October 04, 2007
Thursday

(SitNews) - Average September temperatures across Alaska were just below normal in Southeast, but transitioned to above normal for areas to the west. The strongest anomalies were recorded along the North Slope and West Coast, with monthly temperatures averaging more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.

The precipitation pattern across the state was more mixed, with wetter than normal conditions predominantly in the southern Interior and parts of the southern coast. Areas in the north and portions of the Panhandle were drier than normal. The autumnal equinox, or time of year when daylight and darkness are approximately 12 hours all across the globe, occurred on Sept. 23rd.

Ketchikan was one of the few places in which the average temperature was cooler than normal for September. Though not a strong departure, the temperature was less than a degree below normal at 52.3 degrees Fahrenheit. The average high was 58 degrees. The average low was 47 degrees. The highest and lowest temperatures for the month were 68 degrees Fahrenheit on Sept. 11 and 36 degrees Fahrenheit on the 28th. There were a total of 373 heating degree-days for the month, about 15 more than normal. Ketchikan had only
five dry days, with a total monthly precipitation of 9.97 inches. This was below normal by a little more than 2 inches. However, there were four days when the precipitation was more than 1 inch.

At the Juneau airport, temperatures averaged close to normal in what was an overall rainy and foggy September. The average temperature for the month was 49.8 degrees Fahrenheit, just two-tenths of a degree cooler than normal. The average high and low temperatures were 55 degrees and 45 degrees, respectively. On Sept. 3, the high for the month, 66 degrees Fahrenheit, was reported. On Sept. 28, the low of 33 degrees occurred. Heating degree-days were near normal with 434 units. Precipitation was 1.55 inches more than normal for September, with 9.09 inches. Only three days were without rain.

Fairbanks experienced a warmer and wetter than normal September this year, providing a nice extension to the summer season. Only on Sept. 21 did the nighttime minimum temperature dip below freezing. The average temperature was 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal at 47.1 degrees. The average high and low temperatures were 56 degrees and 38 degrees, respectively. The highest daily temperature for the month was 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Sept. 12, while the lowest was 25 degrees on the 22nd. Owing to the relative warmth, heating degree-days totaled 533 units, about 80 less than normal. Precipitation was more than the normal September total, with 1.58 inches. This was a departure of almost half an inch. No snowfall was recorded at the Fairbanks International Airport, though snow did occur at locations in the hills.

September brought warm and wet conditions to Big Delta this year. The mean monthly temperature was 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit above normal at 46.3 degrees. The average high and low temperatures for the month were 55 degrees and 38 degrees, respectively. On Sept. 12, the high for the month, 71 degrees, was observed. On Sept. 27, the low of 26 degrees occurred. Heating degree-days were about 70 units less than normal at 620. Precipitation totaled 2.28 inches, more than half of which occurred in one day. On Sept. 16, 1.25 inches was observed. The monthly total is more than an inch above average for September.

Anchorage had a wet and mild September overall. There were 4.3 inches of precipitation observed at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, which is 1.43 inches above average for the month. Temperatures averaged 50.5 degrees Fahrenheit, a positive departure of 2.3 degrees. The average high temperature was 57 degrees and the average low was 44 degrees, both a little above normal. On Sept. 5 and 6, the high for the month, 64 degrees Fahrenheit, was observed. On Sept. 17, the low of 35 degrees occurred. Heating degree-days were below normal for September, due to the warmth, at 430 units.

Barrow had its second warmest September on record this year, just a tenth of a degree shy of the record set in 1998. The average temperature was 37.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 6.5 degrees warmer than normal. Two record high temperatures were set: 60 degrees on Sept. 11 and 58 degrees on Sept. 13. Both set records for their respective dates. The 60-degree-high on the 11th was in fact the high for the month. The low, 28 degrees Fahrenheit, occurred on Sept. 22. As would be expected from the near record warmth, heating degree-day units were 200 below average at 814. Precipitation totaled 0.34 inch (liquid water equivalent), about half of normal for September, and it came mostly in the form of rain. Snowfall totaled just 0.4 inch, which is almost 5 inches below normal. At a time when Arctic sea ice is normally at its farthest distance from Barrow's coast, this year it is at a record minimum. Sea ice extent in this part of the Arctic has retreated well north of the Alaskan and Russian sectors of the Arctic.

Conditions in Nome were much warmer than normal this year. They were wetter, too. The temperature departure was 5.2 degrees Fahrenheit from normal, with a monthly average of 47.8 degrees. In general, nighttime lows were much warmer than normal, averaging 44 degrees Fahrenheit, and daytime highs were also warmer than normal, averaging 52 degrees. The high and low temperatures for the month were 61 degrees on Sept. 4 and 33 degrees on the 29th. Precipitation totaled 3.84 inches, which is 1.33 inches more than normal for September. Due to the warmth, heating degree-days were about 150 units below normal at 510.

September was rather wet in King Salmon this year, with a monthly total precipitation of 6.1 inches. This made the month the 4th wettest September on record. There were only three dry days during the month, but no daily precipitation total was more than an inch. Temperatures averaged 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal, with a mean monthly temperature of 49.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The average high and low temperatures were 56 degrees and 44 degrees, respectively. On Sept. 1, the monthly high of 66 degree Fahrenheit occurred. On the 29th, the low of 31 degrees occurred. With the relative warmth, heating degree-days were about 70 units below normal at 452.

Source of News:

This information consists of preliminary climatological data that was compiled at the Alaska Climate Research Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Climate Research Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
http://climate.gi.alaska.edu

 

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