Alaska's summers are cool and its winters cold and snowy: NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for Anchorage give highs of 66.2°F in July and 22.7°F in January, with 18.2 inches of snow in December. Fairbanks is colder (a January low of −17.2°F) and Juneau is far wetter (9.15 inches of precipitation in September). Choose by activity; we have no verified dataset for crowds or prices.
Month-by-month climate table
| Month | Normal high | Normal low | Normal precipitation | Normal snowfall | Verified schedule notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22.7°F | 11.0°F | 0.75 in | 12.4 in | — |
| February | 27.3°F | 15.2°F | 0.86 in | 13.4 in | — |
| March | 33.0°F | 18.6°F | 0.69 in | 11.0 in | — |
| April | 45.1°F | 29.9°F | 0.43 in | 4.0 in | — |
| May | 56.3°F | 40.0°F | 0.65 in | 0.3 in | Mendenhall Glacier pass required May 1-Sep 30 |
| June | 63.4°F | 48.4°F | 1.02 in | 0.0 in | — |
| July | 66.2°F | 52.9°F | 1.82 in | 0.0 in | — |
| August | 64.0°F | 50.9°F | 2.93 in | 0.0 in | — |
| September | 55.7°F | 42.9°F | 3.10 in | 0.4 in | Denali Star weekend-only service from Sep 19 |
| October | 42.0°F | 30.7°F | 1.82 in | 5.6 in | Ferry winter schedule begins Oct 1 |
| November | 28.9°F | 18.3°F | 1.19 in | 12.6 in | — |
| December | 25.0°F | 13.8°F | 1.16 in | 18.2 in | — |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport (USW00026451), retrieved October 17, 2026. Normals are 30-year averages; actual weather varies. Schedule notes are from the Forest Service, the Alaska Railroad and the Alaska Marine Highway System.
Other regions at a glance
| Station | January high / low | July high / low | Wettest month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | 22.7°F / 11.0°F | 66.2°F / 52.9°F | September (3.10 in) |
| Fairbanks | 0.6°F / −17.2°F | 72.7°F / 53.1°F | July (2.26 in) |
| Juneau | 33.1°F / 23.8°F | 64.0°F / 50.1°F | September (9.15 in) |
How to choose your month
- Warmest: June–August (Anchorage highs 63.4–66.2°F).
- Coldest: December–February (Anchorage highs 22.7–27.3°F; Fairbanks lows down to −17.2°F).
- Snowiest in Anchorage: December (18.2 inches), then February (13.4) and November (12.6).
- Wettest in Juneau: September (9.15 inches) and October (8.42).
Limits of this guide
Normals describe typical conditions, not forecasts, and we have no verified dataset for daylight hours, aurora viewing, crowds or prices by month, so this page makes no such claims. Use the National Weather Service for forecasts.