When to Go

Located between the coast and several mountain ranges, Anchorage is a meteorologist's nightmare. Fickle weather patterns change less by the day than by the hour. Generally, fair-weather visitors should plan trips between the last week of May and mid-August.

Of the snow-free months, May is typically driest, August and September the wettest. July is the warmest month, with an average temperature of 58.4°F, and May the coolest at 46.6°F. But don't be fooled by statistics. Late-May temperatures can exceed 70°F, and "hot" July and August days sometimes break 80°F. Of course, rainy low-pressure systems from the Gulf of Alaska can skulk in at any time, bringing wet and cool weather.

So how to plan for such vagaries? Do as the locals do: come prepared to go with the flow. That means packing umbrellas and light rain jackets as well as tank tops and sunblock, and allowing for some flexibility with your planning.