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Alaska’s first -40º temperature of the 2017-2018 winter season

By Scott Bachmeier •

NOAA-18 Infrared Window (10.8 mm) image, with surface identifiers and air temperatures plotted in red [click to enlarge]

NOAA-18 Infrared Window (10.8 mm) image, with surface identifiers and air temperatures plotted in red [click to enlarge]

Alaska’s first (official) surface air temperature of -40º or colder for the 2017-2018 winter season was reported by the Cooperative Observer at Chicken (-43ºF) on 19 November 2017. A NOAA-18 Infrared Window (10.8 µm) image at 0320 UTC (above) showed cold air drainage into river valleys, with the coldest infrared brightness temperatures around -40ºC/-40ºF (darker blue color enhancement). Chicken is located about midway between Eagle (PAEG) and Northway (PAOR), where 03 UTC surface air temperatures were -17ºF and -24ºF, respectively. However, PAEG reached their minimum temperature around 11 UTC after additional hours of cloud-free radiational cooling.

An automated RAWS site at Chicken reached a minimum temperature of -34ºF at 1120 UTC — the dew point at that time was -42ºF. However, a MesoWest map (below) shows that the RAWS tower is located on a small hill (at an elevation of 2060 feet) — and the Cooperative Observer instrument shelter was likely located in the lower elevations of the settlement.

MesoWest map showing the location of the Chicken RAWS site [click to enlarge]

MesoWest map showing the location of the Chicken RAWS site [click to enlarge]

For comparison, note the 2011-2012 and 2010-2011 winter seasons.

Categories: Arctic, AVHRR, POES, Winter weather