Valdez in December: Deep Snow, Short Days, Worthington Glacier and Northern Lights Chances

In December the snow in Valdez falls so steadily that the mountains around the fjord seem to lean in closer. Plow blades scrape through town, porch lights glow against the early dark, and the harbor on Prince William Sound goes quiet under a low gray sky. This is a month for people who want winter at full strength in a town set at the head of a fjord, with long nights, white peaks and a chance at the aurora.

The harbor at Valdez in winter · Illustration

What is the weather like in Valdez in December?

December in Valdez is cold, snowy and dark, with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark by day and dropping into the 20s at night, and with snow falling far more often than rain.

Month	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Precipitation (in)	Days with precipitation	Daylight on the 15th
November	33.9	24.9	6.14	10.3	7 h 23 min
December	30.7	21.8	7.74	12.4	5 h 34 min
January	28.7	19.1	6.56	11.4	6 h 21 min

Snow is the main event. A typical December leaves 70.5 inches of it on the ground, and Valdez is known as the snowiest city in the country, with well over 300 inches in a year.

Precipitation turns up on more than a third of the days, so expect a soft gray sky and flakes drifting past the streetlights more often than a clear, bright afternoon. When the clouds do break, the peaks above the fjord light up in a way that makes the wait worthwhile.

The sun clears the mountains late and leaves early, so the daytime is short enough that you plan around it.

Afternoons are the best stretch for walking, and evenings are properly cold, the kind where you want a wool layer under a windproof shell. Wet snow can soak through ordinary jackets, so waterproof outer layers and insulated boots matter more than anything else you bring.

What to do in Valdez in December

What December gives Valdez is a winter town in its element. Snow banks rise along the streets, the small boat harbor sits still, and the port that stays ice-free all year keeps working beside it.

Valdez is the northernmost ice-free port in North America, which makes the waterfront a striking place to stand when everything else is white. The pace is unhurried, and most of what you do involves the snow, the cold air and the view.

The setting is the real attraction. Valdez lies at the head of a fjord on Prince William Sound, ringed by steep mountains, and in December those slopes are buried in snow. A walk along the waterfront in the middle of the day, when the light is best, gives you the shape of the whole place: the harbor, the dark water, the white ridges and the cloud that sits on them.

Worthington Glacier and the Richardson Highway

Worthington Glacier sits beside the Richardson Highway at milepost 28.7, east of Valdez. It covers more than five thousand acres and was named a National Natural Landmark in 1968. In December the ice and the snow around it blend into one pale landscape, and the blue in the crevasses stands out against the white when the light is right.

The Richardson Highway is the only road into Valdez, and it runs through Keystone Canyon and over Thompson Pass on the way. Even if you never leave the car, the drive is a winter show of rock walls, frozen waterfalls and deep snow. Plan the outing for the middle of the day so you have light on both ends, and dress for standing still in the cold, because the viewpoint is the point.

Snow country around Thompson Pass

Thompson Pass is the high stretch of the Richardson Highway above town, and it sits at the center of Valdez’s snow reputation. In December it is a place of drifts, wind and heavy white weather, and the mountains around it are some of the most dramatic you can see from a road.

Look at it as scenery rather than a plan. Watch the sky, take photographs when the clouds lift, and do not count on a clear view on any given day. The weather in the pass is its own thing, and it shapes the mood of the whole trip. When the sky is gray, the quiet streets and warm cafés of town are the other half of the day.

Aurora nights

The Northern Lights oval covers most of Alaska, and the aurora season runs well into spring, so December falls inside it. The long nights give you a lot of dark, and on a clear evening there is a chance of seeing green or other colors overhead. It is only a chance, because the sky has to be clear, and Valdez gets snow clouds often.

If the clouds part, step away from the lights of town and give your eyes time to adjust. Charged particles from the sun striking the upper atmosphere make the glow, and the display can come and go quickly. Treat it as a bonus on an evening when the sky happens to cooperate, not as the reason for the trip.

Evenings otherwise belong to the indoors. The days are short and cold enough that dinner in a warm room feels like part of the schedule, and a hot drink after a few hours outside tastes better here than almost anywhere. Valdez is a small town, and December makes it a cozy one.

A two-day itinerary for Valdez in December

Day 1 starts slowly, because the light does. Have a late breakfast in town while the sky brightens, then walk the waterfront and the harbor to get the lay of the fjord, the ice-free port and the snowy ridges behind it. Midday is the best light, so take the Richardson Highway toward Keystone Canyon and see the rock walls and frozen falls while the sky is at its brightest.

