Sure, it’s been cold in Anchorage in 2024. In fact, Anchorage last week set a new record for a low temperature for Jan. 31, when the thermometer dropped to -18 degrees Fahrenheit.
It was then -17 on Feb. 2, with a high of -6 in the afternoon, which turned out to be the lowest high temperature since January of 2009.
But have we hit truly cold temperatures, compared to the ups and downs in recent years? Let’s take a look at the coldest dates each year for Anchorage for the past 70, according to the website CurrentReport.com, which reports that these measurements are from the Ted Stevens International Airport and go as far back as 1954.
The lowest temperature in those years was -34 degrees Fahrenheit on Jan. 05, 1975. Here’s the list of annual record cold days:
| -12 | December 20, 2022 | |
| -9 | December 15, 2021 | |
| -11 | January 08, 2020 | |
| -7 | January 07, 2019 | |
| -2 | February 05, 2018 | |
| -15 | January 19, 2017 | |
| -8 | December 05, 2016 | |
| -8 | November 18, 2015 | |
| 0 | February 11, 2014 | |
| -11 | December 17, 2013 | |
| -15 | January 28, 2012 | |
| -12 | January 16, 2011 | |
| -8 | December 25, 2010 |
| -24 | January 07, 2009 | |
| -15 | December 31, 2008 | |
| -17 | January 08, 2007 | |
| -11 | January 26, 2006 | |
| -8 | February 05, 2005 | |
| -18 | January 17, 2004 | |
| -14 | December 02, 2003 | |
| -11 | January 26, 2002 | |
| -15 | December 17, 2001 | |
| -10 | January 16, 2000 | |
| -28 | February 04, 1999 | |
| -11 | January 05, 1998 | |
| -21 | January 07, 1997 | |
| -14 | December 31, 1996 | |
| -15 | January 13, 1995 | |
| -15 | November 25, 1994 | |
| -22 | February 02, 1993 | |
| -16 | March 05, 1992 | |
| -14 | February 07, 1991 | |
| -24 | December 01, 1990 | |
| -30 | January 29, 1989 | |
| -9 | January 28, 1988 | |
| -12 | January 12, 1987 | |
| -8 | March 01, 1986 | |
| -10 | February 22, 1985 | |
| -18 | January 24, 1984 | |
| -17 | January 09, 1983 | |
| -20 | January 07, 1982 | |
| -16 | December 30, 1981 | |
| -23 | December 17, 1980 | |
| -16 | December 31, 1979 | |
| -11 | December 16, 1978 | |
| -16 | December 09, 1977 | |
| -13 | February 10, 1976 | |
| -34 | January 05, 1975 | |
| -18 | January 20, 1974 | |
| -27 | January 26, 1973 | |
| -28 | January 11, 1972 | |
| -24 | March 07, 1971 | |
| -14 | December 31, 1970 | |
| -16 | January 05, 1969 | |
| -18 | February 03, 1968 | |
| -18 | February 14, 1967 | |
| -21 | December 10, 1966 | |
| -21 | February 19, 1965 | |
| -30 | December 14, 1964 | |
| -22 | January 09, 1963 | |
| -22 | January 27, 1962 | |
| -30 | December 28, 1961 | |
| -23 | January 13, 1960 + | |
| -17 | January 01, 1959 | |
| -18 | December 31, 1958 | |
| -20 | December 26, 1957 | |
| -26 | February 12, 1956 | |
| -27 | December 10, 1955 | |
| -29 | December 28, 1954 |
RIP to all the car batteries that gave their lives in the 2024 cold snap. o7
We lost 2 of them in the same week
-18 is the official cold temp but I have seen colder than that in recent years. 5 years ago we had -23 while driving my wife to work at Fred Meyer on Diamond. And I have seen colder than -19 several times at my house off Lake Otis.
So it makes me think are these honest readings? As you probably know the temperature is taken at Ted Stevens International Airport. But it used to be taken at Merrill Field I think the actual spot was Pegy’s cafe. It’s colder there. I don’t remember the official reason for moving it, but they preferred the warmer location.
So I guess im asking, what was the temp at Peggys?
It’s cold over by you.
My kids went to NL ABC school on LK. Otis & Dowling.
We would leave our place by Fireweed at -5 and the temp at the school would be -15
It was always 5 to 10 degrees colder @ Lake Otis & Dowling.
The NWS moved the “official” recording station to Sand Lake back in the 1990s where it is normally warmer and sunnier. This was publicly stated at the time to improve Anchorage weather statistics to make Anchorage seem more desirable to live in. It was hitting -25 at Merrill Field on Saturday, which would align to the former official weather reporting station.
Lies, damned lies, and statistics.
It’s reliably 4 degrees colder at my house in midtown than at my office in downtown.
So what I’m hearing is that Anchorage’s coldest day is nothing compared to other parts of Alaska, to include locations within a 2 hour drive of Anchorage. Pretty sure it was at least -45° a couple times this winter out on the Sustina.
Yup. And the lower hillside is much warmer than Muldoon. The Gateway area of Mat-Su is always significantly warmer and gets less snow than Pittman.
I distinctly remember how cold 1989 was as my kitched sink drain on an exterior wall froze twice, I had to tell my roommate, no more potato peels, or leftover rice down the garbage disposal.
Only a democrat would plumb an exterior wall.
It’s fun to look out the window when you are doing dishes.
Always keep the cabinet doors open under sinks next to exterior walls when it’s below zero.
It was cold … was it January or February 89 frank ?? I remember struggling to keep our cabin warm. I remember it lasted at least 30 days. -40 and colder. I blew an oil filter off a Toyota one morning.
Is your thought process: “I think I will be more persuasive if I spell ‘Democrats’ as ‘demonrats’?” If so, may I suggest fewer intentional misspellings? This kind of comment is not as helpful as you might think.
It was intentional. They are demons posing as democrats. I don’t care if this comment is helpful to you or not. We’ll all freeze the same, unless we can stop them.
Ginny. Do really believe in demons and if so could you describe one for me please?
The dictionary can be your friend:
“an evil spirit or devil, especially one thought to possess a person or act as a tormentor in hell.”
It’s cool in the mornings, here in Kona too … +60F
The vast majority of kitchen sinks are against exterior walls. democrats delay/stop construction projects and take more taxes out of worker’s checks.
I don’t remember the cold ones in 61 and 64, but we lined on Linded Dr. In Spenard at the time.
You call that cold? HAHAHA! Come on up to Fairbanks!
No thanks, John, been there, done that.
It is greatly irritating when the NWS reports the balmy Sand Lake temperatures as “official”. It was -32F on the Eagle River during the annual Eagle River Nature Center Fat Tire Bike race last Saturday.
Now THOSE are Fairbanks temperatures, John!
Fairbanks? Ha, we call that the “banana belt” of the interior; always so much warmer than most the other communities in the interior.
You GO Ginny. Global warmins is a cult. It’s all feelings and accusations. And if the facts were on their side – why do they get caught cheating so much? Al Gore and John Kerry are the pied pipers of this madness and are encouraging our country to commit ‘economic suicide’ while China and Russia continue to drill, drill, drill.
Not only was the coldest temp (-34) recorded in Anchorage occur in January of 1975, but there were not one but two significant earthquakes that month (both over 7.0), and the accumulated snow was eyeball deep to a tall moose.
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