The length of darkness in Alaska varies greatly depending on the location and time of year due to its high latitude. In general, the further north you go in Alaska, the longer the periods of darkness in the winter months.
- Northern Alaska (e.g., Barrow / Utqiaġvik):
- In the far north, such as Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), the sun doesn’t rise at all for about two months during the winter, from mid-November to late January. This period of complete darkness is called “polar night.” While there may still be twilight and some light during the day (depending on weather), the sun does not rise above the horizon.
- Anchorage and Southern Alaska:
- In cities like Anchorage, the darkness is not as extreme. The shortest day of the year (around December 21st) sees about 5.5 hours of daylight, with the sun rising around 10:00 AM and setting around 3:30 PM.
- However, the period of twilight (when the sky is not completely dark) can extend for several hours before and after the sun officially sets or rises.
- Interior Alaska (e.g., Fairbanks):
- Fairbanks, located further south than Utqiaġvik, has a significant amount of daylight in winter, but the shortest day still offers only about 3 hours and 40 minutes of daylight in December, with the sun rising just after 10 AM and setting before 3 PM.
So, while there are locations in Alaska that experience complete darkness for a couple of months, most areas have shorter periods of daylight in the winter, with the exact amount of dark hours depending on the time of year and geographical location.