In the afternoon, continue to Worthington Glacier at milepost 28.7 and spend time at the viewpoint before the light fades. Head back toward town as the dusk settles in, which comes early. Dinner at a warm place in town and an early night suit the day. If the sky clears after dark, step outside and look up for the aurora.

Day 2 stays closer to town. Start with coffee and a slow morning, then use the brightest hours for a walk through the quiet streets, past the snow banks and out to the edge of the water, where the mountains show best. Mix the outdoors with a long lunch, since a warm room is a real pleasure in this weather.

If the weather turns heavy, make the day an indoor one. Read, linger in cafés, and watch the snow fall past the windows, which in Valdez is its own entertainment. Come evening, check the sky once more before dinner. A clear break in the clouds is rare enough in December that it deserves a few minutes outside.

Is Valdez busy in December?

December in Valdez is shaped by short days and deep snow rather than by a rush of visitors. The town sits at the end of a single road, the Richardson Highway, which means everyone arrives the same way, and the winter weather keeps the pace slow.

The place feels like a working fjord town in winter. The port stays open through the cold, the harbor is still, and the streets are lined with plowed snow.

With less than six hours of daylight in the middle of the month, the rhythm of the day is set by the sun, with an early start to anything outdoors and a quiet, indoor evening. If you like a town to yourself under a heavy sky, December suits that.

What to pack for Valdez in December

Pack for cold, wet snow and long hours standing outside at viewpoints.

Insulated, waterproof boots, because the snow is deep and often wet.
A warm base layer and a fleece, since nights drop well below freezing.
A waterproof, windproof outer shell for the heavy snow days.
A hat and warm gloves for standing at the glacier viewpoint.
A headlamp for the early dark.
A camera with a spare battery, since cold drains them and the aurora is a chance.

Good to know before you go

Valdez is reached by the Richardson Highway, and the drive from Anchorage takes 6 to 7 hours by car, while the drive from Tok takes about 4.5 hours. In December, with winter weather and little daylight, plan the trip around the brightest hours. The name is pronounced locally as val-DEEZ.

With under six hours of light in the middle of the month, build each day around the middle hours and keep evenings for indoors. Snow can change plans, so leave room in the schedule for a slow day.

Valdez in December vs November and January

Going four weeks earlier, in November, gives you somewhat milder air and noticeably more daylight, with a little less snow on the ground. The days are longer for outings, and the town has not yet settled into its deepest winter. If you want more hours of light for the highway and the glacier, November is the easier month for that.

Going four weeks later, in January, brings colder air and slightly more daylight than December, with the snow still piling up. The darkest stretch has passed, and the days are lengthening, though the cold is firmer. January suits travelers who want the winter at its coldest but with a bit more light to work with.

Choose December if the very short days and the deep winter mood are the point. Shift to November for more light, and to January if you want the cold with a little more daylight. The aurora season spans all three, so none of them has the advantage there, and cloud decides every night.

Is December a good time to visit Valdez?

Yes, for travelers who want winter on a grand scale and are happy with short days and a quiet pace. It is a month for snow, mountains, a glacier viewpoint and the occasional hope of an aurora, not for long outdoor days.

People who love snow and stillness will like it most, along with anyone who enjoys a drive through a winter canyon and a warm room at the end of it. Those who want long daylight hours or a packed schedule of outings should pick another month.

On arrival, spend the first bright midday on the waterfront and the road toward Worthington Glacier, because light is the scarce thing. December in Valdez is the sound of snow packing under boots in the dark, a harbor that never freezes, and white mountains standing over the fjord.

Sources

NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00026442), station Valdez Wso, elevation 95 feet, checked October 11, 2026
Computed from the date and the latitude of the place (sunrise equation, solar elevation -0.833 degrees), October 11, 2026
University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, Aurora forecast (https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast), checked October 11, 2026
Wikivoyage, Northern lights (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Northern_lights), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Aurora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora), checked October 11, 2026
Visit Anchorage, northern lights viewing (https://www.anchorage.net/winter/things-to-do/northern-lights-viewing/), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Copper River Highway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_River_Highway), checked October 11, 2026
Alaska.org, dest valdez (https://www.alaska.org/destination/valdez), checked October 11, 2026
Wikivoyage, Valdez (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Valdez), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Valdez, Alaska (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdez,_Alaska), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Worthington Glacier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worthington_Glacier), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Climate of Alaska (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Alaska), checked October 11, 2026