Anchorage Weather

Anchorage has a varied climate, with mild and pleasant summers, and cold winters; although winter here is no colder than in many upper-mid US states.

Pleasant summers

Anchorage is protected by the Kenai Mountains, and as a result, rainfall in the city is generally low. However, over the course of a year, there is on average five time more snow here than rain. The summer temperature averages around 18°C, rarely getting above 24°C, and it’s a comfortable time to visit, although cloudy days are common. In the height of summer, the sun barely sets, with only 4 hours of dusk on the longest day. The biggest nuisance in the summer are the mosquitoes, which can be an irritant outside the city.

Short winter days

Winter in Anchorage, from November to February, can be very cold, but perhaps not as cold as people might expect, and nothing like the extreme conditions of Alaska’s interior. January is generally the coldest month, with the most snowfall, although winter conditions here can vary considerably from year to year.

Anchorage’s high latitude means that winter days are very short. During this season, Anchorage residents generally go to work in the dark and return in the dark, and it’s not uncommon for those who work in offices to barely see the sun at all.

Average Temperature (°C)

20 15 10 5 0

Jan -10.3

Feb -7.5

Mar -4.2

Apr 1.8

May 7.7

Jun 12.2

Jul 14.2

Aug 13.2

Sep 8.8

Oct 1.8

Nov -5.5

Dec -9.7

Rainfall (mm)

70 52 35 18 0

Jan 20.9

Feb 18.8

Mar 15.2

Apr 13.1

May 14.8

Jun 24.5

Jul 45.6

Aug 64.8

Sep 66.7

Oct 48.6

Nov 25.8

Dec 25.0