Temperature
Winter lingered across Alaska in
April with seasonably colder than normal temperatures reported at all 20 first
order stations. The mean temperature of all first order stations for April was 24.0°F,
‑6.9°F below the long-term mean of 30.9°F. Interior stations reported the
most extreme deviations from their expected temperatures with Delta Junction
topping the list with a astonishing negative deviation of -15.2°F. Following
Delta Junction were: Fairbanks (-14.6°F), Bettles (‑11.7°F), Gulkana
(-11.4°F), McGrath (‑10.6°F) and Talkeetna (‑10.2). Cold Bay was
the station reporting the smallest deviation of just -0.2°F. Four record high
events experienced by Cold Bay during the month kept the monthly mean
temperature near to normal. Temperatures started out above normal for the first
four days stayed (with the exception of 24th), mostly,
significantly, below normal after that. Fairbanks had the third coldest April
on record, Anchorage the sixth. Details for each station can be reviewed in the
table below.
Station
|
Temperature
|
Observed
(°F)
|
Normal
(°F)
|
Delta
(°F)
|
Anchorage
|
29.6
|
36.8
|
-7.2
|
Annette
|
43.1
|
44.2
|
-1.1
|
Barrow
|
0.6
|
1.8
|
-1.2
|
Bethel
|
17.3
|
26.9
|
-9.6
|
Bettles
|
11.7
|
23.3
|
-11.7
|
Cold Bay
|
33.8
|
34.0
|
-0.2
|
Delta Junction
|
17.1
|
32.2
|
-15.2
|
Fairbanks
|
18.0
|
32.5
|
-14.6
|
Gulkana
|
20.4
|
31.8
|
-11.4
|
Homer
|
31.7
|
37.0
|
-5.3
|
Juneau
|
36.1
|
40.8
|
-4.7
|
King Salmon
|
28.4
|
33.7
|
-5.3
|
Kodiak
|
33.8
|
37.6
|
-3.8
|
Kotzebue
|
9.4
|
13.3
|
-3.9
|
McGrath
|
19.1
|
29.7
|
-10.6
|
Nome
|
16.3
|
20.5
|
-4.2
|
St. Paul Island
|
23.9
|
29.2
|
-5.4
|
Talkeetna
|
25.7
|
35.9
|
-10.2
|
Valdez
|
31.5
|
38.1
|
-6.6
|
Yakutat
|
32.5
|
37.8
|
-5.3
|

Daily mean temperature deviation from the normal temperature for the mean
of the 20 first order stations for April 2013.
April generated a large number of
record temperature events. As noted above, Cold Bay had four record high
events, and was the only station to experience a high event in April. This is
also unusual in that one station had four events of the same kind occurring in
one month. Having stated that, Delta Junction went two better with six record
low events in April. They transpired in two groups; first around the 10th
and the other around the 27th. The cold in Fairbanks on the 28th
broke the record set way back in 1922. The rest of cold events were scattered
across the state and throughout the month.
