Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Anchorage, Alaska Weather

Late summer storms sweep south. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Anchorage weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Anchorage, AK
Sunday, August 2 at 6:49 AM
51
°
Overcast
Feels like
50°
Humidity
100%
Wind
4 mph
Sunrise
9:33 PM
Sunset
2:31 PM
Anchorage, AK
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastAnchorage, AK: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 49 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 49°H 61°
Anchorage, AK
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Overcast
    —
    —
    61°49°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Drizzle
    96%
    0.14″
    53°49°-8°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Heavy Drizzle
    95%
    0.42″
    55°51°+2°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Light Drizzle
    40%
    0.03″
    57°51°+2°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Light Drizzle
    39%
    0.04″
    57°51°0°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Light Drizzle
    48%
    0.06″
    57°49°0°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Light Drizzle
    51%
    0.02″
    57°48°0°
Anchorage, AK
Next 24 hours · Cold now
46°55°64°6a12p6p12anow 49°high 61°low 49°
Anchorage, AK
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NNE
014° · veering 8°
Direction
NNE
014°
Sustained
4
mph
Gust
10
mph
Peak 24h
13
avg 3 mph
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 3 mph · pk 13 mph @ 7:00a
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 163SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 8° from the nne.
Anchorage, AK
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
991.2
+1.1 mb in 3h · rising · 29.27 inHg
Now
991.2
mb
3h
+1.1
mb
12h
+3.7
mb
24h
+5.5
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 985–991
9809859909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW990.9985.4990.9
The low is filling — pressure climbing out of storm territory.
Anchorage, AK
Air quality
33
AQI
Good
↓-5 in 6h

AQI 33 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 5 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline). PM2.5 at 7.9 µg/m³ (AQI 44) with a 0.98 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
7.9μg/m³
PM 10Good
8μg/m³
NO₂Good
7μg/m³
OzoneGood
43μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.1

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 7.9 µg/m³ (AQI 44) with a 0.98 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.98
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Anchorage, AK
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
0.2mi
DENSE FOG
93 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
14:49 UTC · Anchorage, AK · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
14:49 UTC · Anchorage, AK · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Anchorage, AK
Satellite · infrared · animated
Anchorage, AK
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Anchorage, AK
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
4:28 AM
Sunrise
9:33 PM
Daylight
16h 58m
Sunset
2:31 PM
Civil dusk
11:38 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Anchorage, AK
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
10:47 PM
Moonset
11:22 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Anchorage, AK
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Late summer storms sweep south

fish
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Anchorage at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 10°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: August 21 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 99501, 99502, 99503, 99504, 99507, 99508, 99513, 99515 +6 more

15-Day Forecast — Anchorage

  1. Sun61°49°0%
  2. Mon53°49°96%
  3. Tue55°51°95%
  4. Wed57°51°40%
  5. Thu57°51°39%
  6. Fri57°49°48%
  7. Sat57°48°51%
  8. Sun59°50°40%
  9. Mon63°43°29%
  10. Tue64°47°37%
  11. Wed61°47°45%
  12. Thu63°53°40%
  13. Fri59°53°33%
  14. Sat57°50°51%
  15. Sun55°49°56%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Anchorage

Right now in the garden

Fall planting + final harvests

As of August 2, the first fall frost (typically September) is approaching. Last call for direct-sowing root crops and overwintering garlic. Bring in the final tomato, pepper, and basil harvests before the next cold front.

Sun & seasons in Anchorage

Anchorage sits in Anchorage County, where the year’s longest day runs 19h 21m of daylight and its shortest just 5h 28m — a swing of +13h 52m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Air quality in Anchorage’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2023 (median AQI 21). See the full air-quality history for Anchorage.

