Climate snapshot for alpacas
94/100Alpaca climate comfort score
57°FAverage high, Aug
20°FAverage low, Jan
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~189Frost nights per year
140 inAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
18Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 140 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 94/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Subarctic (Köppen Dfc).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 20°F | 13.7 in | 93 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 31°F | 20°F | 9.9 in | 96 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 34°F | 22°F | 9.6 in | 104 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 42°F | 29°F | 7.4 in | 110 · ok | frost |
| May | 50°F | 36°F | 6.5 in | 124 · ok | — |
| Jun | 55°F | 43°F | 5.2 in | 127 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 57°F | 46°F | 7.2 in | 139 · ok | grass |
| Aug | 57°F | 46°F | 11.6 in | 141 · ok | grass |
| Sep | 51°F | 41°F | 18.7 in | 135 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 42°F | 33°F | 19.0 in | 117 · ok | — |
| Nov | 33°F | 25°F | 15.5 in | 98 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 30°F | 22°F | 15.6 in | 93 · ok | frost |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: NOAA nClimDiv 1991–2020 county normals.
Alpaca care calendar for Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska
January 29° / 20°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 31° / 20°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 34° / 22°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 42° / 29°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
May 50° / 36°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 55° / 43°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
July 57° / 46°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
August 57° / 46°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
September 51° / 41°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Secure winter hay: about 18 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 42° / 33°F
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
November 33° / 25°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 30° / 22°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: June.
- Best months for crias to be born: Jun–Aug (breed in Jul–Sep).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
- Freezing nights: Nov–Apr — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Jun–Sep (about 4 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
- Selenium: Selenium levels vary across the state. Test hay or blood before changing supplements.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet. If you keep alpacas here, consider adding your farm to OpenStreetMap — it will appear on this page after the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska scores 94/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska?
Plan shearing for June, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Jun–Aug. For births then, breed females in Jul–Sep (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska?
With roughly 8 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 900 lb (408 kg) — around 18 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 58.403, -135.885 · land area 6,555 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Alaska.