Looking back at the past 10 years, here are the coldest temperatures reported by August 22 in the general vicinity of Fairbanks:
Aug 9, 2006 29°F Ester 5NE COOP
Aug 10, 2007 30°F Fairbanks RAWS
Aug 12, 2008 28°F North Pole COOP and Ester 5NE COOP
Aug 20, 2009 23°F Fairbanks RAWS
Aug 22, 2010 26°F Fairbanks RAWS
Aug 6, 2011 30°F Mile 42 Steese Highway COOP
Aug 22, 2012 25°F Ester 5NE COOP
Aug 22, 2013 30°F Mile 42 Steese Highway COOP
Aug 22, 2014 27°F Ester 5NE COOP
Aug 15, 2015 31°F Goldstream Creek COOP
The last time the first freeze report came in later than August 22 was in 2004, when it occurred on the 25th. That year also saw Fairbanks airport stay at or above 45°F until the 28th, the latest on record; but if current forecasts are to be believed, that record may be in danger this year.
The chart below shows daily low temperatures at Ester 5NE this summer. In the 18 years that this COOP site has been operational, freezes have been recorded even in the height of summer - for example:
31°F June 25, 2009
31°F July 4, 2002
31°F July 9, 2012
31°F July 20, 2011
30°F July 21, 2014
Consider this as a metric of how persistently mild it's been this summer: the low temperature at Ester 5NE stayed at or above 40°F for 54 consecutive days this summer; this is more than double the previous record of 25 days, set in 2005.
Been a bumper crop of mosquitoes this early fall. Worst I've seen in years. Ideal conditions for sure. My corn is producing ears though. Perhaps this frost free warmth will stretch til mid September, but my old Alaskan bones doubt it.
ReplyDeleteLittle brown stealth fighters these mosquitoes. Some years they appear probably from all the rain puddles and warmth. Common DEET repellant has little effect. No gnats to speak of yet but their turn is surely coming.
ReplyDeleteLocal folks along College Road with old basements are reporting ground water intrusion...it's down less than 5' in my old well casing in my shed.
Looks warm this Fall (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov) but mid-winter could be cold again.
Gary
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ReplyDeleteHmmm. I'll have to go down and check mine. I live along Noyes Slough and it was pretty high a few weeks ago.
DeleteVoracious little vampires for sure. Just came from a walk and I have some bites around my hands and ankles. It's like the typical June crop has returned. Cold mid winter ,cool spring, dry spring. I'd be ok with that.
The classic study of Alaskan Mosquitoes:
ReplyDeletehttp://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/CAT87208447/PDF
Good discussions of their relationship to seasonal weather, climate, behavior, control methods, and taxonomy. Wet conditions play an important factor in their relative abundance...well yes!
Gary
The mosquitoes have been bad. I've been bitten too many times. And their unusual stealthiness makes things worse.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be cool to see mosquito Google searches in Alaska vs weather conditions. (Something that sounds like Brian's research tastes)
Google Trends shows searches for "mosquito" in Fairbanks this month are the highest for August in over 10 years. Discomfort is in the upper tercile for the time of year.
DeleteI don't know the species that's out and about now but would like to learn more. They have effective long distance sensors and quite agile even in a breeze. Small and brown. Drive up in a car and they are active, I assume from exhaust CO2 and heat. They waste no time in homing in for blood.
ReplyDeleteThe woods and developed areas are wet so maybe they were activated from years past like the study indicates.
But in a few months most of us would give up -50F for a warm day with the bugs.
Gary
They are horribly fast and tiny for sure. Strange for them to be out this late in the season and be so active.
ReplyDeleteThe trees seem behind on changing colors this year too, but they are starting. Must be more related to reduction in the photo period over cool nights as there really have not been any.