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Coldest beach in Alaska in May

653 coastal locations in Alaska ranked by their typical May sea temperature. State-wide average in May: 6.4°C.

Coldest in May

Cape Espenberg, Kotzebue Sound

-1.7°C

State May average

6.4°C

across 653 coastal locations in Alaska

Vs annual mean

-1.0°C

below the year-round state average

What the Alaska water feels like in May

This water is very cold and can cause pain. We don't recommend you swim in this temperature for anything other than very short swims of 5 to 10 minutes unless you are a very experienced cold water swimmer.

Alaska monthly average 3.9°C to 12.5°C
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  • Warmest month August 12.5°C
  • Coldest month March 3.9°C
  • Annual mean 7.4°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Where May fits in the year

May sits inside the state pattern shown on the left. Browse a different month for a fresh ranking.

Alaska sea temperature map (live)

Today's reading at every Alaska beach we track. The list below uses the typical May mean from a decade of daily history.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 coldest Alaska beaches in May

Sorted by typical May mean. Click any beach for the full location page.

# Location May mean
1 Cape Romanzof, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska 1.3°C
2 Kokechik Bay, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska 1.0°C
3 Carolyn Island, Golovnin Bay, Alaska Alaska 0.9°C
4 Carolyn Island, Golovnin Bay, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska 0.9°C
5 Nome Alaska 0.8°C
6 Eastern Nunivak Island Alaska 0.8°C
7 St. Michael, Norton Sound Alaska 0.8°C
8 Unalakleet Alaska 0.6°C
9 Mekoryuk, Mekoryuk River Entrance Alaska 0.5°C
10 Black, Black River, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska 0.4°C
11 North Bay, Stuart Island, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska 0.4°C
12 Shaktoolik Alaska 0.3°C
13 Pikmiktalik River entrance, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -0.1°C
14 St. Matthew Island, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska -0.3°C
15 Nome, Norton Sound Alaska -0.3°C
16 Nunam Iqua (Sheldon Point) Alaska -0.5°C
17 Moghoweyik River entrance, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -0.5°C
18 Apoon Mouth, Yukon River, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -0.5°C
19 Powooiliak Point, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -0.6°C
20 Akeftapak, St. Lawrence Island Alaska -0.8°C
21 Point Spencer, Port Clarence, Norton Sound Alaska -1.0°C
22 Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island Alaska -1.1°C
23 Lost River, Seward Peninsula Alaska -1.2°C
24 Outside Lopp Lagoon Alaska -1.2°C
25 Maknik Lagoon entrance, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Kotzebue Alaska -1.3°C
27 Northeast Cape, St. Lawrence Island Alaska -1.3°C
28 Cross Island (Dinkum Sands) Alaska -1.4°C
29 Teller, Port Clarance, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
30 Teller, Port Clarence Alaska -1.4°C
31 Fossil River entrance, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
32 Tin City, Bering Sea Alaska -1.4°C
33 Kiwalik, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
34 Prudhoe Bay Alaska -1.4°C
35 Barrow Alaska -1.5°C
36 Prudhoe Bay #2 Alaska -1.5°C
37 Point Hope Alaska -1.5°C
38 Barter Island Alaska -1.5°C
39 Point Barrow, Alaska Alaska -1.5°C
40 Point Barrow Alaska -1.5°C
41 Barrow (offshore) Alaska -1.5°C
42 Deering, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.5°C
43 Flaxman Island Alaska -1.5°C
44 Goodhope Bay, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
45 Kotzebue, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
46 Red Dog Dock Alaska -1.6°C
47 Shishmaref Inlet 2 Alaska -1.6°C
48 Kivalina Alaska -1.6°C
49 Cape Krusenstern, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
50 Cape Espenberg, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.7°C

Warmest 10 in Alaska in May

Same data flipped. The warmest spots in the state for this month.

# Location May mean
1 Wrangell Alaska 9.9°C
2 Ketchikan Alaska 9.8°C
3 Dewey Anchorage, Etolin Island, Alaska Alaska 9.8°C
4 Entrance, Kasaan Bay, Alaska Alaska 9.8°C
5 Hadley, Lyman Anchorage, Alaska Alaska 9.8°C
6 Karta Bay, Kasaan Bay, Alaska Alaska 9.8°C
7 Kasaan, Kasaan Bay, Alaska Alaska 9.8°C
8 Lindeman Cove, Kasaan Bay Alaska 9.8°C
9 Magnetic Point, Union Bay, Earnest Sound Alaska 9.8°C
10 Menefee Anch., Prince of Wales Island, Alaska Alaska 9.8°C

Other US states

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