Really 1 Below Zero at Anaktuvuk Pass in late June?

Reader Richard asked about the veracity of the low temperature of 1 below reported on Jun 25, 1967 at Anaktuvuk Pass, and he expressed considerable doubt that this could be correct. This would be a state and, says Richard, a national record for June.

Here's the situation: Anaktuvuk is at 68.1N 2100' in the Brooks Range; the village is right on the valley floor and within one mile of the continental divide. On general principles,  it seems to me that it is (barely) within the realm of possibility that IF there was a fresh snow cover and IF an unseasonably cold airmass in place AND skies cleared late evening AND winds were light that Anaktuvuk could get this cold in late June (this would be a lot more believable if it was the first few days of June). 

There are historically very few weather observations from this part of the world, and the data quality from the coop observation at Anaktuvuk during this time have more than a few problems.  Here is the scan of the original form for June 1967:

Courtesy of NCDC

There looks to be no doubt that the value written in was -1, and there is no other evidence on this form that there is some confusion with, say, degrees C. Most of the temperatures during this month look plausible, and while there are different writing implements used, it looks to me that the hand writing is all the same person. That fact that most of the temperatures look okay makes it less likely that observer was reading the wrong end of the min temperature index, which would  make lows about 12ºF too low.

If these are really observations taken at 5pm (and differences from the scheduled time of observation are hardly ever recorded by the observer on the form), the data on the 24th looks suspect: was it really 40F at 5pm on the 23rd, fell to 17F the following morning ( itself a remarkably low temperature for so late in June), then rebounded to 60F, only to be back to 35F by 5pm on the 24th? The high temperature of 44F on the 25th looks plausible.  Notice too the remark concerning snow cover on the morning of the 27th, but nothing that would suggest snow on the ground on the morning of the 25th. 

If we look at what was happening on the broader scale, here's the NCEP/NCARR Mean Sea-Level Pressure and 850mb temperature reanalysis for Jun 25, 1967:

Courtesy of NCEP/NCAR

This does not help settle the question. There is a surface ridge across the Brooks Range and 850mb are slightly below freezing (on this rather course scale). Now 850mb temperatures a little below zero are hardly unusual over the Brooks Range in mid-summer. Cooler than normal, for sure, but nothing extra special. Also, as Richard pointed out, there is nothing of note at other northern Alaska locations around this date.

It would be nice to have some explanation of how the -1F got to recorded, but I can't think of any offhand. So, lacking any additional evidence, my vote is: beyond reasonable doubt, the low temperature was not  -1F at Anaktuvuk Pass on June 25, 1967. However, there IS a very slight chance that the all the ingredients came together and that the observation of -1F is correct.