February is one of the cooler months of the year in Yellowknife, with average highs near -22.8°C and lows around -31.5°C (mean -27.1°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 15 mm of rainfall and 96% relative humidity across the period.
February is one of the cooler months of the year in Yellowknife. Across 45 years of records, the warmest February in Yellowknife was 1999 — when the month averaged -19.6°C — while the coldest was 1985 at -35.2°C. Typical February days reach -22.8°C with nights near -31.5°C. The long-term trend is cooling, about 0.2°C per decade.
February is one of the drier months in Yellowknife, averaging 15 mm of rainfall. The wettest February on record was 1993 with 34 mm, while the driest was 2019 at 5 mm.
Relative humidity in Yellowknife during February averages 96%. The most humid February was 2010 at 97%, and the least humid was 2007 at 94%.
February receives about 1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Yellowknife. The sunniest February was 2022 at 1.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1993, 2000 and 2013, among others at 0.8.
Average wind speed in Yellowknife during February is 3.1 m/s. The windiest February was 1993 at 4 m/s, while the calmest was 2003 at 2.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -27.2°C | -26.9°C | -26.9°C | -26.0°C | -29.7°C | -2.5°C |
| Avg High | -22.9°C | -22.6°C | -22.6°C | -21.8°C | -25.4°C | -2.5°C |
| Avg Low | -31.6°C | -31.3°C | -31.2°C | -30.3°C | -34.1°C | -2.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 20 mm | 17 mm | 15 mm | 12 mm | 13 mm | -6 mm |
February temperatures in Yellowknife have fallen by about 1.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
February has ranged from a record low of -53.5°C (2021) to a record high of 0.6°C (1990).
Rainfall in February is one of the drier months, averaging 15 mm, with a wettest year of 34 mm.
A quieter season to visit Yellowknife
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Yellowknife. That said, February — with days averaging -22.8°C and nights around -31.5°C (mean -27.1°C) and low rainfall (15 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -24.0°C | -28.0°C | -32.1°C | -7.9°C | -44.7°C | 12 mm | 95% | 3.2 m/s | 1 |
| 2024 | -20.7°C | -25.2°C | -29.7°C | -6.4°C | -43.7°C | 26 mm | 96% | 3.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2023 | -27.0°C | -31.0°C | -34.9°C | -18.1°C | -47.4°C | 10 mm | 95% | 2.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2022 | -28.3°C | -33.0°C | -37.7°C | -13.4°C | -46.8°C | 10 mm | 96% | 2.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2021 | -29.1°C | -33.6°C | -38.1°C | -15.0°C | -53.5°C | 6 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2020 | -23.3°C | -27.6°C | -31.9°C | -5.4°C | -46.4°C | 17 mm | 95% | 3 m/s | 1 |
| 2019 | -27.0°C | -30.7°C | -34.3°C | -11.7°C | -47.9°C | 5 mm | 96% | 2.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2018 | -22.5°C | -27.9°C | -33.3°C | -12.0°C | -47.4°C | 10 mm | 96% | 3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2017 | -19.8°C | -23.4°C | -27.1°C | -6.5°C | -38.7°C | 23 mm | 96% | 2.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2016 | -22.6°C | -26.8°C | -31.1°C | -10.8°C | -40.6°C | 10 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2015 | -24.0°C | -29.9°C | -35.8°C | -7.5°C | -49.3°C | 9 mm | 95% | 3.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2014 | -26.6°C | -30.7°C | -34.8°C | -17.5°C | -45.0°C | 9 mm | 96% | 2.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2013 | -19.0°C | -22.7°C | -26.4°C | -8.3°C | -42.8°C | 22 mm | 96% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2012 | -17.1°C | -21.2°C | -25.2°C | 0.4°C | -35.5°C | 6 mm | 96% | 3.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2011 | -22.5°C | -27.1°C | -31.7°C | -4.1°C | -42.5°C | 17 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2010 | -16.6°C | -19.9°C | -23.3°C | -7.9°C | -39.4°C | 8 mm | 97% | 2.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2009 | -21.3°C | -26.0°C | -30.6°C | -10.0°C | -41.4°C | 19 mm | 96% | 3 m/s | 1 |
| 2008 | -26.2°C | -30.6°C | -34.9°C | -11.5°C | -52.6°C | 15 mm | 95% | 3.2 m/s | 1 |
| 2007 | -26.2°C | -30.5°C | -34.8°C | -15.4°C | -42.5°C | 12 mm | 94% | 2.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2006 | -18.2°C | -22.3°C | -26.4°C | -8.2°C | -40.3°C | 13 mm | 96% | 3.7 m/s | 1 |
