Anchorage weather by month & the best time to visit
United States · seaside town · continental climate
The best time to visit Anchorage is July — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 61/100), with June and August close behind. Anchorage averages about 1,720 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 18°C / 64°F and roughly 83 mm of rain in July.
When is the best time to visit Anchorage?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Anchorage is July, then June and August. The dullest month is January (0/100, 53 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Anchorage?
Anchorage isn't a sunny place by world standards: about 1,720 hours of sunshine a year. 61 Sunshine Score points separate July (61) from January (0), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #500 of 580 destinations in United States for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,279 hours. The year's 820 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | -4° / 25°F | -9° / 16°F | 53 mm | 0 | -1° / 30°F |
| February | 0 | -2° / 28°F | -7° / 19°F | 51 mm | 0 | -1° / 30°F |
| March | 0 | -1° / 30°F | -7° / 19°F | 39 mm | 1 | -1° / 30°F |
| April | 0 | 5° / 41°F | -1° / 30°F | 38 mm | 2 | 2° / 36°F |
| May | 27 | 12° / 54°F | 5° / 41°F | 47 mm | 3 | 8° / 46°F |
| June | 52 | 16° / 61°F | 9° / 48°F | 59 mm | 4 | 14° / 57°F |
| July | 61 | 18° / 64°F | 12° / 54°F | 83 mm | 4 | 17° / 63°F |
| August | 51 | 17° / 63°F | 11° / 52°F | 110 mm | 3 | 15° / 59°F |
| September | 28 | 13° / 55°F | 7° / 45°F | 118 mm | 2 | 12° / 54°F |
| October | 0 | 6° / 43°F | 2° / 36°F | 87 mm | 0 | 7° / 45°F |
| November | 0 | -2° / 28°F | -6° / 21°F | 71 mm | 0 | 2° / 36°F |
| December | 0 | -3° / 27°F | -7° / 19°F | 64 mm | 0 | 0° / 32°F |
Sea temperature in Anchorage by month
The sea off Anchorage is warmest in July at around 17°C / 63°F, and coolest in January at -1°C / 30°F. It never reaches comfortable swimming temperatures (21°C+). Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Anchorage compares month by month: Anchorage vs Fairbanks · Anchorage vs Bethel · Anchorage vs Kodiak · all comparisons
Anchorage: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Anchorage?
Anchorage is a seaside town in United States with a continental climate — the sea reaches 17°C at its warmest.
How many hours of sunshine does Anchorage get a year?
Anchorage gets about 1,720 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit Anchorage?
The sunniest time to visit Anchorage is July, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 61/100 (with June and August close behind). Expect daytime highs around 18°C / 64°F.
What is the least sunny month in Anchorage?
January is the least sunny month in Anchorage, scoring 0/100 with about 53 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Anchorage?
The sea in Anchorage ranges from about -1°C (January) to 17°C (July). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Anchorage?
The typical midday UV index in Anchorage peaks around 4 (moderate) in June, easing to about 0 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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