|
Temperature
Records
|
Date
|
Station
|
Element
|
New
Record
|
Old
Record
|
Year of
old Record
|
04/05/13
|
Cold Bay
|
High
Temperature
|
46
|
46
|
2001
|
04/10/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Low
Temperature
|
-8
|
-8
|
1946
|
04/10/13
|
Kodiak
|
Low
Temperature
|
15
|
16
|
1968
|
04/11/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Low Temperature
|
-12
|
-12
|
1985
|
04/11/13
|
Fairbanks
|
Low
Temperature
|
-21
|
-17
|
1955
|
04/11/13
|
Valdez
|
Low
Temperature
|
14
|
15
|
1986
|
04/12/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Low
Temperature
|
-12
|
-10
|
2002
|
04/12/13
|
Fairbanks
|
Low
Temperature
|
-15
|
-12
|
1936
|
04/12/13
|
St. Paul
|
Low
Temperature
|
0
|
0
|
2009
|
04/12/13
|
Valdez
|
Low
Temperature
|
13
|
20
|
1985
|
04/13/13
|
Bettles
|
Low
Temperature
|
-21
|
-14
|
1994
|
04/13/13
|
St. Paul
|
Low
Temperature
|
3
|
6
|
1985
|
04/15/13
|
Juneau
|
Low
Temperature
|
24
|
24
|
2005
|
04/19/13
|
Cold Bay
|
High
Temperature
|
47
|
47
|
2002
|
04/21/13
|
Annette
|
Low
Temperature
|
30
|
30
|
1975
|
04/23/13
|
Cold Bay
|
High
Temperature
|
54
|
52
|
1979
|
04/24/13
|
Cold Bay
|
High
Temperature
|
54
|
49
|
2003
|
04/26/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Low
Temperature
|
9
|
11
|
1955
|
04/27/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Low
Temperature
|
11
|
17
|
1984
|
04/28/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Low Temperature
|
3
|
15
|
1972
|
04/28/13
|
Fairbanks
|
Low
Temperature
|
2
|
8
|
1924
|
04/29/13
|
Kodiak
|
Low
Temperature
|
26
|
26
|
1985
|
04/29/13
|
Yakutat
|
Low
Temperature
|
20
|
22
|
1967
|
04/30/13
|
Annette
|
Low
Temperature
|
30
|
30
|
1954
|
04/30/13
|
Cold Bay
|
Low
Temperature
|
21
|
28
|
1982
|
Precipitation
April precipitation was slightly
lighter than normal with just six of the 20 stations reporting above average
totals. The mean value of all 20 stations was calculate
to just 4% below normal. Bethel reported the greatest negative deviation with
just 4% of the expected value. Rounding out the stations with less than a third
of normal totals were: McGrath (18°%), King Salmon (21%), and St Paul (23%).
Toping the stations with heavier than normal precipitation was Gulkana with
208% above normal. Next came: Anchorage (119%), Juneau (117%) and Fairbanks
(113%). It was the second wettest April in Juneau on record. Details are
presented in the following table.
Station
|
Precipitation
|
Observed
(in)
|
Normal
(in)
|
Delta
(in)
|
Delta
(%)
|
(%)
|
Anchorage
|
1.03
|
0.47
|
0.56
|
119%
|
219%
|
Annette
|
6.56
|
6.77
|
-0.21
|
-3%
|
97%
|
Barrow
|
0.19
|
0.16
|
0.03
|
19%
|
119%
|
Bethel
|
0.03
|
0.74
|
-0.71
|
-96%
|
4%
|
Bettles
|
0.26
|
0.60
|
-0.34
|
-57%
|
43%
|
Cold Bay
|
2.03
|
2.42
|
-0.39
|
-16%
|
84%
|
Delta Junction
|
0.36
|
0.23
|
0.13
|
57%
|
157%
|
Fairbanks
|
0.66
|
0.31
|
0.35
|
113%
|
213%
|
Gulkana
|
0.74
|
0.24
|
0.50
|
208%
|
308%
|
Homer
|
0.52
|
1.07
|
-0.55
|
-51%
|
49%
|
Juneau
|
6.37
|
2.94
|
3.43
|
117%
|
217%
|
King Salmon
|
0.20
|
0.97
|
-0.77
|
-79%
|
21%
|
Kodiak
|
2.57
|
5.81
|
-3.24
|
-56%
|
44%
|
Kotzebue
|
0.31
|
0.54
|
-0.23
|
-43%
|
57%
|
McGrath
|
0.13
|
0.74
|
-0.61
|
-82%
|
18%
|
Nome
|
0.30
|
0.76
|
-0.46
|
-61%
|
39%
|
St. Paul Island
|
0.25
|
1.08
|
-0.83
|
-77%
|
23%
|
Talkeetna
|
0.47
|
1.29
|
-0.82
|
-64%
|
36%
|
Valdez
|
2.90
|
3.42
|
-0.52
|
-15%
|
85%
|
Yakutat
|
8.36
|
9.19
|
-0.83
|
-9%
|
91%
|

Daily mean precipitation deviation from the normal for the 20 first order
stations for April 2013.
