January is one of the cooler months of the year in Anchorage, with average highs near -9.2°C and lows around -15.1°C (mean -12.1°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 148 mm of rainfall and 88% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Anchorage. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Anchorage was 1981 — when the month averaged -4.2°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -21.6°C. Typical January days reach -9.2°C with nights near -15.1°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Anchorage, averaging 148 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2025 with 324 mm, while the driest was 2020 at 33 mm.
Relative humidity in Anchorage during January averages 88%. The most humid January was 1981 at 94%, and the least humid was 1989 at 83%.
January receives about 0.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Anchorage. The sunniest Januarys were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2007, 2014 and 2016, among others at 0.2.
Average wind speed in Anchorage during January is 3.6 m/s. The windiest January was 2018 at 5.4 m/s, while the calmest was 2014 at 2.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -11.5°C | -13.3°C | -12.7°C | -11.4°C | -11.6°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg High | -8.6°C | -10.1°C | -9.6°C | -8.6°C | -9.0°C | -0.4°C |
| Avg Low | -14.6°C | -16.5°C | -15.7°C | -14.2°C | -14.2°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 158 mm | 128 mm | 164 mm | 135 mm | 163 mm | +5 mm |
January temperatures in Anchorage have risen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -44.6°C (1989) to a record high of 4.7°C (2014).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 148 mm, with a wettest year of 324 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Anchorage
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Anchorage. That said, January — with days averaging -9.2°C and nights around -15.1°C (mean -12.1°C) and higher rainfall (148 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 🌧️ | -5.2°C | -7.9°C | -10.5°C | 1.4°C | -26.1°C | 324 mm | 91% | 3.6 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2024 | -11.1°C | -13.7°C | -16.4°C | -2.5°C | -31.2°C | 98 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2023 | -5.6°C | -7.9°C | -10.2°C | 1.8°C | -18.5°C | 123 mm | 93% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2022 | -9.2°C | -12.1°C | -15.0°C | 1.8°C | -26.1°C | 206 mm | 89% | 4.6 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2021 | -6.3°C | -8.8°C | -11.3°C | 0.4°C | -24.0°C | 192 mm | 90% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2020 | -16.9°C | -19.5°C | -22.1°C | -6.6°C | -28.6°C | 33 mm | 86% | 4.9 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2019 | -8.6°C | -11.9°C | -15.2°C | 0.5°C | -33.1°C | 146 mm | 88% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2018 | -9.4°C | -12.2°C | -15.0°C | 1.3°C | -28.5°C | 102 mm | 87% | 5.4 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2017 | -10.2°C | -13.7°C | -17.1°C | 0.2°C | -30.4°C | 91 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2016 | -4.4°C | -6.7°C | -9.0°C | 1.0°C | -15.6°C | 175 mm | 92% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2015 | -8.5°C | -11.1°C | -13.6°C | 1.8°C | -28.5°C | 87 mm | 86% | 3.9 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2014 | -2.7°C | -5.3°C | -7.9°C | 4.7°C | -22.3°C | 278 mm | 92% | 2.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2013 | -7.8°C | -10.5°C | -13.3°C | 1.3°C | -28.3°C | 207 mm | 91% | 3.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2012 | -17.4°C | -20.8°C | -24.3°C | -0.1°C | -31.6°C | 69 mm | 84% | 5.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2011 | -8.8°C | -11.6°C | -14.5°C | 1.8°C | -32.2°C | 124 mm | 87% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2010 | -8.0°C | -10.2°C | -12.5°C | -2.3°C | -21.1°C | 70 mm | 88% | 4.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2009 | -11.8°C | -14.3°C | -16.8°C | 2.5°C | -31.8°C | 197 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2008 | -12.4°C | -15.4°C | -18.4°C | 0.9°C | -28.8°C | 119 mm | 88% | 3.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2007 | -10.2°C | -13.4°C | -16.7°C | 3.5°C | -29.4°C | 157 mm | 89% | 3.