Aurora Glass House Experience at Cleary Summit
You wait inside a glass house on Cleary Summit instead of standing in the snow. A good choice for a January trip, or for anyone who feels the cold.
- 5 h
- 4.4★ (38)
January averages a low of −17°F (−27°C); by March the average high is back up to 25°F (−4°C), which is the easiest month to stand outside at night.
Key takeaways
- Fairbanks is inland, so its winter is dry and very cold, unlike Iceland's mild, wet winter, and the payoff is clear, starry nights.
- The airport averages about 7 days a year at −40°F or colder, but it swings widely: 26 days in 2012, none in 2016.
- Dress in wool or synthetic layers, never cotton, topped with an expedition-weight down parka, insulated snow pants, and mittens over thin liner gloves.
- Keep phone and spare camera batteries in an inside pocket, and leave the camera in a sealed bag indoors until it warms up.
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Month by month
In short Average highs drop from 55°F (13°C) in September to 1°F (−17°C) in January, then climb back to 25°F (−4°C) by March.
| Month | Average high | Average low |
|---|---|---|
| September | 55°F (13°C) | 36°F (2°C) |
| October | 34°F (1°C) | 18°F (−8°C) |
| November | 12°F (−11°C) | −4°F (−20°C) |
| December | 4°F (−15°C) | −13°F (−25°C) |
| January | 1°F (−17°C) | −17°F (−27°C) |
| February | 12°F (−11°C) | −11°F (−24°C) |
| March | 25°F (−4°C) | −3°F (−20°C) |
What the cold is like
In short Dry and sharp: from December to February average lows run from −11°F to −17°F, and your breath freezes on your scarf and eyelashes.
From December to February, average lows at the airport run from −11°F to −17°F. At those temperatures the air feels dry and sharp, and your breath freezes on your scarf and eyelashes.
Standing still is what gets you
An hour watching the northern sky at −20°F is colder than a brisk walk at the same temperature.
The −40 question
Then there's −40, where Fahrenheit and Celsius meet. It swings wildly from year to year, so plan for it, but don't expect it.
~7 daysa year at −40°F or colderAirport average, 2005 to 2025
26 daysin 2012
Nonein 2016, 2018 and 2023
−66°F (−54°C)All-time record14 January 1934
Why the hills can be milder
Fairbanks sits in a valley, and on still, cold nights the coldest air settles at the bottom. The hills around town can be milder than the airport reading, and low spots colder.
How dark it gets
In short Very dark: the shortest day has 3 h 41 min of sun, and a little over six hours of usable light with twilight either side.
3 h 41 minof sun on the shortest day of the yearRising late in the morning, setting in mid-afternoon
A little over six hoursof usable light, with twilight either side
By late February and March the days are long again, but the nights are still properly dark for the aurora, which is one reason we recommend those months. The month-by-month aurora odds are on best time to see the northern lights in Alaska.
What to wear for a night outside
Explore Fairbanks' advice is "layers, layers, layers", in wool, synthetics and fleece. For an aurora night, top to toe:
- Base layer: Merino wool or synthetic long underwear, top and bottom. Never cotton: it holds sweat and chills you.
- Middle layer: A thick fleece or wool sweater, and fleece trousers or a second base layer on your legs.
- Outer layer: An expedition-weight down parka with a hood, and insulated snow pants. City winter coats aren't enough for standing still at −20°F.
- Feet: Insulated winter boots rated for deep cold, a size roomy enough for thick wool socks.
- Hands and face: Mittens over thin liner gloves, so you can slip a mitten off to use a phone. A balaclava or neck gaiter and a warm hat. Chemical hand and toe warmers help a lot.
Don't want to buy all this? Some aurora tours wait indoors, like the glass house on Cleary Summit, or in heated yurts, like Chena's tour up Charlie Dome, so you can step out when the sky lights up and back in to warm up. Chena Hot Springs lends parkas for its ice museum. Ask your tour operator what outerwear they provide before you pack.
A warm way to watch
Price is GetYourGuide's 'from' price for 15–20 February 2027, converted from Indian rupees at 95.54 per US dollar (the booking sites' own rate on 23 September 2026) and rounded to the nearest $5.
Phones, cameras and the cold
Batteries drain fast in deep cold.
- Keep batteries warm. Carry your phone and spare camera batteries in an inside pocket, close to your body, and take them out only to shoot.
- Bag the camera before you go in. When you come back indoors, leave your camera in a sealed bag until it warms up, or the lens and the inside of the camera will fog with condensation.
Fairbanks winter weather: FAQs
How cold is Fairbanks in winter?
January is coldest, with an average high of 1°F (−17°C) and an average low of −17°F (−27°C) at the airport. March warms to an average high of 25°F (−4°C).
How often does Fairbanks reach −40?
About 7 days a year on average from 2005 to 2025, but anywhere from none to 26 in a given year.
How many hours of daylight does Fairbanks get in winter?
On the winter solstice the sun is up for 3 hours 41 minutes, with about six hours of usable light including twilight.
What should I wear to see the northern lights in Fairbanks?
Wool or synthetic base layers, a fleece mid layer, a down parka and snow pants, insulated boots, mittens, a hat and a face covering, plus hand warmers.
What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Fairbanks?
−66°F (−54°C), on 14 January 1934.
More for a Fairbanks trip
Sources (6)
- NOAA / RCC ACIS: Fairbanks International Airport (PAFA) 1991–2020 monthly normals, and days at −40°F or colder 2005–2025
- National Weather Service Fairbanks: January daily records (record low −66°F, 1934)
- Explore Fairbanks: winter solstice daylight (checked 2026-09-23)
- Explore Fairbanks: aurora season, what to wear (checked 2026-09-23)
- Chena Hot Springs Resort: Aurora Ice Museum, parkas provided (checked 2026-09-17)
- GetYourGuide Fairbanks listings: 'from' prices for 15–20 Feb 2027 (observed 2026-09-23)