Seward Peninsula Storm

Here's a statement Tuesday evening from my colleague Wes in Nome about the less than delightful weather for the 4th in my old hometown. This was the front end of Bering Sea storm that brought 40+ mph winds and soaking rains to Nome-land on Tuesday (4pm ADT Tuesday analysis from Environment Canada)

...FOURTH OF JULY 2011 IN NOME ONE OF COLDEST ON RECORD...

THE INDEPENDENCE DAY JUST CELEBRATED IN NOME, ALASKA WENT DOWN IN THE
RECORD BOOKS AS ONE OF THE COLDEST ON RECORD. THE TEMPERATURE
PLUMMETED TO JUST BELOW FREEZING AT 31 DEGREES JUST AFTER 6 AM MONDAY
MORNING...JUST ONE DEGREE SHY OF THE ALL-TIME RECORD FOR THE FOURTH
OF JULY OF 30 REACHED IN 1924. THIS MADE IT THE SECOND COLDEST
TEMPERATURE EVER IN NOME ON INDEPENDENCE DAY.

WHILE THE DAY BEGAN WITH A COLD SUN AFTER SUNRISE, CLOUDS MOVED IN
FROM THE SOUTH BY LATE MORNING AND THICKENED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
BEFORE RAIN SET IN BY MID-AFTERNOON. THE RAIN MEASURED OVER A
QUARTER OF AN INCH (0.27 INCHES), MAKING IT THE ELEVENTH WETTEST
INDEPENDENCE DAY IN NOME IN OVER 100 YEARS OF RECORDS AND THE WETTEST
IN NOME SINCE 2003.

BY MIDNIGHT THE TEMPERATURE HAD MANAGED TO RISE TO 45 DEGREES,
ENSURING AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 38 DEGREES FOR THE DATE. WHILE
NOME HAD REGISTERED A COLDER TEMPERATURE ON THE FOURTH IN 1924, THE
INDEPENDENCE DAY 2011 EDITION IN NOME TIED FOR THE COLDEST AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE EVER...WITH THAT OF 1985.

DESPITE WHAT MANY MAY HAVE DESCRIBED AS A MISERABLE, VERY UNSUMMER-
LIKE WEATHER DAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SEWARD PENINSULA WITH EVEN A
COATING OF SNOW REPORTED SNEAKING DOWN TO MIDDLE ELEVATIONS OF THE
INTERIOR HILLS...NOMITES CELEBRATED IN TRADITIONAL FASHION ENJOYING
PARADES, FLAG-WAVING, GAMES, RACES, REINDEER DOGS, AND ICE CREAM.
HOWEVER, MANY DID SO THIS YEAR WEARING COATS, GLOVES, AND HATS.