text: how long are the winters in alaska?   winter in alaska lasts different amounts of time depending on the location.  in anchorage, where i live, we see the first snowfall in late october or so.  cold and snow here lasts through late april/early may when we experience spring "break up"...when the snow melts and everything turns into a muddy mess.  other parts of the state see their snowfall start earlier or later, depending on physical location in the state, proximity to the coastlines, etc.