Extreme Cold, Snow Hits Alaska, Northwest Canada

While we in Vermont endured the second coldest December in a quarter century, things were even worse - much worse - in Alaska and large swaths of northern Canada. 

Lovely weather for swimsuits in 
Fairbanks, Alaska.  There's a "40 below"
club in Fairbanks in which people pose
in swimsuits near this sign when it gets
to 40 below or colder. 

Fairbanks, Alaska endured its coldest December since 1980. Winters in Fairbanks and the rest of interior Alaska are absolutely brutal to begin with. But last month was ridiculous, at least by modern day, climate changed standards.

The average temperature for December in Fairbank was minus 22.8 degrees, which is a whipping 18.5 degrees colder than their already miserably frigid normal. It got as cold as 48 below on December 27 and 28  the coldest it's been in Fairbanks since 2012. 

Fairbanks might set a record for most consecutive days in which the low temperature was 15 below or colder. The current record is 38 days.  As of January 2, they were up to 29 days. 

The annual New Year's Eve fireworks show in Fairbanks was canceled due to the extreme chill. As the clock struck midnight in Fairbanks last night, the temperature was a thoroughly unpleasant 44 below. Even if they had launched the fireworks, it would have been hard to see them. Visibility was a half mile in freezing fog. 

By noon local time on January 1, it was still 44 below in Fairbanks.

As Rick Thoman noted on Substack, the remarkable part of the cold wave in northwest North America is the duration, even more than the low temperatures   He noted that through the first 26 days of December, parts of the Yukon were running an incredible 36 degrees (F) below normal. 

The intense cold in interior Alaska also covers northwestern Alaska. In Yukon, Canada, the temperature got as low as 68 below, the coldest it's been in Canada in 50 years. 

Earlier in December, Yukon Energy said the territory's power grid has been under significant strain as people try to stay warm. Demand reached 90 percent of availability supply. 

A break in the frigid conditions in at least parts of northwestern Canada seems to be finally looming. Whitehorse, Yukon, could finally see a day with no subzero temperatures toward Friday. Readings could actually climb into the low 20s above zero in about a week. 

Fairbanks, Alaska is expected a break of sorts, too. It'll get worse before it gets better with lows in the 50s below in Fairbanks and through much of interior Alaska. The coldest spots could hit 60 below.

Believe it or not, this isn't as cold as it can possibly get in Fairbanks. The most intense cold wave on record there was on January 13-15, 1934, when the daily low temperatures were minus 65, minus 66 and minus 64. The coldest of those three days remains the chilliest on record in Fairbanks. 

The current interior Alaska icebox regime is destined to finally ease in a few days. 

Instead of temperatures in the 40s below, in about a weeks time, that city is expected balmy readings in the single numbers and teens below zero. Which is more or less normal for them for this time of year. 

 JUNEAU SNOW

Four feet of snow fell in Juneau, 
Alaska in the final four days of the month,
The weight of the snow sank boats in
Juneau Harbor. More than 80 inches
of snow fell there in December. 

Much further south in Alaska, Juneau had 82 inches of snow in December,  Normal snowfall for December in Juneau is 18 inches. 

More than half of the month's total - 49 inches - fell in the final five days of December.  The snow is so heavy that it has sunk numerous boats in Juneau's harbor and threatens to collapse roofs on houses and other buildings.

At least eight boats had sunk in the harbor as of midday Wednesday, the Juneau Independent reported. Dozens of other boats were saved when harbor crew and boat owners got to the harbor on time to clean snow off the vessels

December was also frigid by Juneau standards. The average temperature for the month was 17.9 degrees, more than 12 degrees colder than average, 

The Juneau snow won't disappear anytime soon. The National Weather Service calls for temperatures in the teens through Sunday in Juneau, then more snow. 

In fact snow is expected in the region every day in the  of upcoming week It could mix with or change to rain late in the week around Juneau, which I imagine will turn things even messier.