December In Alaska: 39F And Rain In Deadhorse; 22.2F Above Historic Avg. In Barrow 12/1-9

[hatrack]

EDIT

Along Alaska's northern coastline, which lies above the Arctic Circle, the warmest December temperatures on record in at least 70 years occurred this past week. At the airport in Deadhorse, which serves the oil production hub of Prudhoe Bay, the temperature hit 39°F on December 7, the highest December temperature on record there since at least 1968, said Rick Thoman of the National Weather Service (NWS) in Fairbanks in an interview. Even more notable, perhaps, was the fact that it was raining, rather than snowing. Rain there is unusual so late in the year.

Previously, the highest December temperature recorded at any of the two climate observation sites that have served Prudhoe Bay over the years was 35°F, set on Dec. 31, 1973, according to Chris Burt, a blogger at WeatherUnderground.

Thoman said it’s possible, but not likely, that other climate stations in that area — such as data collected at now defunct Cold War-era early warning radar stations — recorded slightly milder December temperatures when they were operating in the 1950s and 1960s.

December high temperature records were also set or tied at Barter Island AFB, which is a tiny airport located on a sliver of land along Alaska’s wind-whipped North Slope region, and in the small village of Wainwright, another Arctic shore location. Barter Island reached 37°F, which tied its record last set in 1973, and Wainright hit 32°F, beating the old record of 30°F last set in 2006.

EDIT

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/while-most-of-u.s.-froze-parts-of-alaska-set-record-highs-16817

[pscot]

1. kick

[happyslug]

2. At least for keeping temperatures, we should have kept those Cold War sites open

Then we would have temperatures readings back to the 1950s. The more data the better. Instead we have to use those temperatures and combined them with the North Slope temperature. Better then nothing, but comparing two sites is not the same as temperatures for the whole period from one site.

Anyway high temperatures in Alaska does NOT mean high winter temperatures south of Alaska. One theory is that above freezing temperatures in Alaska in Winter forces cold Air SOUTH.

The process starts when water turns to Ice. When water freezes, it releases a lot of heat (Yes 33 degree Fahrenheit is still "Heat" as that term is used in the science of Weather). Heat expands the air around it, and starts the wind to blow. Given this is above the Arctic Circle, the only direction the wind can go is south. Land gives up heat quicker then water, so when water is freezing the land is already below that temperature. Thus the wind caused by the Arctic Ocean freezing flows over Cold land masses and turns colder. This brings with it deep snows into the Plains States. This is a "cold" snow, fluffy and light (The moisture comes from the Pacific Ocean via Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, but temperatures in that area is affected by Siberian Weather more the Alaska Weather).

The winter snows head south East of the Rockies and stop flowing south over Texas. Then the wind takes North East move into the Midwest, bring with it moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Other Cold winds flow down over the Great Lakes. These Great Lakes storms either flow east over Pennsylvania into the Atlantic, or merge with a storm coming from Texas. Depending on the mix, the resulting Storm fronts either bring with them heavy rain or heavy snow (and most snow is a "Wet" Heavy snow.

Now sometime, these winter gusts merge with a storm coming up the east coast, these are the "Northeastern"

Thus heavy snows in the Great plains (Chicago to the Rockies) tend to be from the north. Heavy snows in the Mid West (Chicago to Pittsburgh) tend to be from the South (i.e. Texas). Yes, the Cities on the Great Lakes tend to be hit by both types of storms. Heavy snows along the East Coast are Northeastern but occasionally a Texas storm gets over the Appalachian mountains and dumps on them (Thus Philadelphia gets more snow most years then Pittsburgh, the Appalachian mountains is between them).

The above is a simplification of storm patterns, but I bring it up for these winter storms are driven by the freezing of the Arctic Ocean. That huge change lead to most early winter storms. In mid Winter (January) the Arctic is frozen and they is nothing to drive the Wind south. In late winter the Arctic starts to unfreeze, pulling in huge amount of heat, pulling in wind from elsewhere in the world. This is the late winter or early spring heavy rains (and Occasional snows).

The change between winter and Spring varies and is the basis of Ground Hog Day. If Candlemas day (which is the Catholic Holiday on February 2, the 40th day since Christmas, 40 is one of those magic numbers in Jewish and Christian Traditions) is sunny, if it is sunny for you tend to be still in the winter cycle, if it is cloudy, you tend to be in the switch from winter to spring. In the 1800s Ground hogs were added to this rule and Ground hog day was born.

I bring this up for this sounds like we are in for a late freezing of the Arctic, which means Arctic winds later in the year, when Northern Canada is a lot colder.

And for people out there who says this is a sign that Global Warming is NOT occurring, I will point out, Colder Winters in the Northeast of the US, occurs when you have WARMING weather further north. In 2010, Canada had a problem with snow, a lack of it especially in British Columbia, while the Northeast had one of its heaviest total winter snow falls ever. As one scientist pointed out, Global Warming does NOT only mean longer hotter summers, but also shorter but colder winters. Temperatures extremes will become more "normal" and that will have bad affects on crops, animals, wildlife, Trees, plants and life in general.

Just pointing out these high Temperatures in Alaska, is probably related to the Cold Temperatures we are having in the Northeast.