Christmas Weather in Fairbanks

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
145 PM AKST TUE DEC 25 2012

...CHRISTMAS DAY IN FAIRBANKS...

CHRISTMAS DAY 2012 IN FAIRBANKS WAS NOTABLE FOR THE BREAK IN THE
COLD SNAP THE GRIPPED THE AREA SINCE THE BIG SNOWS OF DEC 11TH TO
13TH. 

OVER THE PAST 108 YEARS...CHRISTMAS DAY HAS BROUGHT TEMPERATURES
AS LOW AS 56 BELOW IN 1961 AND AS WARM AS 34 ABOVE IN 1985.

THE SNOWIEST CHRISTMAS WAS IN 1999...WHEN 3.8 INCHES OF SNOW FELL. 
AN INCH OR MORE OF SNOW HAS OCCURRED ON CHRISTMAS DAY JUST 13
TIMES SINCE 1904.

FAIRBANKS ALMOST ALWAYS HAS A WHITE CHRISTMAS...AND THIS YEAR WAS
NO EXCEPTION....WITH A 17 INCH BLANKET OF SNOW. THE DEEPEST SNOW PACK
ON CHRISTMAS DAY WAS 39 INCHES IN 1970. ONLY ONCE HAS FAIRBANKS
NOT HAD A WHITE CHRISTMAS. IN 1934...THE GREATEST WINTER CHINOOK
IN FAIRBANKS WEATHER HISTORY EARLY THAT DECEMBER BROUGHT FIVE
DAYS IN A ROW WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S AND COMPLETELY MELTED THE THIN
SNOW PACK THAT HAD BEEN PRESENT. AFTER THE CHINOOK ENDED THERE WAS
ONLY MEAGER AMOUNTS OF SNOW UNTIL THE 26TH. AS A RESULT...CHRISTMAS
DAY 1934 HAD JUST A TRACE OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. EVERY OTHER
CHRISTMAS FOR WHICH THERE IS A RECORD HAD AT LEAST FOUR INCHES OF
SNOW COVER.

$$
RT DEC 12