Fairbanks, AK weather in February
Fairbanks is very cold and snowy in February: highs average 12°F and nights drop to about -11°F. Rain or snow falls on about 7 days. Snowfall averages about 10.0 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 12°F
- Normal low
- -11°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.0 in
- snow on the ground 28 days
How February changes from start to finish
| February 1 | February 28 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 5°F | 18°F |
| Normal low | -14°F | -9°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 26% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 9:36 am / 4:32 pm | 8:03 am / 6:03 pm |
| Daylight | 6.9 h | 10.0 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 February day
- 6 am-4°Fdew point -6°F
- 9 am-4°Fdew point -6°F
- Noon3°Fdew point -2°F
- 3 pm8°Fdew point 1°F
- 6 pm4°Fdew point -1°F
- 9 pm0°Fdew point -3°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fairbanks Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 3 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 28
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 28
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 28
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow7 of 28
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 28
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 28
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more28 of 28
Average days per February, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in February
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry February brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 10.0 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How February varies from year to year
- Warmest February, 1991-20201997: average high 24°F
- Coolest February1999: average high -6°F
- Wettest February2011: 1.6 in
- Driest February2000: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading46°F (February 11, 2004)
- Lowest reading-58°F (February 2, 1993)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
February compared with January and March
| January | February | March | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 1°F | 12°F | 25°F |
| Normal low | -17°F | -11°F | -3°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 5.3 h | 8.5 h | 11.8 h |
Highs change by +11°F from January and +13°F into March.
Nearby alternatives in February
- Warmer: Denali Park, AK84 mi · high 20°F · 7 wet days
How Fairbanks ranks in February
- Normal high378th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days91st driest of 378
- Comfortable days304th most of 340
What to pack for Fairbanks in February
- A warm jacket – lows near -11°F, highs near 12°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 28 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
February has 1814 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fairbanks in February?
The normal high is 12°F and the normal low is -11°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest February reading was -58°F (February 2, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Fairbanks in February?
About 7 days in February have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest February in 1991-2020 was in 2011 (1.6 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Fairbanks in February?
Yes. Normal snowfall in February is 10.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 28 days.
Is February a good time to visit Fairbanks?
February ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fairbanks (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Fairbanks Intl Airport (USW00026411), 5.2 mi WSW of the city center, 432 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fairbanks International (702610-26411), 5.3 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).