January 1–5: Deep cold grips the interior.January 6–10: Ice thickens in bays and rivers.January 11–15: Shadows lengthen after solstice.January 16–20: Gyrfalcons scan the white landscape.January 21–25: Stillness deepens in the cold.January 26–31: Month's end: darkness begins to fade.February 1–5: February arrives in deep winter.February 6–10: East wind hints at warming ahead.February 11–15: Light gains speed as winter wanes.February 16–20: Predators intensify as prey awakens.February 21–25: Winter grip begins to release.February 26–28: Mist veils the landscape in transition.March 1–5: March breaks the ice's final hold.March 6–10: Bears emerge, creatures stir to life.March 11–15: Breakup clock begins its countdown.March 16–20: Eagles skim the thinning ice.March 21–25: Equinox — darkness yields to light.March 26–31: Cottonwoods blush and swell.April 1–5: Breakup thunder rolls unseen.April 6–10: Northern birds navigate by starlight.April 11–15: Waterfowl surge northward.April 16–20: Salmon scouts test the rivers.April 21–25: Green spreads from the water up.April 26–30: The land drinks deep.May 1–5: Salmon in full ascent.May 6–10: Daylight eclipses darkness.May 11–15: Rivers run milk-white with glacial melt.May 16–20: The salmon run thickens.May 21–25: Summer's first warmth arrives.May 26–31: Summer settles in fully.June 1–5: Mosquitoes rise from snowmelt.June 6–10: Salmon runs accelerate inland.June 11–15: Berries begin to form on the tundra.June 16–20: Summer solstice—the sun stands still.June 21–25: Wildflowers peak across the land.June 26–30: Fish camps and summer fishing peak.July 1–5: Salmon spawn in river gravels.July 6–10: Berry season advances on ridges.July 11–15: Thunderstorms gather on summer peaks.July 16–20: Gyrfalcon young fledge from cliffs.July 21–25: Heat settles on interior valleys.July 26–31: Fireweed clock begins to wind down.August 1–5: Late summer storms sweep south.August 6–10: Termination dust on the peaks.August 11–15: Aurora appears in darkening nights.August 16–20: Salmon peaks, shadows lengthen.August 21–25: Termination dust crowns the peaks.August 26–31: Bears sated, swans depart.September 1–5: Summer sun slips toward horizon.September 6–10: Night reclaims its ancient dominion.September 11–15: Geese arrow toward open water.September 16–20: Aurora blazes every clear night.September 21–25: Moose in rut, bears in den.September 26–30: First heavy snow on the high country.October 1–5: Deep cold settles across the land.October 6–10: Ice thickens on the rivers.October 11–15: Twilight deepens to darkness.October 16–20: Bears sealed in their winter dens.October 21–25: Polar night approaches the North.October 26–31: Light ceases; cold reigns absolute.November 1–5: Termination dust settles on peaks.November 6–10: Ice fog rising from open water.November 11–15: Darkness takes the meridian.November 16–20: Rivers lock and silence falls.November 21–25: Deep cold grip solidifies.November 26–30: Polar night begins in earnest.December 1–5: Solstice darkness at full strength.December 6–10: Winter solstice approaches.December 11–15: Bears deep in winter sleep.December 16–20: Ice thickens through solstice week.December 21–25: The sun returns, barely perceptible.December 26–31: Year's end in frozen silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Late summer storms sweep south

Pacific cyclones intensify; coastal regions see heavy rain and wind as summer begins to yield to autumn systems.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

The year in Anchorage tops out in July (~58°F) and dips lowest in January (~14°F), with September wettest at 3.6 inches and April driest at 0.8 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January14°2.3″8
February20°1.6″5
March25°1.6″5
April37°0.8″3
May47°0.9″3
June55°1.3″4
July58°1.7″6
August55°2.6″9
September47°3.6″12
October34°2.5″8
November20°1.7″6
December16°2.0″7

Regional context

Per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Anchorage runs from a 14°F January mean to 58°F in July, a 44°F seasonal spread, with near 22.6 inches of precipitation across about 76 wet days.

Rainfall in Anchorage stays even across the calendar: September tops out at 3.6 inches over 12.0 rainy days, and April still logs 0.8 inches across 3.0 — a narrow range for Anchorage. That lines Anchorage up with places like Knik River, AK, Sunrise, AK and Hope, AK, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Around late-May, Anchorage sheds its freezing nights — kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips go into Anchorage's beds. Anchorage's heat-lovers — tomatoes, peppers, squash — hold off until Anchorage's frost risk clears, 10-14 days on. The season ends by early-October in Anchorage, once hard frosts set back in. A creek-bottom lot in Anchorage can lag Anchorage's last frost 7-10 days behind a south slope.

Similar climates: Knik River, AK, Sunrise, AK, Hope, AK, Butte, AK, Gateway, AK.

Naturalist notes

Sandhill cranes begin their northward migration through Anchorage in late April, their distinctive calls echoing across the landscape as winter loosens its grip.

Fireweed shoots emerge from thawed ground in mid-May, marking the transition from spring's tentative arrival to the growing season's true beginning.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Anchorage?
Frost typically leaves Anchorage by mid-May and returns to Anchorage near mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Anchorage?
Rainfall in Anchorage peaks in September near 3.6 inches, out of about 23 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Anchorage?
July is Anchorage's warmest month, averaging about 58°F.
What is the coldest month in Anchorage?
Anchorage bottoms out in January, with a mean near 14°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Anchorage?
Frost-hardy sowings begin at mid-May in Anchorage; warm-season starts follow two weeks on.
How many rainy days does Anchorage get?
Anchorage averages about 76 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Anchorage?
Anchorage's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 14°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Anchorage?
Anchorage's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Anchorage?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Anchorage in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Anchorage?
Current conditions for Anchorage and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Anchorage forecast updated?
The Anchorage forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Anchorage?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Anchorage are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Anchorage?
The next few days in Anchorage's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Anchorage, Alaska occupies a varied zone, with January means near 14°F and July around 58°F — a 44°F swing.

Across the year, Anchorage collects about 23 inches of precipitation over roughly 76 days with measurable rain or snow.

The 44°F gap between Anchorage's summer and winter, at 61.2°N, shapes Anchorage's frost calendar.

ZIP codes in Anchorage

  • 99518
  • 99515
  • 99517
  • 99516
  • 99513
  • 99540
  • 99530
  • 99567
  • 99587
  • 99508
  • 99506
  • 99507
  • 99504
  • 99505
  • 99502
  • 99503
  • 99501
  • 99577
  • 99509
  • 99510
  • 99511
  • 99514
  • 99520
  • 99521
  • 99522
  • 99523
  • 99524
  • 99529
  • 99599

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.