October is one of the cooler months of the year in Anchorage, with average highs near 1.2°C and lows around -4.6°C (mean -1.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 170 mm of rainfall and 88% relative humidity across the period.
October is one of the cooler months of the year in Anchorage. Across 45 years of records, the warmest October in Anchorage was 2018 — when the month averaged 3.3°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -7.9°C. Typical October days reach 1.2°C with nights near -4.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 1.1°C per decade.
October is a relatively wet time of year in Anchorage, averaging 170 mm of rainfall. The wettest October on record was 2002 with 455 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 55 mm.
Relative humidity in Anchorage during October averages 88%. The most humid October was 2004 at 92%, and the least humid was 1997 at 81%.
October receives about 1.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Anchorage. The sunniest October was 1997 at 1.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2002, 2013 and 2018 at 0.9.
Average wind speed in Anchorage during October is 2.3 m/s. The windiest October was 1996 at 3.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2002 and 2004 at 1.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -3.4°C | -3.4°C | -1.2°C | 0.3°C | -0.5°C | +2.9°C |
| Avg High | -0.3°C | -0.2°C | 1.7°C | 3.0°C | 2.1°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg Low | -6.6°C | -6.7°C | -4.1°C | -2.3°C | -3.1°C | +3.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 171 mm | 131 mm | 200 mm | 187 mm | 156 mm | -15 mm |
October temperatures in Anchorage have risen by about 3.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
October has ranged from a record low of -24.5°C (1982) to a record high of 13.8°C (2009).
Rainfall in October is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 170 mm, with a wettest year of 455 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 1°C per decade while lows rose 1.3°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Anchorage
October is a good time to visit Anchorage, with days averaging 1.2°C and nights around -4.6°C (mean -1.7°C, cooler than Anchorage's yearly average) and higher rainfall. July and June are marginally more temperate, but October still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.8°C | 1.4°C | -1.1°C | 11.5°C | -13.6°C | 239 mm | 90% | 2.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2024 | 1.8°C | -1.0°C | -3.9°C | 8.6°C | -9.8°C | 141 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2023 | 1.5°C | -1.1°C | -3.7°C | 7.6°C | -11.4°C | 77 mm | 85% | 2.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2022 | 1.7°C | -0.8°C | -3.3°C | 12.0°C | -15.8°C | 157 mm | 87% | 2.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2021 | 1.3°C | -1.0°C | -3.3°C | 7.8°C | -12.9°C | 192 mm | 88% | 2.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2020 | 2.6°C | -0.4°C | -3.4°C | 11.3°C | -18.7°C | 130 mm | 88% | 1.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2019 | 3.4°C | 1.0°C | -1.4°C | 11.1°C | -7.7°C | 232 mm | 87% | 2.1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2018 🔥 | 6.0°C | 3.3°C | 0.7°C | 12.9°C | -9.9°C | 276 mm | 89% | 2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2017 | 2.8°C | 0.2°C | -2.3°C | 10.7°C | -12.2°C | 231 mm | 88% | 1.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2016 | 3.7°C | 0.5°C | -2.8°C | 9.7°C | -8.6°C | 55 mm | 81% | 2.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2015 | 3.8°C | 1.7°C | -0.4°C | 8.5°C | -11.4°C | 211 mm | 91% | 1.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2014 | 0.1°C | -2.8°C | -5.7°C | 7.7°C | -13.0°C | 59 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 4.6°C | 2.3°C | 0.1°C | 9.7°C | -4.3°C | 395 mm | 92% | 1.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2012 | 1.1°C | -1.8°C | -4.7°C | 10.1°C | -11.6°C | 79 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2011 | 2.0°C | -0.7°C | -3.3°C | 7.9°C | -13.0°C | 165 mm | 89% | 2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2010 | 2.1°C | -0.8°C | -3.6°C | 7.8°C | -14.0°C | 164 mm | 90% | 2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2009 | 4.4°C | 1.8°C | -0.8°C | 13.8°C | -10.1°C | 199 mm | 88% | 2.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2008 | -2.8°C | -6.4°C | -10.1°C | 7.6°C | -19.3°C | 130 mm | 89% | 2.4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2007 | 1.2°C | -1.8°C | -4.8°C | 8.2°C | -11.0°C | 122 mm | 87% | 2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2006 | 3.6°C | 1.2°C | -1.2°C | 12.4°C | -10.7°C | 241 mm | 90% | 2.2 m/s | 1 |
