Winter in Anchorage? (Fairbanks: house, buying, closing)

[euniichoi]

Hi everyone,

I just moved to Anchorage a few weeks ago and am trying to prepare for winter here. I am originally from California and have never had to do too much for winter, and frankly I'm kind of lost/overwhelmed with all the info I've been seeing on the internet, so I was wondering if you all could help me out here.

First off, what do I need for my car? I know that I need studded winter tires, and have read that I might need a battery heater and engine block heater? I also heard that I should make sure I have a coolant ratio of 60/40. Are these all necessary for my car to survive the winter in Anchorage? Also, was looking for recommendations on honest car shops that can help me with all of this. I live on the south side of town.

Also had a question about how cold the weather gets and what winter clothing/gear you all would highly recommend for me to get. I've been doing some reading online but want to hear some opinions from people who actually live in Anchorage and have a better gauge of the winter conditions here.

Thank you so much for reading this and helping me out! I really appreciate it

[AKStafford]

Try Specialty Truck and Auto off of Abbott. (907) 349-1637


Clothing: I find layers are key. So not one specific item.

[Music_Man]

What kind of car?

[AlaskaErik]

Studs are a waste for the most part. You don't need a battery blanket in Anchorage. You might consider getting an engine block heater installed. Don't get talked into an oil pan heater instead of an engine block heater. All an oil pan heater does is warm up the oil in the pan. Your vehicle should have come from the factory with a 50/50 antifreeze mixture. That's all you'll need in Anchorage.

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by euniichoi

Hi everyone,

I just moved to Anchorage a few weeks ago and am trying to prepare for winter here. I am originally from California and have never had to do too much for winter, and frankly I'm kind of lost/overwhelmed with all the info I've been seeing on the internet, so I was wondering if you all could help me out here.

First off, what do I need for my car? I know that I need studded winter tires, and have read that I might need a battery heater and engine block heater? I also heard that I should make sure I have a coolant ratio of 60/40. Are these all necessary for my car to survive the winter in Anchorage? Also, was looking for recommendations on honest car shops that can help me with all of this. I live on the south side of town.

Also had a question about how cold the weather gets and what winter clothing/gear you all would highly recommend for me to get. I've been doing some reading online but want to hear some opinions from people who actually live in Anchorage and have a better gauge of the winter conditions here.

Thank you so much for reading this and helping me out! I really appreciate it

All you really need to do for your car is to get a block heater installed and a good set of snow tires. Studded or not, your choice. Your coolant should be 50/50 already and you don't need to change that. I like to run synthetic oil in the engine as it starts a bit easier when it's cold and you can't plug the car in.


As for clothes, it depends on how long you will be outdoors. If you are just going from the house to a car and into a building for work, a good jacket and some gloves is probably enough. I like to keep some warmer clothes in the car in case something happens and you find yourself standing around outside for a while.

[euniichoi]

Originally Posted by Music_Man

What kind of car?

Mitsubishi lancer!

[Alaskan Mutt]

If your car is all wheel drive then you can probably get by with a good set of all season tires. Better yet all weather tires. Even better would be a winter tire like Blizzaks. If the car is just front wheel drive then I would consider getting a good studded tire. Much of the winter the main roads will be bare and dry. Some of the time they will have loose snow. Some of the time they will have packed snow and or ice on them. Many of the side roads will have packed or loose snow on them most of the winter.

A few things to consider. The left turn lane in major intersections can get very slippery. On the turn lanes that are even the least bit up hill I have seen front wheel drive cars even with studded tires have trouble getting moving. Depending on what side street you live on it may be 2 to 4 days before it gets plowed.

Before winter gets here while driving to and from work ask yourself if the route you take will be ok when the roads are slippery. If not then drive around and see if you can find a route that looks like it would be better.

You will see freezing rain a few times a winter. You will want a heavy duty snow/ice scraper. Otherwise you will be sitting for some time before your car warms up enough so you can scrape the windows.

[pnwguy2]

I only spent two winters in Anchorage in the 90's. I wasn't prepared for the early snow (October in '96 it dumped, and stayed around through Christmas, then a lot melted all of a sudden with a stretch of upper 30's. Anecdotal perhaps.)

Where I got a bit irritated was March, when the cold just kept hanging on. This is a reality of living in Alaska, however. The winter seasons are longer than the lower 48, and it is obvious why...but if you are used to a warmup in Spring, think again if you are in Anchorage.

One more point, while Anchorage is somewhat mild due to being close to inland sea waters, there can be stretches during December and/or January where high pressure sets in, clearing the sky, but dropping the temp well below zero at night and barely above during the day. These stretches are common, but usually only last for several days to perhaps a week. Happened both winters I lived there. Yep did the dead battery thing.

Summers are coolish, but can feel warmer due to humidity. 70 degrees in Anchorage can feel warm.

[ColoGuy]

Anchorage has a pretty mild climate due to proximity to the ocean. Chances are you will be fine with some decent prep work.

Fairbanks is an entirely different animal.

[WyoNewk]

For the antifreeze, just have it checked by any mechanic. It's a simple 5 minute job, and that includes getting the antifreeze coolant checker, opening the hood, taking the sample and closing the hood. Or you could just go buy a checker and do it yourself. They cost $5-$10 anywhere antifreeze is sold.

I was raised in the snow belt, spent a few years in Anchorage, then moved to northern Wyoming where I've lived for 45+ years. Winters are actually colder here than in Anchorage most years, but warmer than are many areas in the midwest. The worst thing about Anchorage's winters, for me, was the darkness. I was (and am again) used to cars warming up during the day from direct sunlight. There's just not much solar heating during Anchorage's dark winters. Getting into your car at 2 p.m. is just like getting into it at 6 a.m. For that reason, I'd plan to dress warm any time you go out on a cold day -- layer up, as mentioned above.

I always used to use circulating coolant heaters. I think they do the best, but engine block heaters should also work. They're much cheaper and easier to install. Any kind of heat -- oil, coolant or engine block heat -- they'll all do the job well enough in Anchorage. I'd second the recommendation to use synthetic oil.

As for tires, buy 4, not just 2. I've used different studded tires as well as all weather tires, but the best I've ever had were Blizzak ws80 winter tires. It's all I buy now for winters -- on in October or November and off in April. They don't wear well AT ALL in warm weather, but they really do the job on snow/packed snow. Studs do work the best on ice, but I don't like them for my driving. You might consider buying some steel wheels for your snow tires, so you don't have to have them remounted and balanced every spring and fall. I've done it both ways. Currently I'm just having them remounted on my original wheels. Cost is a little more but not too bad, and I like having the TPS (tire pressure sensor) monitoring my tire pressure year around.