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2006 | -12.6°C | -15.6°C | -18.5°C | -3.9°C | -31.3°C | 61 mm | 88% | 4.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2005 | -8.0°C | -11.1°C | -14.3°C | 0.5°C | -28.1°C | 150 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2004 | -12.4°C | -15.9°C | -19.3°C | 0.4°C | -31.7°C | 107 mm | 84% | 4.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2003 | -6.7°C | -9.6°C | -12.5°C | 0.4°C | -28.6°C | 127 mm | 90% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2002 | -6.6°C | -10.1°C | -13.5°C | 1.3°C | -27.9°C | 247 mm | 91% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2001 | -4.1°C | -6.9°C | -9.7°C | 0.9°C | -18.0°C | 320 mm | 92% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2000 | -10.9°C | -14.3°C | -17.7°C | -0.5°C | -26.5°C | 155 mm | 88% | 4.2 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1999 | -13.1°C | -16.5°C | -20.0°C | 0.0°C | -36.2°C | 161 mm | 85% | 4.4 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1998 | -8.4°C | -11.3°C | -14.3°C | -1.0°C | -27.6°C | 105 mm | 88% | 3.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1997 | -10.1°C | -13.0°C | -15.9°C | 0.2°C | -29.5°C | 116 mm | 86% | 3.9 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1996 | -13.9°C | -16.6°C | -19.2°C | -1.4°C | -27.0°C | 34 mm | 83% | 4 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1995 | -8.7°C | -12.0°C | -15.2°C | 0.2°C | -29.5°C | 131 mm | 90% | 2.7 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1994 | -7.8°C | -10.3°C | -12.9°C | 2.9°C | -29.0°C | 161 mm | 92% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1993 | -10.3°C | -14.3°C | -18.4°C | 0.1°C | -32.3°C | 158 mm | 88% | 3.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1992 | -7.4°C | -10.3°C | -13.2°C | 0.9°C | -23.0°C | 173 mm | 89% | 3.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1991 | -10.5°C | -14.3°C | -18.0°C | 0.6°C | -36.4°C | 103 mm | 89% | 2.9 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1990 | -11.0°C | -14.2°C | -17.4°C | 0.3°C | -30.7°C | 139 mm | 90% | 2.9 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1989 ❄️ | -17.8°C | -21.6°C | -25.4°C | -1.4°C | -44.6°C | 95 mm | 83% | 5 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1988 | -8.0°C | -10.9°C | -13.9°C | -1.1°C | -23.8°C | 109 mm | 90% | 2.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1987 | -6.4°C | -10.0°C | -13.6°C | 0.6°C | -27.9°C | 254 mm | 91% | 3 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1986 | -5.8°C | -8.2°C | -10.6°C | 0.3°C | -17.9°C | 165 mm | 91% | 3.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1985 | -2.5°C | -5.3°C | -8.2°C | 1.8°C | -18.2°C | 216 mm | 93% | 2.4 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1984 | -9.1°C | -12.5°C | -15.9°C | 1.3°C | -29.4°C | 150 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1983 | -11.1°C | -13.9°C | -16.7°C | -2.1°C | -31.0°C | 87 mm | 86% | 5.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -14.6°C | -17.3°C | -20.0°C | -6.0°C | -30.3°C | 40 mm | 87% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 🔥 | -1.7°C | -4.2°C | -6.7°C | 1.5°C | -16.7°C | 306 mm | 94% | 2.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around -9.2°C with lows near -15.1°C (mean -12.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 148 mm of rainfall in Anchorage, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 324 mm in 2025.
The hottest January reached 4.7°C in 2014. The coldest dipped to -44.6°C in 1989.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.5°C. Daytime highs moved from -7.8°C to -7.5°C and overnight lows from -13.5°C to -12.7°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Anchorage and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around -9.2°C daytime highs and -15.1°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Anchorage, averaging -12.1°C.
For January in Anchorage, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -9.2°C and lows of -15.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 88% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3.6 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 5.4 m/s (2018).
The wettest January on record was 2025 with 324 mm. On average, January sees 148 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Anchorage behaves each January, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