Snowfall for April was mixed with
seven of the sixteen stations reporting heavier then normal snowfall, resulting
in an overall mean of 87% above normal. However, much of this positive
deviation was from Juneau where more than ten times the normal snow fell during
the month. Anchorage (300% above normal) and Fairbanks (241%) topped the elevated
snowfall stations. Annette came in at the lowest with 0% of the expected
1.4". Other low total stations were: Bethel (7%), King Salmon (21%) and
McGrath (24%). Trace or more of snow was recorded for eight days of the month
in Anchorage, twelve in Fairbanks, fourteen in Juneau and nineteen in Barrow.
April was the sixth snowiest on record in Juneau, and eighth in Fairbanks.
Station
|
Snowfall
|
Observed
(in)
|
Normal
(in)
|
Delta
(in)
|
Delta
(%)
|
(%)
|
Anchorage
|
16.0
|
4.0
|
12.0
|
300%
|
400%
|
Annette
|
0.0
|
1.4
|
-1.4
|
-100%
|
0%
|
Barrow
|
5.2
|
3.2
|
2.0
|
63%
|
163%
|
Bethel
|
0.4
|
5.7
|
-5.3
|
-93%
|
7%
|
Bettles
|
10.0
|
6.3
|
3.7
|
59%
|
159%
|
Cold Bay
|
2.1
|
6.6
|
-4.5
|
-68%
|
32%
|
Fairbanks
|
9.9
|
2.9
|
7.0
|
241%
|
341%
|
Juneau
|
12.1
|
1.1
|
11.0
|
1000%
|
1100%
|
King Salmon
|
0.8
|
3.9
|
-3.1
|
-79%
|
21%
|
Kodiak
|
4.6
|
8.0
|
-3.4
|
-43%
|
58%
|
Kotzebue
|
3.1
|
5.1
|
-2.0
|
-39%
|
61%
|
McGrath
|
1.2
|
5.1
|
-3.9
|
-76%
|
24%
|
Nome
|
4.5
|
7.5
|
-3.0
|
-40%
|
60%
|
St. Paul Island
|
2.3
|
5.7
|
-3.4
|
-60%
|
40%
|
Valdez
|
51.1
|
21.0
|
30.1
|
143%
|
243%
|
Yakutat
|
28.3
|
10.2
|
18.1
|
177%
|
277%
|
A large number of precipitation and
snowfall records were set in April; many of them pared together and centered on
the storm events of the 8th and 26th. The snowfall on the
9th in Fairbanks broke a record for that day that had been in place
since 1934. In Fairbanks there were 18" of snowpack on the 30th,
third highest on record for this date, as well above the 1" that would be
normal. This April was only the third time that measurable snow has been
recorded at the Anchorage Airport at the end of the month. The cold
temperatures and prior months heavy snowfall in St. Paul resulted in a mean
snow depth for the month of more than nine times normal.
