While the truly arctic air lifts out of the Lower 48, it’s regrouping and intensifying up across Alaska and Northern Canada.

For the Alaskan interior, including Fairbanks, Wednesday morning was the coldest of winter and coldest in 5 years!

Fairbanks recorded an official low of -50F this morning, coldest in 5 years when it hit -51F back on January 29, 2012. Interestingly this morning’s -50 is only the 2nd occurrence since 1999. With a daytime maximum unlikely to get above -40 this afternoon, the city has a good chance at catching another -50 tonight.

Are we in record territory? Nowhere near. Fairbanks record territory ranges from -57 to -66F at this, the coldest time of year.

As you can see, -50s were common , particularly from the late 40s through 70s.

In Tanana, the thermometer hit -54F which is also their coldest in 4 years and coldest in all of Alaska appears to have been Salcha River RAWS with -57F.

We’re likely to see -60F somewhere tonight.

Further south and Anchorage dipped to -10F. They may approach -15F tonight, their coldest in 4 years.

Stunning view of moon and stars reappearing of the woods on the outskirts of Anchorage this morning.

Tonight is likely to see the peak of extreme cold before an easing this weekend.