Eli5 || Why is Alberta/Saskatchewan usually colder than Anchorage, Alaska in the winters even though Alaska is nearer the arctic circle?
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As others have already said, Alaska gets the benefit of the ocean which moderates the temperatures. But on top of that, Alaska is pretty mountainous, and mountians will keep air masses from moving around as much. So that doubles the moderation. In Alberta/Sask/Manitoba, the weather and temperature is truely at the mercy of whatever direction the wind is going. If the wind is coming from the arctic, they will get very cold arctic air, and when the wind changes and comes up from the US, they will get warm moist air. And these changes can happen in days.
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