April 2017 Statewide Summary
Alaska Statewide Climate Summary
April
2017
Temperature
In a reversal of March 2017, the mean monthly
temperature for April 2017 was notably above normal. The mean temperature of all First Order Stations was 35.5°F, 5.0°F above the normal of 30.5°F. This is 2.8°F
below the April 2016 mean of 38.3°F. Calculating
the mean daily temperatures of the First Order Stations, all 30 days of the
month were above the 30-year normal. The greatest deviation occurred on the 12th
with 9.1°F above normal (see Figure). Monthly mean temperatures were above
normal for all 19 of the First Order Stations (see table). Kotzebue held the spot with the greatest positive deviation
in April with a significant 11.0°F above its normal of 13.3°F. Other stations with deviations greater than 8°F were Nome (9.9°F) and Bethel
(8.9°F). All three stations are located in western Alaska.
Station |
Temperature |
||
Observed |
Normal |
Delta |
|
Anchorage |
40.4 |
36.8 |
3.6 |
Annette |
48.7 |
44.2 |
4.5 |
Barrow |
6.6 |
1.8 |
4.8 |
Bethel |
35.8 |
26.9 |
8.9 |
Bettles |
27.4 |
23.3 |
4.1 |
Cold Bay |
36.1 |
34.0 |
2.1 |
Delta Junction |
37.2 |
32.2 |
5.0 |
Fairbanks |
36.1 |
32.5 |
3.6 |
Gulkana |
36.6 |
31.8 |
4.8 |
Homer |
41.8 |
37.0 |
4.8 |
Juneau |
43.0 |
40.8 |
2.2 |
King Salmon |
38.9 |
33.7 |
5.2 |
Kodiak |
39.9 |
37.6 |
2.3 |
Kotzebue |
24.3 |
13.3 |
11.0 |
McGrath |
36.4 |
29.7 |
6.7 |
Nome |
30.4 |
20.5 |
9.9 |
St. Paul Island |
32.1 |
29.2 |
2.9 |
Talkeetna |
40.8 |
35.9 |
4.9 |
Yakutat |
41.4 |
37.8 |
3.6 |
The highest daily maximum temperature of the First Order Stations for April
was 69°F reported at Annette on the 22nd. Annette also held the spot for the
highest mean temperature for the month at 48.7°F. The lowest temperature of -21°F was observed at Barrow
on the 3rd, and Barrow also reported the lowest April mean monthly temperature with a value of 6.6°F.
Daily mean temperature deviation from the normal temperature for the mean
of the First Order Stations for April 2017.
There were a fair number of record event this April, and all were new
record daily highs. Many of the records were set in the Southeast during the
nice weather spell mid month. St. Paul set three new daily highs.
|
Temperature Records |
||||
Date |
Station |
Element |
New |
Old |
Year of |
04/12/17 |
Annette |
High Temperature |
64 |
62 |
1963 |
04/12/17 |
Annex Creek |
High Temperature |
61 |
60 |
2012 |
04/12/17 |
Gustavus |
High Temperature |
61 |
59 |
2004 |
04/12/17 |
Sitka |
High Temperature |
62 |
57 |
1990 |
04/12/17 |
Yakutat |
High Temperature |
63 |
54 |
2012 |
04/13/17 |
Annex Creek |
High Temperature |
61 |
59 |
1932 |
04/13/17 |
Ketchikan |
High Temperature |
61 |
60 |
1963 |
04/13/17 |
Petersburg |
High Temperature |
59 |
56 |
1963 |
04/13/17 |
Sitka |
High Temperature |
60 |
59 |
1990 |
04/13/17 |
Yakutat |
High Temperature |
60 |
56 |
1990 |
04/14/17 |
Annex Creek |
High Temperature |
60 |
58 |
1934 |
04/14/17 |
Auke Bay |
High Temperature |
60 |
58 |
1934 |
04/14/17 |
Craig |
High Temperature |
62 |
61 |
2004 |
04/14/17 |
Yakutat |
High Temperature |
61 |
57 |
1930 |
04/15/17 |
St. Paul |
High Temperature |
43 |
41 |
2004 |
04/16/17 |
St. Paul |
High Temperature |
43 |
41 |
2014 |
04/17/17 |
Annette |
High Temperature |
64 |
60 |
1967 |
04/17/17 |
Annex Creek |
High Temperature |
59 |
56 |
1953 |
04/17/17 |
St. Paul |
High Temperature |
44 |
41 |
2016 |
04/22/17 |
Annette |
High Temperature |
69 |
65 |
1997 |
04/24/17 |
Nome |
High Temperature |
48 |
47 |
1940 |
04/30/17 |
Kotzebue |
High Temperature |
49 |
46 |
1960 |
Precipitation
Like March 2017, April's precipitation was decidedly below normal, with
the overall precipitation calculated as 56% below the average; this calculation
was based on the mean of the deviations in percentage of the First Order
Stations. All but one of the First Order Stations and 26 days of the month
reported below normal values. This is notably drier than April 2016, which
reported a precipitation deviation of 3% above normal. The greatest daily precipitation
amount occurred on the 27th. The only station with
a greater than normal monthly precipitation amount was Kodiak with 7.35",
or 27% above normal of 5.81". The driest stations were Barrow and
Delta Junction with just a trace amount of precipitation reported. Bettles,
Gulkana, Kotzebue, and Talkeetna also reported less than 20% of their normal
precipitation amounts.