| 2005 | -22.0°C | -25.7°C | -29.4°C | -8.8°C | -47.9°C | 29 mm | 96% | 2.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2004 | -21.4°C | -25.7°C | -30.1°C | -11.9°C | -44.2°C | 17 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2003 | -27.6°C | -32.4°C | -37.2°C | -11.6°C | -46.1°C | 8 mm | 96% | 2.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2002 | -22.2°C | -26.6°C | -30.9°C | -9.4°C | -46.0°C | 16 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2001 | -22.2°C | -26.2°C | -30.3°C | -0.7°C | -43.3°C | 8 mm | 97% | 2.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2000 | -18.9°C | -23.0°C | -27.1°C | -8.2°C | -42.4°C | 15 mm | 96% | 2.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1999 🔥 | -16.5°C | -19.6°C | -22.6°C | -6.8°C | -36.0°C | 21 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1998 | -17.5°C | -20.8°C | -24.2°C | -8.9°C | -31.2°C | 17 mm | 96% | 3.6 m/s | 1 |
| 1997 | -22.2°C | -26.8°C | -31.5°C | -6.2°C | -46.1°C | 8 mm | 96% | 2.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1996 | -20.0°C | -24.1°C | -28.2°C | -8.3°C | -48.1°C | 20 mm | 97% | 3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1995 | -22.8°C | -27.2°C | -31.6°C | -13.1°C | -41.0°C | 12 mm | 96% | 3.6 m/s | 1 |
| 1994 | -30.8°C | -35.0°C | -39.2°C | -17.8°C | -47.6°C | 10 mm | 96% | 2.5 m/s | 1 |
| 1993 🌧️ | -21.7°C | -26.6°C | -31.5°C | -2.0°C | -45.5°C | 34 mm | 96% | 4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1992 | -24.2°C | -28.5°C | -32.8°C | -8.4°C | -44.8°C | 13 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1991 | -22.5°C | -27.5°C | -32.5°C | -0.8°C | -45.9°C | 19 mm | 95% | 3.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1990 | -27.8°C | -33.4°C | -39.0°C | 0.6°C | -52.9°C | 13 mm | 95% | 3.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1989 | -18.7°C | -23.8°C | -28.9°C | -5.6°C | -44.4°C | 7 mm | 96% | 3.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1988 | -26.8°C | -31.6°C | -36.4°C | -3.0°C | -49.2°C | 16 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1987 | -17.0°C | -20.4°C | -23.7°C | -10.2°C | -42.1°C | 23 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1986 | -22.4°C | -26.2°C | -30.1°C | -0.3°C | -51.5°C | 8 mm | 96% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1985 ❄️ | -30.1°C | -35.2°C | -40.4°C | -7.9°C | -51.5°C | 31 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1984 | -18.8°C | -22.8°C | -26.8°C | -5.9°C | -45.1°C | 33 mm | 96% | 3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1983 | -26.5°C | -30.3°C | -34.1°C | -6.5°C | -45.9°C | 11 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -24.3°C | -29.7°C | -35.1°C | -8.8°C | -49.4°C | 25 mm | 95% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -21.2°C | -24.9°C | -28.6°C | -10.4°C | -44.3°C | 24 mm | 96% | 3.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded February data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in February is around -22.8°C with lows near -31.5°C (mean -27.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
February averages 15 mm of rainfall in Yellowknife, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 34 mm in 1993.
The hottest February reached 0.6°C in 1990. The coldest dipped to -53.5°C in 2021.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average February temperatures have fallen by about 1.6°C. Daytime highs moved from -24.2°C to -25.8°C and overnight lows from -33°C to -34.5°C over the same span.
February is one of the cooler months of the year in Yellowknife and one of the drier months, so plan for around -22.8°C daytime highs and -31.5°C at night.
Not quite — February is the 3rd coolest month in Yellowknife, averaging -27.1°C.
For February in Yellowknife, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -22.8°C and lows of -31.5°C.
Relative humidity in February averages 96% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in February is 3.1 m/s. The windiest February on record averaged 4 m/s (1993).
The wettest February on record was 1993 with 34 mm. On average, February sees 15 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Yellowknife behaves each February, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for February specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
