Anacortes in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Anacortes sees average daytime highs around 45°F and overnight lows near 38°F, with 19.0 in of precipitation over about 51 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 45°F. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Anacortes's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Anacortes's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 45°F
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 38°F
- Precipitation
- 19.0 in
- 51 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 mph
- Travel score
- 0.8
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Anacortes in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 45°F.
A typical winter day in Anacortes reaches about 45°F and drops to 38°F overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Anacortes
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 90°F and 32 that feel at or below 32°F.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Anacortes weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44° / 38° | 7.2 | 18.3 | 3.1 | 8.6 | 0.7 |
| Feb | 46° / 38° | 4.7 | 14.6 | 2.5 | 9.9 | 1.1 |
| Mar | 49° / 40° | 5.7 | 18.3 | 1.4 | 11.6 | 1.7 |
| Apr | 53° / 44° | 4.1 | 14.6 | 0.2 | 13.4 | 2.7 |
| May | 58° / 49° | 3.0 | 10.3 | 0 | 15 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 62° / 53° | 2.2 | 8.4 | 0 | 15.8 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 67° / 57° | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0 | 15.5 | 7.3 |
| Aug | 68° / 58° | 1.4 | 4.6 | 0 | 14.1 | 7.4 |
| Sep | 64° / 55° | 2.8 | 8.4 | 0 | 12.4 | 6.0 |
| Oct | 56° / 48° | 5.6 | 14.2 | 0 | 10.6 | 3.4 |
| Nov | 49° / 42° | 8.2 | 18.4 | 0.9 | 9 | 1.5 |
| Dec | 44° / 38° | 7.1 | 18 | 2.9 | 8.2 | 0.6 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Anacortes gets around 19.0 in of rain and snow over 51 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 7 mph across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 8 h 24 min in early December to 10 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 1.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Anacortes
In winter, Anacortes overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Anacortes's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Anacortes?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Anacortes.
What to pack for Anacortes in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Anacortes sees daytime highs around 45°F and nights near 38°F. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 51 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Anacortes in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 47°F across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 mi away) is warmest in August at about 54°F and coldest in February near 46°F.
The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 46 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 53 | 50 | 49 | 47 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | Bracing |
| Feb | 46 | Bracing |
| Mar | 47 | Bracing |
| Apr | 48 | Bracing |
| May | 50 | Bracing |
| Jun | 52 | Bracing |
| Jul | 53 | Bracing |
| Aug | 54 | Bracing |
| Sep | 53 | Bracing |
| Oct | 50 | Bracing |
| Nov | 49 | Bracing |
| Dec | 47 | Bracing |
UV index in Anacortes in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Anacortes peaks around July 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 1 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 1 | Low |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 5 | Moderate |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 6 | High |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 6 | High |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 3 | Moderate |
| Nov | 1 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Air quality in Anacortes in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Anacortes is worst in September — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 12 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 12 | Good |
| Apr | 12 | Good |
| May | 12 | Good |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 11 | Good |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 12 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Anacortes?
Anacortes sits at 48.5°N, 122.6°W, 23 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mount Vernon, 14 mi away.
Topography around Anacortes
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Anacortes.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Anacortes has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 558 ft around an average of 75 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,581 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,758 ft.
The land around Anacortes is covered by water (51%) and trees (25%) within 2 miles, water (61%) and trees (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (49%) and water (35%) within 50 miles.
United States travel facts
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 100% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $90,027
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 98%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 5.8
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12.7
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Anacortes (48.5126°, -122.6127°, elevation 23 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.