Anchorage in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Anchorage sees average daytime highs around 23°F and overnight lows near 16°F, with 6.8 in of precipitation over about 33 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°F. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Anchorage's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Anchorage's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°F
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°F
- Precipitation
- 6.8 in
- 33 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 mph
- Travel score
- 0.0
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Anchorage in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°F.
A typical winter day in Anchorage reaches about 23°F and drops to 16°F overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Anchorage
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 90°F and 90 that feel at or below 32°F.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Anchorage 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 | 21° / 14° | 2.0 | 10.4 | 10.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 26° / 18° | 1.9 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 8.5 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 32° / 21° | 1.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 11.3 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 42° / 30° | 1.2 | 7.3 | 4 | 14.3 | 0.5 |
| May | 51° / 39° | 1.2 | 7.1 | 0.6 | 17 | 2.7 |
| Jun | 59° / 49° | 1.6 | 9 | 0 | 18.8 | 4.5 |
| Jul | 62° / 54° | 2.9 | 12.5 | 0 | 18.1 | 4.9 |
| Aug | 61° / 53° | 4.2 | 14.8 | 0 | 15.5 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 54° / 46° | 4.6 | 15.3 | 0.4 | 12.6 | 2.8 |
| Oct | 41° / 33° | 3.5 | 13.2 | 4.1 | 9.6 | 0.4 |
| Nov | 29° / 22° | 2.6 | 11.7 | 9.3 | 6.9 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 23° / 16° | 2.9 | 12.8 | 13 | 5.2 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Anchorage gets around 6.8 in of rain and snow over 33 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 5 mph across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 5 h 42 min in early December to 9 h 42 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 0.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Anchorage
In winter, Anchorage overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Anchorage's rainy season runs July–December, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Anchorage?
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 Anchorage.
What to pack for Anchorage in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Anchorage sees daytime highs around 23°F and nights near 16°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 33 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Anchorage in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 31°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 10 mi away) is warmest in August at about 57°F and coldest in February near 31°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) | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 55 | 57 | 54 | 47 | 40 | 32 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | Bracing |
| Feb | 31 | Bracing |
| Mar | 31 | Bracing |
| Apr | 32 | Bracing |
| May | 36 | Bracing |
| Jun | 48 | Bracing |
| Jul | 55 | Bracing |
| Aug | 57 | Bracing |
| Sep | 54 | Bracing |
| Oct | 47 | Bracing |
| Nov | 40 | Bracing |
| Dec | 32 | Bracing |
UV index in Anchorage in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 0. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Anchorage peaks around June 23 at about 5 (moderate) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 0 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 4 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Level | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | Low |
| Feb | 1 | Low |
| Mar | 1 | Low |
| Apr | 3 | Moderate |
| May | 4 | Moderate |
| Jun | 5 | Moderate |
| Jul | 5 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4 | Moderate |
| Sep | 2 | Moderate |
| Oct | 1 | Low |
| Nov | 0 | Low |
| Dec | 0 | Low |
Where is Anchorage?
Anchorage sits at 61.2°N, 149.9°W, 102 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Eagle River, 13 mi away.
Topography around Anchorage
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Anchorage.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Anchorage has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft around an average of 56 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,386 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,769 ft.
The land around Anchorage is covered by water (39%) and artificial surfaces (32%) within 2 miles, trees (39%) and water (35%) within 10 miles, and trees (42%) and grassland (23%) 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 Anchorage (61.2181°, -149.9003°, elevation 102 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.