Northwest Territories has a cold continental climate with warm summers and freezing winters.
Northwest Territories has an average annual temperature of -6.7°C across all 1 city, with approximately 409 mm of annual precipitation and average humidity of 84%. Temperatures peak in July and drop to their lowest in January, while rainfall is highest during summer months.
The warmest city is Yellowknife with average July highs of 27.1°C, while Yellowknife is the coldest with average January lows of -47.8°C. Humidity remains high throughout the year, especially during winter months, creating cold and damp conditions. These seasonal patterns make summer ideal for outdoor activities, while winters bring freezing conditions and heavy snowfall.
| Month | 🌤️ | High | Low | Avg | Humid % | Rain (mm) | Wind (m/s) | Solar (kWh/m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | ❄️ | -11.3°C | -47.8°C | -29.5°C | 95% | 20 | 3.0 | 0.20 |
| February | ❄️ | -8.4°C | -44.9°C | -26.7°C | 96% | 15 | 3.1 | 1.00 |
| March | ❄️ | -1.3°C | -39.1°C | -20.2°C | 95% | 21 | 3.3 | 2.60 |
| April | ❄️ | 6.5°C | -25.1°C | -9.3°C | 91% | 21 | 4.1 | 4.60 |
| May | 🌤️ | 19.9°C | -6.7°C | 6.6°C | 75% | 46 | 4.3 | 5.70 |
| June | 🌤️ | 25.3°C | 2.8°C | 14.0°C | 68% | 55 | 4.0 | 6.10 |
| July | ☀️ | 27.1°C | 7.6°C | 17.4°C | 65% | 57 | 3.7 | 5.40 |
| August | 🌤️ | 26.0°C | 3.8°C | 14.9°C | 69% | 52 | 3.8 | 4.10 |
| September | 🌤️ | 18.5°C | -2.7°C | 7.9°C | 78% | 43 | 4.1 | 2.50 |
| October | ❄️ | 6.8°C | -20.2°C | -6.7°C | 89% | 35 | 3.6 | 1.00 |
| November | ❄️ | -4.5°C | -38.1°C | -21.3°C | 95% | 25 | 2.9 | 0.30 |
| December | ❄️ | -10.0°C | -45.6°C | -27.8°C | 95% | 20 | 3.0 | 0.10 |
Showing average climate conditions across 45 years (1981–2025) · averaged across all 1 cities in Northwest Territories
🧥 Pack heavy layers and prepare for snow — this is a Severe Winter destination.
🌤️ Conditions are ideal for outdoor activities throughout the day in this Mild Summer.
☔ Rainfall is spread across the year with no sharply defined wet season.
Region-wide monthly averages across 1 city · 1981–2025 · °C
Temperatures rise steadily from spring, peak in July, and gradually decline through autumn into winter.
These seasonal patterns make summer ideal for outdoor activities, while winters bring freezing conditions and heavy snowfall.
Region-wide monthly rainfall · 1981–2025 · mm/month
Monthly averages · 1981–2025
💧 Humidity peaks at 96% in February · annual avg 84%
The warmest year on record was 2001 (avg: -4.3°C), while the coldest year was 1982 (avg: -10.2°C).
Averaged across all 1 cities in Northwest Territories · Last 10 years · °C
Averaged across all 1 cities in Northwest Territories · Last 10 years · mm/year
🔥 hottest · ❄️ coldest · 🌧️ wettest
ℹ️ Values are averages across all 1 cities in Northwest Territories for each year.
| Year | Min Temp | Avg Temp | Max Temp | Rainfall (mm) | Avg Humidity | Avg Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | -19.8°C | -5.9°C | 8.0°C | 396 | 85% | 3.5 m/s |
2024 | -19.7°C | -5.5°C | 8.7°C | 371 | 84% | 3.7 m/s |
2023 | -18.1°C | -4.9°C | 8.3°C | 353 | 83% | 3.6 m/s |
2022 | -21.6°C | -7.2°C | 7.2°C | 383 | 83% | 3.5 m/s |
2021 | -21.1°C | -6.9°C | 7.3°C | 389 | 86% | 3.6 m/s |
2020 | -21.4°C | -7.2°C | 6.9°C | 409 | 86% | 3.7 m/s |
2019 | -23.2°C | -8.3°C | 6.6°C | 440 | 87% | 3.5 m/s |
2018 🌧️ | -21.1°C | -7.3°C | 6.6°C | 591 | 87% | 3.6 m/s |
2017 | -19.5°C | -5.4°C | 8.7°C | 373 | 83% | 3.4 m/s |
2016 | -18.7°C | -4.9°C | 8.8°C | 366 | 83% | 3.5 m/s |
Showing 1 to 10 of 45 years
All weather data is sourced from NASA POWER (Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources), a NASA project providing solar and meteorological data for renewable energy, building efficiency, and agricultural research.
