(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Ketchikan's temperatures tended to be on the warm side for the first half of October, then turned cold for the remainder of the month. Exemplifying the cold spell at the end of October were three record cold events in Ketchikan. First, on the 22nd, the temperature dropped to 28°F, breaking the old record of 29°F set way back in 1919. Then on October 24th, the low temperature of 28°F tied the record from 1991. Finally, on the 29th the low of 25°F matched the record also set in 1991.

Daily temperature ranges and precipitation for Ketchikan for October 2012. Note the three record cold events during the protracted cold spell at the end of the month.

Statewide, new temperature records started out the month of October with a number of high events, scattered across the state from Annette to St. Paul to Barrow, exemplifying the warm start to the month. However, after the 22nd all new temperature records were cold, and occurred in Southeast Alaska as a strong offshore wind brought cold air in from the continent, and kept the relative warm air from the ocean away.

Ketchikan's neighboring city, Craig located on Prince of Wales Island, set several record lows during the month of October. On the 27th Craig recorded a low of 28 degrees breaking the previous record low of 32 degrees set in 2004. On the 29th, Craig set a new record low temperature of 25 degrees, breaking the previous record low of 28 degrees set in 1991. The on October 30th, Craig again set a new record low temperature of 24 degrees breaking the old record low of 28 degrees set in 1950. On the 31st, Craig another new record was set when a low of 23 degrees was recorded breaking the old record of 28 degrees set in 2003.

Statewide, some of these records had stood for considerable amounts of time, as in the case on the 22nd in Ketchikan where the previous record had been in place since 1919.

Ketchikan reported an average temperature in October of 43.0°F which was 2.3°F below the long-term average of 45.3°F. The maximum temperature for the month was 61°F, which occurred on the 7th of October, while the minimum temperature (20°F) was reported on the 30th.

On October 8th, the Annette Island weather station recorded a high temperature of 69 degrees breaking the old high record of 64 degrees set in 1964. On October 7th, Annette also set a new record high temperature recording 68 degrees breaking the previous record high of 66 degrees set in 1969.

Ketchikan's rainfall was light in October, totaling 8.73 inches, or just 45% of the long term average of 19.22 inches.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

Alaska Climate Center
www.akclimate.org

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