An important climate pattern, evident in the relatively few long-term climate stations located in parks, is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The highest is 100 °F (37.8 °C) in Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915. Seasons, Weather & Climate. The data and information gathered from national parks provide an important piece of the puzzle in understanding both the drivers and effects of climate change. Above is the USDA Alaska planting zones map. The North Slope of Alaska has continued to warm, despite changes in the PDO. Alaska Daylight Hours Calculator Weather Planner Shortest Day In Alaska Wildlife Viewing & Safety. In addition, the climate stations provide real-time weather data, which is of immediate use to park management and park operations. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Climate_of_Alaska&oldid=984002924, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 October 2020, at 15:45. It is a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) due to its short, cool summers. The climate of Alaska is determined by average temperatures and precipitation received statewide over many years. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! [4] North Alaska is the coldest region in Alaska.[3]. It is an Arctic climate (Köppen ET) with long, very cold winters and short, cool summers. [10] Across western sections of the state, the northern side of the Seward Peninsula is a desert with less than 10 inches (250 mm) of precipitation annually, while some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around 100 inches (2,540 mm) of precipitation.[11]. In order to figure out your specific Alaska USDA zone, match the color on the map in your area with the color on the legend. Climate - Alaska Average weather, temperature, rainfall, when to go, what to pack Alaska, the largest state of the United States with a surface of more than 1.7 million square kilometers (650,000 square miles), largely deserves its reputation of a cold land, but it has also maritime and wet areas, which are not as cold as you might think. When you understand your Alaska USDA zones, you can plant trees, vegetable, flowers, and other plants that will flourish in your area. Owing to the rain shadow of the coastal mountains, south-central Alaska does not get nearly as much rain as the southeast of Alaska, though it does get more snow with up to 300 inches (7.62 m) at Valdez and much more in the mountains. Inland, often less than 10 inches (254 mm) falls a year and on the North Slope as little as 4 inches (100 mm) of rainfall equivalent and 30 inches (0.76 m) of snow is typical, but what snow falls during the winter tends to stay throughout the season. [2], The climate of the interior of Alaska is best described as extreme and is an excellent example of a true continental subarctic climate. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. “Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get” 2014). Click on the image above to see a larger version. Even with multiple lines of evidence that Alaska is warming, interpreting temperature trends and other climatic indicators is complicated. An important climate pattern, evident in the relatively few long-term climate stations located in parks, is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Growing zones are very important to the success of your garden. Climate is a fundamental driver of ecology. [2] Thunderstorms are fairly rare in most of Alaska, but do occur in the interior in the summer with some frequency and may cause wildfires. Global patterns of change that demonstrate the human effects on climate are even more pronounced in high latitudes (Larsen et al. There are frequent, strong southeast winds known as the Knik wind in the vicinity of Palmer, especially in the winter months. The climate patterns of Alaska are primarily influenced by latitude, continentality, and elevation. Alaska’s interior, a second climatic zone, has a continental climate influenced in the winter by cold air from northern Canada and Siberia.Average temperatures in the interior range from about 45 to 75 °F (7 to 24 °C) in summer and about 20 to −10 °F (−7 to −23 °C) in winter. It is a subarctic oceanic climate in the southwest and a continental subarctic climate farther north. Southwest Alaska Network, Alaska Climate Research Center The climate is changing. This area has a tremendous amount of variety, especially when considering precipitation. 2014). More Information About Alaska Climate Zones – USDA Alaska Planting Zone Map. La Niña events lead to drier than normal conditions, while El Niño events do not have a correlation towards dry or wet conditions. Arctic Report Card, NOAA [9] Alaska also holds the extreme US record low temperatures for every month except September and October. This map has been created to help gardeners know what kind of plants will survive in Alaska climate zones. The summers can have temperatures reaching into the 90s °F (near 34 °C), while in the winter, the temperature can fall below −50 °F (−45.6 °C), and in rare cases, below −60 °F (−51.1 °C). The Alaska USDA zones were changed at this time to reflect the warmer global temperatures that have happened over the past few decades. If you buy plants that are not suitable for your area, you will need to provide extra protection for them when the cold weather comes. Monthly Summary for July 2006, "NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Information - Alaska Weather Interesting Facts and Records", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "SD Weather History and Trivia for May: May 1", "FAQ ALASKA - Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska: Weather".