Anchorage, AK weather in January
January in Anchorage: very cold and snowy. Highs 23°F, lows 11°F, about 8 days with rain or snow and about 12.4 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Anchorage. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 23°F
- Normal low
- 11°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.4 in
- snow on the ground 31 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 23°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 11°F | 13°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 10:13 am / 3:52 pm | 9:22 am / 5:03 pm |
| Daylight | 5.7 h | 7.7 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 January day
- 6 am15°Fdew point 10°F
- 9 am15°Fdew point 10°F
- Noon17°Fdew point 12°F
- 3 pm19°Fdew point 13°F
- 6 pm18°Fdew point 12°F
- 9 pm16°Fdew point 11°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Anchorage Merrill Fld (2 mi away); average wind 3 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more31 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry January brings about 0.5 in and a wet one about 1.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 12.4 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202014: average high 35°F
- Coolest January2012: average high 10°F
- Wettest January2017: 1.7 in
- Driest January1996: 0.1 in
- Highest reading50°F (January 27, 2014)
- Lowest reading-24°F (January 7, 2009)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
January compared with December and February
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 25°F | 23°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 14°F | 11°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 5.6 h | 6.5 h | 9.0 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Seward, AK79 mi · high 31°F · 14 wet days
- Cooler: Denali Park, AK177 mi · high 10°F · 8 wet days
How Anchorage ranks in January
- Normal high372nd warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days138th driest of 378
- Comfortable days267th most of 339
What to pack for Anchorage in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 11°F, highs near 23°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 8 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 31 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1493 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Anchorage in January?
The normal high is 23°F and the normal low is 11°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -24°F (January 7, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Anchorage in January?
About 8 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (1.7 in); the driest was in 1996 (0.1 in).
Does it snow in Anchorage in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 12.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 31 days.
Is January a good time to visit Anchorage?
January ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Anchorage (24 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).