Rick Thoman

Nerd alert: dramatic differences in global weather models for late in the weekend. GFS would be 1992 type cold & snow (i.e. record level), at least for a few days, for much of mainland Alaska. ECMWF more of a "typical cold" for later September. #akwx @Climatologist49pic.twitter.com/2PQoGmp07g

Checking in with Alaska statewide temperature index since May, overall a bit warmer than normal but with typical week-to-week variability. You can access the index and all of #ACCAP's Alaska related climate tools at https://tinyurl.com/2vakhut8  #akwx @IARC_Alaska @Climatologist49pic.twitter.com/WjJtvYikPS

Sea ice extent continuing to drop in the Chukchi & Beaufort Seas in @NSIDC data. Chukchi #seaice extent remains highest at this point in the season since 2006, but Beaufort extent close to 1991-2010 median. Min extent likely next ten days. #akwx #Arctic @Climatologist49 @ZLabepic.twitter.com/MWhSyAvUvd

Spectacular view looking northeast from Tthee Xǎadz’ (Knob Ridge) above Kelt’aaddh Měnn’ (Dot Lake) along the Alaska Highway southeast of Delta Junction. In Tanacross Dene you can say this time of year noxɬuu xúnɬ̲ęę "it's autumn". #AlaskaDeneLanguagespic.twitter.com/GS4wHJPfuw

Ocean surface temperatures are very close to 1991-2020 average in the Gulf of Alaska. Bering Sea #sst unusually warm south/near average north. Northern Chukchi Sea still cool but near average south. Nearshore Beaufort near to above avg. #akwx #Arctic @Climatologist49 @UAFOceanspic.twitter.com/0RFqT1xk3H

Autumn average temperatures have warmed all across Alaska over the past half century. The dramatic increase in temperatures on the North Slope is a direct result of the collapse of autumn sea ice near the coast in the past 25 years. #akwx #Arctic @Climatologist49 @IARC_Alaskapic.twitter.com/eTaQrqJ9x9

Summer (June-August) ocean surface temperature departures from 1991-2020 average around Alaska. Striking pattern in the Bering Sea. Chukchi & Beaufort Seas below normal except for Mackenzie River outflow area. Gulf of Alaska #sst near average. #akwx @Climatologist49 @UAFOceanspic.twitter.com/H839u160Hs

Beautiful autumn evening in the Upper Tanana valley with this FAA webcam pix from Tok. In this southeast looking view we see a shower toward Tetlin. At 630pm AKDT Thursday a very mild 65F (18.3C) with light winds. #akwx @Climatologist49pic.twitter.com/B5DLfRz88b

August in Fairbanks North Star Borough was the 7th wettest in the past 97 years in @NOAANCEIclimate analysis. While 4 of the 10 wettest Augusts have occurred since 2015, a long term trend is yet to emerge from the expected year-to-year variations. #akwx @Climatologist49 @Anisianpic.twitter.com/e7z7zYvGxN

Summer 2021 for Alaska as a whole in @NOAANCEIclimate analysis was slight cooler than trend based expectations and the coolest since 2014. Nonetheless, the average temperature was still well above the pre-1990 average. #akwx @Climatologist49 @IARC_Alaskapic.twitter.com/jukRiztlSp

The new edition of the #ACCAP Alaska Climate Dispatch is now online, with an in-depth explanation by @Climatologist49 on what the "new climate normals" mean for Alaska. Plus our usual Alaska climate and sea ice review. Grab the pdf at https://tinyurl.com/63yxnc3w  #akwx @IARC_Alaska.pic.twitter.com/DCV4G9tdw0

Historically the first freeze of the autumn at Gwichyaa Zheh (Ft. Yukon) typically occurred in late August. Not this year. September 7th and still no freeze. #akwx @Climatologist49 @ArcticDaazhraii @DinjiiZhuhpic.twitter.com/Pthr3DrgpP

Chukchi Sea minimum #seaice extent is likely a couple weeks away and ice continues to melt, but it's now certain that this year the Chukchi will have much more ice going into freeze-up than recent years. Data courtesy @NSIDC. #akwx #Arctic @Climatologist49 @ZLabe @ajatnuvukpic.twitter.com/rD6UCLuVt5

In case you're wondering, here's the September 1991-2010 average percent of total precipitation that falls as snow around Alaska from ERA5 courtesy @CopernicusECMWF. Still strongly elevation focused. Where it sometimes , more frequent late in the month. #akwx @Climatologist49pic.twitter.com/YgVeaCrT2L

Summer 2021 was exceptionally gloomy over west/northwest Alaska. @WorldClimateSvc analysis of ERA5 courtesy @CopernicusECMWF shows less sunshine than ANY summer since at least 1961. Less sun impacts food security.#akwx @Climatologist49 @KotzNews @KNOMnews @nomenugget_ak @KYUKNewspic.twitter.com/ImGrQC89A9