Trend - Unseasonable Warm Weather

Observation trend: We are having yet another unusual winter in the north, with warm and dry conditions in much of Alaska and Western Canada. Observations continue to arrive through LEO about conditions across the State.

National Weather Service Alaska Region: (2016-04-01) The January through March (JFM) 2016 late winter season was exceptionally warm across all of Alaska. A number of communities had the warmest late winter season of record. At Barrow, the three month average temperature of -3.9°F was nearly ten degrees above normal and is by far the warmest of record. Other long term climate sites that had the warmest January through March include Juneau (37.4°F), Kodiak (37.3°F), Cordova (36.9°F) and Bethel (21.5°F). This was the second or third warmest late winter in most other areas. March finished up with a bang across the southeastern quarter of the state as temperatures on the 31st soared to some of the highest levels ever seen in March. Klawock, on Prince of Wales Island in southern Southeast hit 71°F. This is the highest reliable temperature ever recorded in Alaska in March, eclipsing the previous state record of 69°F set at Ketchikan more than a century ago. Anchorage International Airport topped out at 53°F, the warmest March temperature of record there. The high of 68°Fat the Cordova Airport was possibly the most remarkable temperature of the day. This not only shattered the previous monthly record of 59°F, but is the warmest temperature so early in the spring by nearly four weeks. Facebook - US National Weather Service Alaska Source: NOAA

Media:

Washington Post – As the Arctic roasts, Alaska bakes in one of its warmest winter (Feb 02, 2016)

Washington Post – Scientist floored by Arctic weather (Feb 18, 2016)

Alaska Dispatch News – Record Low Snow in Anchorage (Feb 16, 2016)