AI-generatedYellowknife at a glance
- Best time
- Jun – Aug
- Warmest month
- Jul · 21°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,200 h
- Rain a year
- 255 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−7 / UTC−6
- Elevation
- 252 m
Climate in Yellowknife
Yellowknife has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 21 °C, while January is the coolest at −22 °C. With around 2,200 hours of sunshine a year, Yellowknife is sunny; June is the sunniest month with 11.6 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: June – August
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about -2°
- Midday, 13:00: about 1°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 2°
- Evening, 20:00: about 0°
- Night, 23:00: about -1°
08:2018:26
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 07:52–09:24 · evening 17:22–18:54
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:34–07:52 · evening 18:54–19:12
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Yellowknife in October?
In October, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 24 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 6 min08:20 – 18:26
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 19 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 81 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 3 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−6America/Edmonton
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %81 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
Sunshine hours in Yellowknife
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 2.4 of 10.1 hours of daylight in Yellowknife, 24 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Yellowknife
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 1 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 5).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- over 2 h
- Fair skin
- over 2 h
- Light brown skin
- over 2 h
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Yellowknife: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Yellowknife has about 7 rainy days with 24 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Yellowknife
How breezy and how cloudy Yellowknife is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Yellowknife typically peaks at 19 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 81 % of the sky over Yellowknife: mostly overcast, with about 2.4 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Snow in Yellowknife
When Yellowknife is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, Yellowknife has about 3 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 10 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 31 out of 100: possible.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Yellowknife
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
FrostOctober: nights around −2°. Heating and warm bedding are a must.
The coolest nights are in January (−28°), the warmest in July (13°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from September to May, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 30 | −22° | −28° | 2.0 h | 3 | 11 |
| FebruaryFeb | 34 | −20° | −26° | 4.1 h | 2 | 7 |
| MarchMar | 42 | −13° | −20° | 6.5 h | 3 | 9 |
| AprilApr | 49 | −2° | −10° | 8.8 h | 3 | 11 |
| MayMay | 53 | 9° | 0° | 10.9 h | 5 | 18 |
| JuneJun | 91 | 17° | 8° | 11.6 h | 6 | 26 |
| JulyJul | 93 | 21° | 13° | 10.4 h | 7 | 37 |
| AugustAug | 85 | 18° | 11° | 8.0 h | 9 | 46 |
| SeptemberSep | 44 | 11° | 6° | 5.1 h | 8 | 38 |
| OctoberOct | 24 | 2° | −2° | 2.4 h | 7 | 24 |
| NovemberNov | 27 | −9° | −15° | 1.3 h | 5 | 18 |
| DecemberDec | 30 | −19° | −24° | 1.1 h | 4 | 11 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
62.45° N, 114.37° W · 252 m · America/Edmonton
Best time to visit Yellowknife
The best time to visit Yellowknife is from June to August. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from June to August. The wettest month is August with 46 mm of precipitation.
Yellowknife through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Yellowknife in spring
Mar – May
Fair
- -13–9 °C by day
- 9 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days in all
Yellowknife in summer
Jun – Aug
Excellent
- 17–21 °C by day
- 10 h of sun a day
- 22 rainy days in all
Yellowknife in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- -9–11 °C by day
- 3 h of sun a day
- 19 rainy days in all
Yellowknife in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -22–-19 °C by day
- 2 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Yellowknife for you.
Your best months: July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Yellowknife
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
July has the better holiday weather in Yellowknife: score 93 against 24. In July, days are 19 °C warmer than in October. The sun shines 8 hours longer a day in July.
| Month | October | July |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 24 | 93better |
| Day high | 2° | 21° |
| Night low | −2° | 13° |
| Sunshine | 2.4 h | 10.4 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 7 | 7 |
| Rainfall | 24 mmbetter | 37 mm |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Jun – Aug
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Snow
Mar – Apr, Oct – Jan
Snow on 2 or more days
Yellowknife month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
30January-22° · 2 h
In January, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average −22 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−28 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 3 days, totalling 11 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in January34February-20° · 4 h
In February, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average −20 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−26 °C). Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 2 days, totalling 7 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in February42March-13° · 7 h
In March, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average −13 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−20 °C). The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 3 days, totalling 9 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, March is a so-so month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in March49April-2° · 9 h
In April, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−10 °C). The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 3 days, totalling 11 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in April53May9° · 11 h
In May, Yellowknife is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (0 °C). With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 18 mm in total. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in May91June17° · 12 h
In June, Yellowknife is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. With around 12 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 26 mm. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in June93July21° · 10 h
In July, Yellowknife is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 37 mm. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in July85August18° · 8 h
In August, Yellowknife is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 46 mm in total. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in August44September11° · 5 h
In September, Yellowknife is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 38 mm. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in September24October2° · 2 h
In October, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 24 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in October27November-9° · 1 h
In November, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average −9 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−15 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 5 days, totalling 18 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in November30December-19° · 1 h
In December, Yellowknife is freezing cold: daytime highs average −19 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−24 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 4 days, totalling 11 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Yellowknife.
Yellowknife in DecemberYellowknife compared
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Yellowknife vs. Fort Smith
In October the holiday weather in Yellowknife and Fort Smith is about equally good (score 24 vs. 24). During the day Fort Smith is 2 °C warmer than Yellowknife. Fort Smith gets one more hour of sunshine a day.
| in October | Yellowknife | Fort Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 24 | 24 |
| Daytime high | 2° | 4° |
| Sunshine | 2 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 7 | 7 |
| Best time | Jun – Aug | May – Aug |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, Yellowknife ranks 20 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Osoyoos (Okanagan)14°58
- 2Kelowna14°57
- 3Summerland13°54
- 4Penticton (Okanagan)14°54
- 5Calgary11°48
- 6Kamloops13°44
- 7Saskatoon10°41
- 8Regina10°40
- 20YellowknifeThis page2°24
Planning a trip to Yellowknife
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Yellowknife in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Yellowknife has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 88) and its weakest during October half-term (score 24).
- 47
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Fair
- −5 °C by day
- 8.1 h of sun a day
- 3 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 61
May half-term
May – Jun
Good
- 10 °C by day
- 11.0 h of sun a day
- 5 rainy days a month
- 88
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
ExcellentBest holidays
- 19 °C by day
- 8.8 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 24
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 2 °C by day
- 2.4 h of sun a day
- 7 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 30
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −21 °C by day
- 1.6 h of sun a day
- 4 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 7 h 50 min
- Distance
- 6,090 km
- Time zone
- UTC−6
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (7 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Yellowknife
When is the best time to visit Yellowknife?
The best time to visit Yellowknife is from June to August. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Yellowknife?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 21 °C and nights around 13 °C. January is the coolest month at −22 °C.
When does it rain most in Yellowknife?
The wettest month is August with 46 mm of precipitation. The driest month is February with 7 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Yellowknife get?
Yellowknife gets around 2,200 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is June with 11.6 hours a day; in December there are 1.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Yellowknife in?
Yellowknife uses the time zone America/Edmonton: UTC−7 in January and UTC−6 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Yellowknife?
A nonstop flight from London to Yellowknife takes about 7 h 50 min, for a straight-line distance of about 6,090 km.
Which school holidays are best for Yellowknife?
Yellowknife has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 88) and its weakest during October half-term (score 24). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 47, May half-term 61, Summer holidays 88, October half-term 24, Christmas holidays 30.
Near Yellowknife
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Yellowknife
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Yellowknife's – good alternatives.