| 2005 | 2.0°C | -1.1°C | -4.3°C | 9.5°C | -16.4°C | 117 mm | 89% | 2.1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2004 | 2.2°C | -0.5°C | -3.1°C | 7.9°C | -14.7°C | 186 mm | 92% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2003 | 3.9°C | 1.4°C | -1.0°C | 12.4°C | -11.7°C | 207 mm | 91% | 2 m/s | 1 |
| 2002 🌧️ | 3.7°C | 1.5°C | -0.7°C | 8.1°C | -7.5°C | 455 mm | 92% | 1.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2001 | -1.7°C | -5.2°C | -8.8°C | 10.4°C | -21.7°C | 181 mm | 89% | 2.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2000 | 0.0°C | -3.0°C | -5.9°C | 4.3°C | -12.7°C | 158 mm | 88% | 2.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1999 | -0.6°C | -3.4°C | -6.2°C | 6.9°C | -18.8°C | 159 mm | 88% | 2.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1998 | 1.7°C | -1.3°C | -4.4°C | 7.9°C | -13.9°C | 137 mm | 86% | 2.1 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1997 | -1.3°C | -5.0°C | -8.7°C | 7.4°C | -20.2°C | 59 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1996 | -3.4°C | -6.9°C | -10.4°C | 5.1°C | -20.3°C | 100 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1995 | 1.9°C | -1.1°C | -4.2°C | 11.8°C | -16.8°C | 177 mm | 89% | 2.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1994 | -1.6°C | -4.9°C | -8.1°C | 9.5°C | -18.9°C | 153 mm | 89% | 2.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1993 | 2.9°C | 0.0°C | -3.0°C | 9.7°C | -13.0°C | 191 mm | 88% | 2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1992 | -1.3°C | -4.9°C | -8.4°C | 3.5°C | -16.9°C | 113 mm | 87% | 2.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1991 | 0.4°C | -2.9°C | -6.2°C | 8.1°C | -12.5°C | 109 mm | 88% | 2.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1990 | -0.4°C | -3.7°C | -7.1°C | 6.7°C | -17.4°C | 114 mm | 87% | 2.5 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1989 | -0.6°C | -3.6°C | -6.6°C | 8.2°C | -22.4°C | 216 mm | 90% | 2.6 m/s | 1 |
| 1988 | -1.9°C | -5.1°C | -8.4°C | 8.6°C | -16.7°C | 182 mm | 91% | 2.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1987 | 2.3°C | -0.4°C | -3.2°C | 8.9°C | -15.9°C | 252 mm | 91% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1986 | 2.9°C | -0.1°C | -3.2°C | 9.2°C | -10.8°C | 255 mm | 86% | 2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1985 | -1.9°C | -4.9°C | -7.8°C | 8.8°C | -21.2°C | 77 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1984 | 1.6°C | -1.7°C | -5.0°C | 9.1°C | -16.7°C | 78 mm | 85% | 2.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1983 | -1.2°C | -4.2°C | -7.3°C | 5.2°C | -19.7°C | 189 mm | 91% | 2.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | -4.1°C | -7.9°C | -11.7°C | 7.0°C | -24.5°C | 95 mm | 87% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -0.2°C | -3.1°C | -5.9°C | 4.2°C | -14.9°C | 191 mm | 89% | 2.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded October data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in October is around 1.2°C with lows near -4.6°C (mean -1.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
October averages 170 mm of rainfall in Anchorage, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 455 mm in 2002.
The hottest October reached 13.8°C in 2009. The coldest dipped to -24.5°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average October temperatures have risen by about 3.9°C. Daytime highs moved from -1.2°C to 2°C and overnight lows from -7.5°C to -3.1°C over the same span.
October is one of the cooler months of the year in Anchorage and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 1.2°C daytime highs and -4.6°C at night.
Not quite — October is the 7th coolest month in Anchorage, averaging -1.7°C.
For October in Anchorage, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 1.2°C and lows of -4.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in October averages 88% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in October is 2.3 m/s. The windiest October on record averaged 3.4 m/s (1996).
The wettest October on record was 2002 with 455 mm. On average, October sees 170 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 October, 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 October specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
