Anchorage, AK weather in August
Expect cool weather with frequent rain in Anchorage in August, with highs near 64°F and lows near 51°F. Rain falls on about 14 days. Even so, it is one of the warmest months in Anchorage.
- Normal high
- 64°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 2.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How August changes from start to finish
| August 1 | August 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 48°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 43% | 49% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:32 am / 10:39 pm | 6:49 am / 9:10 pm |
| Daylight | 17.1 h | 14.4 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 August day
- 6 am53°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 49°F
- Noon61°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm64°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 50°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°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per August, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in August
Normal precipitation is 2.9 in; a dry August brings about 1.7 in and a wet one about 3.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more.
How August varies from year to year
- Warmest August, 1991-20202019: average high 71°F
- Coolest August1998: average high 60°F
- Wettest August1997: 8.4 in
- Driest August2019: 0.04 in
- Highest reading81°F (August 16, 2004)
- Lowest reading34°F (August 28, 1998)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
August compared with July and September
| July | August | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 64°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 51°F | 43°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| Comfortable days | 19 | 14 | 2 |
| Daylight | 18.3 h | 15.8 h | 12.9 h |
Highs change by -2°F from July and -8°F into September.
How Anchorage ranks in August
- Normal high373rd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days343rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days32nd most of 341
What to pack for Anchorage in August
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
Heating and cooling
August has 236 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 2% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Anchorage in August?
The normal high is 64°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest August reading was 34°F (August 28, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Anchorage in August?
About 14 days in August have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.9 in. The wettest August in 1991-2020 was in 1997 (8.4 in); the driest was in 2019 (0.04 in).
Is August a good time to visit Anchorage?
August ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Anchorage (71 out of 100). It has about 14 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).