July ended up as the second wettest July on record for Fairbanks (1915-present). Rick compiled a list of monthly rainfall values and I put them on a map. The map below is the result of that compilation. The full list is shown below the map. As you can see, there is a north-south gradient of precipitation in the immediate Fairbanks area. 7"+ in the hills north of town and 5"-6" in Fairbanks proper.
Chatanika-Chena-Salcha Basins
Munson Ridge SNOTEL: 7.79"
Wickersham Dome HADS: 7.42"
Upper Nome Creek: SNOTEL: 7.23"
Little Chena Ridge SNOTEL: 7.15"
Fairbanks 11NE CRN: 6.86"
Stuart Creek RAWS: 6.75"
Manchu RAWS: 6.14"
Mt. Ryan SNOTEL: 6.00"
Little Chena River HADS: 5.91"
Upper Chena Dome SNOTEL: 5.26"
Upper Chena River HADS: 5.22" (Granite Tors Campground)
Chatanika RAWS: 5.16"
Monument Creek SNOTEL: 4.84"
Fort Wainwright RAWS: 4.82"
Teuchet Creek SNOTEL: 4.48"
Small Arms Range RAWS: 4.46"
Eagle Summit SNOTEL: 4.44"
Salcha River RAWS: 3.14"
Tanana River Drainage
Bonanza Creek LTR: 5.68"
Gold King RAWS: 5.15"
Blair Lakes RAWS: 3.05"
Livengood RAWS: 2.83"
ASOS/Coops:
Gilmore Creek: 7.82"
Fort Knox Mine: 7.68"
Keystone Ridge: 6.77"
Goldstream Creek: 5.80"
Fairbanks IA: 5.78"
East Farmers Loop: 5.76"
Woodsmoke: 5.74"
Eielson AFB: 5.70"
College Observatory: 5.67"
North Pole: 5.66"
Goldstream Valley Bottom: 5.65"
University Experiment Station: 5.44"
Aurora: 5.05"
Nenana: 4.93"
Tanana: 3.40"
Fort Greely: 1.66"
An arrow drawn on the map from Nenana northeast will describe the typical flow pattern for our wet weather. Not always, but often. The direction of incoming flow of the moist air and rising terrain all contribute to the precipitation.
ReplyDeleteGary