Best time to visit Anchorage, AK, USA

Our verdict

The best time to visit Anchorage is September-October

Are you looking to travel to Anchorage and want to find out when’s the best time to visit? You’re in the right place! The perfect time to visit Anchorage is September-October due to the excellent weather conditions, and you might even find that the cost of flights and accommodation are lower than if you travel during the peak holiday seasons.

In the summer months, temperatures can reach as high as 18℃ (65℉) in Anchorage. The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Anchorage is around -21℃ (-6℉).

The days are longest in Anchorage in May, so if you want to see the sights during the day when the sun is up for the longest time, it’s best to visit around that time of year. You don’t want to get wet on your holiday, do you? Well if you’re trying to avoid the rain, then steer clear of Anchorage in September. Head over there in May instead if you want to increase your chances of not being rained on.

Learn more about when to travel to Anchorage, the monthly weather breakdown, FAQs and much more below. Once you’ve decided when you want to go, use our handy tools to find the best prices to suit your budget on flights, transport/transfers, places to stay, and loads more!

Warmest month

July

Least rainfall

May

Most daylight

May

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Anchorage seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Anchorage as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Anchorage is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Anchorage

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Anchorage for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Anchorage climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Anchorage for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Anchorage in January

  • Average temperature: -8℃ (17℉)
  • Average high temperature: -7℃ (20℉)
  • Average low temperature: -11℃ (13℉)
  • Average humidity: 86%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 16mm (1") over 8 days
  • Average snow days: 9 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
8 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in January, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in February

  • Average temperature: -7℃ (20℉)
  • Average high temperature: -4℃ (25℉)
  • Average low temperature: -9℃ (15℉)
  • Average humidity: 86%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 18mm (1") over 7 days
  • Average snow days: 11 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
7 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in February, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in March

  • Average temperature: -5℃ (23℉)
  • Average high temperature: -2℃ (29℉)
  • Average low temperature: -8℃ (18℉)
  • Average humidity: 86%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 18mm (1") over 9 days
  • Average snow days: 10 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in March, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in April

  • Average temperature: 2℃ (35℉)
  • Average high temperature: 4℃ (40℉)
  • Average low temperature: -1℃ (30℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 17mm (1") over 11 days
  • Average snow days: 5 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in April, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in May

  • Average temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (51℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average humidity: 68%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 14mm (1") over 12 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in May, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in June

  • Average temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average low temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average humidity: 70%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 17mm (1") over 11 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in June, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Anchorage in July

  • Average temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average high temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
  • Average low temperature: 11℃ (51℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 26mm (1") over 14 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in July, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Anchorage in August

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (60℉)
  • Average low temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 35mm (1") over 17 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
17 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in August, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Anchorage in September

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (53℉)
  • Average low temperature: 7℃ (44℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 49mm (2") over 16 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in September, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.

Anchorage in October

  • Average temperature: 3℃ (38℉)
  • Average high temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average low temperature: 2℃ (36℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 42mm (2") over 15 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
15 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in October, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in November

  • Average temperature: -4℃ (26℉)
  • Average high temperature: -2℃ (28℉)
  • Average low temperature: -6℃ (22℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 26mm (1") over 10 days
  • Average snow days: 9 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in November, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Anchorage in December

  • Average temperature: -7℃ (20℉)
  • Average high temperature: -5℃ (23℉)
  • Average low temperature: -9℃ (17℉)
  • Average humidity: 84%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 30mm (1") over 9 days
  • Average snow days: 12 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Anchorage in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Anchorage is usually July, where temperatures tend to rise to around 17℃ (62℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Anchorage is generally around May. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in May first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Anchorage is generally around September, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of September too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Anchorage, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in May are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Anchorage map