Temperature

In contrast to the beginning of this year, which observed mostly above normal temperatures, March 2013 was colder than normal (see Fig.1). Negative deviations were observed for 16 of the 20 first order stations in Alaska, and a mean monthly value for the all stations could be calculated to a negative deviation of 1.7°F. Large negative deviations in declining order were found for Talkeetna (-4.6°F). Fairbanks (-4.3°F), Juneau (-4.1°F), Bettles and Bethel (both -3.0°F). Barrow was the only station with a substantial positive deviation of +5.3°F, continuing the long term warming trend observed in Arctic Alaska over the last decades. This trend is especially strong in fall and winter, as evidenced by the substantially decreased sea ice extent and thickness in the Arctic Ocean. Other positive deviations were not as substantial (< 1°F), and details for all stations can be seen from Table 1. Altogether the observed deviations are quite moderate when compared to other winter months, when much larger deviations were observed for monthly values in recent years, exceeding 20°F for a single station or 10°F for the mean of all stations.

 

 

 

New daily temperature records were also set this month. Here we included a few other stations. Between the 4^th and 9^th of March, Bethel, McGrath and Valdez reported new daily maxima, while in the last 1/3^rd of the month, Juneau, Homer, Bethel McGrath, King Salmon and Eielson AFB reported new daily minima. In the table below, new daily record low and high temperatures are listed:

 

Precipitation

Precipitation varied widely (see Fig.2). Expressed as percentages, Barrow had the highest amount with 556% of the mean value with 0.50" of the expected 0.09". St. Paul Island (293%), Anchorage (228%) and King Salmon (214%) had at least twice the long term mean. On the other side of the spectrum were Yakutat and Annette in Southeastern Alaska with just above half (both 54%) of the long term mean. The mean value of all 20 stations gave a value of 36% above normal. As for the temperature, the precipitation and snowfall deviations for the different station are given in the tables below.

 

 

 

 

Records events, both for precipitation and snowfall, are summarized below.

 

 

The most surprising of these records is the amount of precipitation, which fell in Barrow on the 26^th March. The amount of 0.27", which fell on this day, is 3 times the monthly long-term value for Barrow in March.

 

 

Newsworthy Events

 

On March 12^th an air quality advisory was issued for Fairbanks and North Pole due to relative strong inversion conditions.

The Steese Highway, which had been closed at Eagle Summit due to blowing and drifting snow, was reopened on Sunday, March 24^th.

A winter storm warming was issued for Anchorage and Eagle River on March 25^th.

 

This information consists of preliminary climatological data compiled by the Alaska Climate Research Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. This summary is based on the twenty first order stations in Alaska operated by the National Weather Service. Extreme events of other stations are also mentioned. It should be noted that the new climate normals for the time period of 1981-2010 are applied for the calculations of the deviations, and they can be slightly different from the old normals (1971-2000), which were in use up until end of July 2011.