Car Winterization and Winter Storage in Alaska

NOAA's 1991-2020 median first 32°F night is October 1 at Anchorage and September 13 at Fairbanks; winterize by August 30, two weeks ahead of the earlier date. By our car rule Anchorage stays driving through September and Fairbanks through August. 18 Alaska listings offer indoor or climate-controlled space.

7 at Anchorage (October to April) and 7 at Fairbanks (September to May), plus 0 and 2 months of dry-day drives. Those garaged months hold 77.2 of the 77.9 inches of snow Anchorage averages a year (99%), which is the load on a cover or carport roof. At Anchorage a car is driving from May to September (5 months), against 3 at Fairbanks.

Of 29 live Alaska listings, 18 list indoor space and 0 climate-controlled units, against 18 outdoor and 0 covered. By city: Anchorage (29 listed, 18 indoor). Most indoor listings: Anchorage (18). Ask whether indoor means heated; listings span 1 city in all.

At Fairbanks, 7 months average a low at or below 32°F, all of them garaged months by our car rule. Fairbanks logs 221.7 nights at or below 32°F and 113.8 at or below 0°F a year; January, the coldest month, averages -17.2°F and is garaged for a car.

After the last frost. The median last 32°F night is May 5 at Anchorage and May 13 at Fairbanks; the last 28°F hard freeze comes around April 22 and May 4. Our rule makes May the first month driving at Anchorage and June at Fairbanks. That month Anchorage averages a 40.0°F low and a 56.3°F high. Reverse each winterization step first.