Anchorage, AK weather in April
Expect chilly, mostly dry weather with some snow in Anchorage in April, with highs near 45°F and lows near 30°F. Rain or snow falls on about 5 days. Snowfall averages about 4.0 in.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 5
- 0.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.0 in
- snow on the ground 14 days
How April changes from start to finish
| April 1 | April 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 38°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 17% | 18% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:22 am / 8:44 pm | 5:52 am / 10:00 pm |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 16.1 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical April day
- 6 am32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon43°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm45°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm44°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm40°Fdew point 27°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Anchorage Merrill Fld (2 mi away); average wind 4 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 30
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow5 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below19 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more14 of 30
Average days per April, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in April
Normal precipitation is 0.4 in; a dry April brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 0.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 4.0 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How April varies from year to year
- Warmest April, 1991-20202016: average high 52°F
- Coolest April2013: average high 37°F
- Wettest April2008: 1.8 in
- Driest April2016: 0.02 in
- Highest reading69°F (April 29, 2005)
- Lowest reading1°F (April 1, 2004)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
April compared with March and May
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 33°F | 45°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 30°F | 40°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 14.8 h | 17.5 h |
Highs change by +12°F from March and +11°F into May.
How Anchorage ranks in April
- Normal high376th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days71st driest of 378
- Comfortable days339th most of 340
What to pack for Anchorage in April
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 45°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 14 days
- A hat and gloves – about 19 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
April has 825 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Anchorage in April?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest April reading was 1°F (April 1, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Anchorage in April?
About 5 days in April have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.4 in. The wettest April in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (1.8 in); the driest was in 2016 (0.02 in).
Does it snow in Anchorage in April?
Yes. Normal snowfall in April is 4.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 14 days.
Is April a good time to visit Anchorage?
April ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Anchorage (54 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Anchorage Intl Airport (USW00026451), 5.4 mi SW of the city center, 120 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Anchorage Merrill Fld (USW00026409), 1.5 mi E of the city center, 138 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Merrill Field Airport (702735-26409), 1.4 mi E of the city center, 126 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).