December 2017 has been described by the NWS as an ‘exceptionally mild’ month throughout Alaska. The major cities of Anchorage, Juneau and now Fairbanks are witnessing their warmest December on record, among countless other places.
Credit: Rick Thoman
According to climatologist Brian Brettschneider, Fairbanks is running an astonishing 20 above normal for the first 20 days of December with every day above normal except for Dec 1 with highs in the 30s and lows in the 10s. Bare in mind that Fairbanks should see daytime single digits and -10 at night!
Rick Thoman
Pretty remarkable to see these highs and departure from normal in Fairbanks.
On Dec 8, Juneau soared to a December record tying 54 degrees. When this high occurred, it was warmer than Houston, TX.
Mid month saw Anchorage exceed 45 degrees for 4 straight days, a new record. A low of 37 degrees matched the warmest low of any winter month.
Bettles (north central) and Kotzebue (west coast), tied their warmest December highs with 38 and 37 degrees respectively.
In a place so brutally cold, one might think this mild weather is welcome. No so, Brettschneider says. “People do not like the warm temperatures,” he said in an email. “It makes things very icy when the temperatures get above freezing. Since the ground is frozen several inches thick, snow melting on the surface freezes to the ground (or road). Because the sun is so low, it does not melt the ice directly. Ice can hang around for weeks and even months.”
Excerpt from CWG article.
Nearly all of Alaska was ten degrees (F) or more above average on Monday, with some Interior locations 30 degrees or more above average. Several daily record max temps, including 59F at Annette and 34F at Bettles. #akwx @Climatologist49 @DaveSnider pic.twitter.com/fmdKpnAtcp
— Rick Thoman (@AlaskaWx) December 12, 2017
Wrangell, AK, topped out at 60°F today. There are less than 20 reliable occurrences of 60°F+ temps in Alaska in December. @AlaskaWx
— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) December 12, 2017
Current temp in Fairbanks, Alaska is 36°F. @NWSFairbanks
Current temp in Corpus Christi, TX, is 35°F @NWSCorpus
(9 pm AKST/12 am CST)— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) December 8, 2017
Meanwhile, in Alaska, if the low of 53°F in Sitka holds through midnight, it would set a December record for warmest min temp for all Alaska and tie the statewide Dec-Feb record. @NWSJuneau H/T @AlaskaWx
— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) December 8, 2017
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