Bettles, 66°55'N 151°31'W, 641.9 ft a.s.l.
Bettles Airport is located on the south side of and adjacent to the Koyukuk River. The foothills of the Endicott Mountains are found to the west, north, and east of the station. The Koyukuk River valley extends for about 20 miles to the south where it then curves to the southwest. Changes in elevation for a distance of about 15 miles on all sides of the airport are small, with a very gradual rise from south to north. The land is timbered with low spruce and birch. Bettles Airport is one of four Weather Service stations located north of the Arctic Circle.
The climate of the Bettles area is typical of a continental regime. Temperatures during the long summer days are mild, with maximums mostly in the high 60s and low 70s, and occasionally in the 80s. The sun does not set during the period June 2 to July 9. The freeze-free period averages 89 days, extending from May to late August. There is no commercial agriculture in this area. Bettles provides a center for wilderness guided and unguided tours, hunting and fishing and gold mining. Winters are typical of interior Alaska. Minimum temperatures average below zero from November through March, and readings in the -45 to -55 degree range are experienced each winter. Here, as in most of the interior, the transition from summer to winter and vice versa is rapid, resulting in short spring and fall seasons.
Annual precipitation amounts are slightly heavier than at most interior locations, but still fall well within what is expected for a continental climate. It also follows the pattern of nearly all Alaskan stations, with precipitation amounts building up to a maximum during late summer and fall months. Snow has occurred during all months except July. The total seasonal snowfall has ranged from less than 40 inches to more than 130 inches. Because of the cold temperatures, much of the snow remains on the ground during the winter.
Surface winds are seldom strong during any season of the year, nor do they show much seasonal variation. Wind directions prevail from the north ten months of the year.