|
Precipitation
Records
|
Date
|
Station
|
Element
|
New
Record
|
Old
Record
|
Year of
old Record
|
04/01/13
|
Cold Bay
|
Precipitation
|
0.44
|
0.33
|
1976
|
04/06/13
|
Anchorage
|
Snowfall
|
6.20
|
3.30
|
2010
|
04/06/13
|
Anchorage
|
Precipitation
|
0.33
|
0.22
|
2012
|
04/06/13
|
Juneau
|
Snowfall
|
2.30
|
0.80
|
1972
|
04/08/13
|
Delta Junction
|
Precipitation
|
0.16
|
0.10
|
1962
|
04/08/13
|
Fairbanks
|
Snowfall
|
2.10
|
2.00
|
1929
|
04/08/13
|
Valdez
|
Snowfall
|
19.00
|
7.40
|
2001
|
04/08/13
|
Valdez
|
Precipitation
|
1.09
|
0.78
|
1973
|
04/09/13
|
Fairbanks
|
Snowfall
|
2.60
|
2.10
|
1982
|
04/09/13
|
Fairbanks
|
Precipitation
|
0.16
|
0.15
|
1934
|
04/09/13
|
Haines Airport
|
Precipitation
|
1.08
|
0.59
|
2004
|
04/09/13
|
Skagway Airport
|
Precipitation
|
1.02
|
0.40
|
1988
|
04/10/13
|
Gustavus
|
Snowfall
|
2.30
|
0.00
|
2011
|
04/16/13
|
Yakutat
|
Snowfall
|
10.60
|
8.70
|
1985
|
04/21/13
|
Kodiak
|
Snowfall
|
4.40
|
2.40
|
1972
|
04/23/13
|
Anchorage
|
Precipitation
|
0.28
|
0.16
|
1964
|
04/23/13
|
Homer
|
Precipitation
|
0.35
|
0.30
|
1974
|
04/25/13
|
Haines Airport
|
Precipitation
|
0.90
|
0.76
|
2004
|
04/25/13
|
Sitka
|
Precipitation
|
1.74
|
1.19
|
1922
|
04/26/13
|
Annex Creek
|
Precipitation
|
2.66
|
0.91
|
2004
|
04/26/13
|
Annex Creek
|
Snowfall
|
12.10
|
0.00
|
1982
|
04/26/13
|
Hollis
|
Precipitation
|
0.75
|
0.67
|
1957
|
04/26/13
|
Juneau
|
Precipitation
|
1.36
|
0.77
|
1972
|
04/26/13
|
Juneau
|
Snowfall
|
4.40
|
0.20
|
1964
|
04/26/13
|
Petersburg
|
Precipitation
|
2.94
|
1.45
|
1985
|
04/26/13
|
Port Alexander
|
Precipitation
|
2.41
|
1.40
|
1957
|
04/26/13
|
Sitka
|
Precipitation
|
1.48
|
0.60
|
2012
|
04/26/13
|
Sitka Observatory
|
Precipitation
|
1.61
|
1.05
|
1928
|
04/27/13
|
Barrow
|
Precipitation
|
0.07
|
0.07
|
1973
|
04/28/13
|
Annex Creek
|
Precipitation
|
0.83
|
0.80
|
1951
|
04/28/13
|
Annex Creek
|
Snowfall
|
3.80
|
0.00
|
2007
|
04/28/13
|
Juneau
|
Snowfall
|
1.70
|
0.90
|
1972
|
04/28/13
|
Petersburg
|
Precipitation
|
1.23
|
0.91
|
1963
|

This
infrared satellite image from the National Weather Service shows strong winter
systems affecting the Southcentral and Interior portions of Alaska on Tuesday, April
9th, 2013. This late winter storm drove snow and rainfall records across
the region.
Newsworthy Events
High winds and heavy snow impaired
traffic on the Steese Highway on the 3rd, while the Taylor Highway
opened to traffic for the first time of the year on the 4th, earlier
than normal. The late winter storm of the 8th and 9th
generated whiteout conditions along the Parks Highway and resulted in school
closing in the Mat-Su School District. The Steese
Highway was closed again on the 12th due to high winds and blowing
snow. After being opened earlier than normal, the Taylor Highway was closed due
to snow drifts on the 18th, and only
reopened to two lanes on the 21st. The Denali Park road was finally cleared
to 30 miles on the 22nd due to cold, snowy April. In Fairbanks three
geese made their first arrival at Creamers Field on the 3rd, the
second earliest on record (the average date is April 9th). After
making an appearance, they left to return when weather conditions improved. At Nenana,
the Tanana River ice was still at 51" thick on the 25th when measured
by officials with the Nenana Ice Classic; the thickest the ice has been this
late in the year in decades.
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 20 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.