparisons
Similar destinations
The number is the overall climate score, not a similarity score.
Country and region
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Yellowknife?
The strongest climate months are June, July, August. Values are historical averages, not a forecast.
Which month has the highest average daily maximum temperature in Yellowknife?
The average daily maximum temperature in Yellowknife is highest in July at around 21 °C.