What's remarkable is that Baker Lake is close to sea-level (elevation 18 m), in a region of relatively subdued topography, and is about 35 miles south of the latitude of Fairbanks. It is doubtful whether any low-elevation sub-Arctic observing site in Alaska has ever observed such a combination of cold and wind - though I imagine it may occasionally happen in regions of terrain-channeled flow in the southeast.
Here's this morning's upper-air sounding from Baker Lake (courtesy of U-Wyoming) and a table of hourly surface observations (courtesy of Weather Underground). Amazingly, the wind chill is lower at the surface than at 500 mb.
Finding the Arctic: History and Culture Along a 2,500-Mile Snowmobile ...By Matthew Sturm
ReplyDeleteA great read about a group of scientist/adventurers that travelled from Fairbanks to Baker Lake by snowmachine in 2007. Just in time for another spell of cold.
Gary
Gary, thanks much for the recommendation. I'm always on the lookout for a good Alaska read.
DeleteAccording to Environment Canada, the lowest purported wind chill in Canada is a staggering -107°F in Kugaardjuq on January 13, 1975. The temperature was -58°F and the wind speed was 35 mph.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=5FBF816A-1
That's quite unfathomable. Worthy of Antarctica, I dare say.
DeleteWhat I find suprising is that radiosonde showing temperatures so warm from 400mb and up. I was reading recently that areas of stratospheric warming often have areas of tropospheric cold below them. I wonder if this is a good example. Either way, I'm glad I don't live in northern Canada with such Antarctic conditions. The occasional 40 below is enough for me.
ReplyDeleteEric, that type of stratospheric warming is typical. Once you hit the tropopause and move into the stratosphere, the atmospheric chemical composition changes and the temperature rises – primarily due to the presence of ozone (O3). Plus there's the whole chemtrail thing too. :)
DeletePerhaps it Is how low the tropopause is, being arctic air and all. And I remember looking at some Fairbanks radiosondes and the upper levels didn't seem as warm but maybe they were. I forget all of this basic stuff too easy.
DeletePerhaps those rare stratospheric Mother-of-Pearl clouds are created by HAARP?
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