Station |
Precipitation |
||||
Observed |
Normal |
Delta |
Delta |
(%) |
|
Anchorage |
0.40 |
0.47 |
-0.07 |
-15% |
85% |
Annette |
2.88 |
6.77 |
-3.89 |
-57% |
43% |
Barrow |
0.00 |
0.16 |
-0.16 |
-100% |
0% |
Bethel |
0.47 |
0.74 |
-0.27 |
-36% |
64% |
Bettles |
0.10 |
0.60 |
-0.50 |
-83% |
17% |
Cold Bay |
1.01 |
2.42 |
-1.41 |
-58% |
42% |
Delta Junction |
0.00 |
0.23 |
-0.23 |
-100% |
0% |
Fairbanks |
0.09 |
0.31 |
-0.22 |
-71% |
29% |
Gulkana |
0.03 |
0.24 |
-0.21 |
-88% |
13% |
Homer |
0.56 |
1.07 |
-0.51 |
-48% |
52% |
Juneau |
1.96 |
2.94 |
-0.98 |
-33% |
67% |
King Salmon |
0.75 |
0.97 |
-0.22 |
-23% |
77% |
Kodiak |
7.35 |
5.81 |
1.54 |
27% |
127% |
Kotzebue |
0.05 |
0.54 |
-0.49 |
-91% |
9% |
McGrath |
0.38 |
0.74 |
-0.36 |
-49% |
51% |
Nome |
0.15 |
0.76 |
-0.61 |
-80% |
20% |
St. Paul Island |
1.07 |
1.08 |
-0.01 |
-1% |
99% |
Talkeetna |
0.17 |
1.29 |
-1.12 |
-87% |
13% |
Yakutat |
3.29 |
9.19 |
-5.90 |
-64% |
36% |
Daily mean precipitation deviation from the normal for the First Order
Stations for April 2017.
April's highest monthly precipitation total reported for a First Order
Station was 7.35" at Kodiak, and Kodiak also reported the highest daily
total of 2.04" on the 5th, a new daily record, breaking the old
record of 1.52" from 2004. Two more precipitation records set during
April: on the 11th, St. Paul received a total of 0.38",
breaking the 1972 record of 0.25", then Kodiak set a second record of
1.23" on the 22nd, breaking the 1.13" from 1999.
For Delta Junction, the trace of precipitation for April ties (with four
other years: 2001, 1995, 1990, 1976) for the lowest on record. It was the
second driest April for Northway with 0.1" after the trace record set in
2005, 2004, 2003 and 1991. It was the third driest April for Nome (0.15")
and the fourth driest for Kotzebue (0.05").
Snowfall
Snowfall was significantly below normal due to warmer than normal
temperatures, and less overall precipitation during April. Based on the mean of
the deviations from all 15 stations, which measure snowfall, the overall
deviation from the normals was 78% below the expected amount. This is even less
than the snowfall deviation from April 2016, which had a 42% deficit. All 15 of
the First Order Stations reported below normal snowfall. Anchorage, Annette,
Juneau all reported no measurable snowfall during April. King Salmon reported
the greatest snowfall amount for the month of a meager 2.9", and King
Salmon also reported the highest one-day snowfall at 2.8" on the 1st.
The greatest snow depth was 46" and was reported at Kotzebue during the first
week of the month. There no snowfall records recorded. Overall snowpack
continued to be lower than normal with less than half expected amount.
Station |
Snowfall |
||||
Observed |
Normal |
Delta |
Delta |
(%) |
|
Anchorage |
0.0 |
4.0 |
-4.0 |
-100% |
0% |
Annette |
0.0 |
1.4 |
-1.4 |
-100% |
0% |
Barrow |
0.6 |
3.2 |
-2.6 |
-81% |
19% |
Bethel |
0.9 |
5.7 |
-4.8 |
-84% |
16% |
Bettles |
1.7 |
6.3 |
-4.6 |
-73% |
27% |
Cold Bay |
2.6 |
6.6 |
-4.0 |
-61% |
39% |
Fairbanks |
1.2 |
2.9 |
-1.7 |
-59% |
41% |
Juneau |
0.0 |
1.1 |
-1.1 |
-100% |
0% |
King Salmon |
2.9 |
3.9 |
-1.0 |
-26% |
74% |
Kodiak |
1.1 |
8.0 |
-6.9 |
-86% |
14% |
Kotzebue |
1.5 |
5.1 |
-3.6 |
-71% |
29% |
McGrath |
2.6 |
5.1 |
-2.5 |
-49% |
51% |
Nome |
1.1 |
7.5 |
-6.4 |
-85% |
15% |
St. Paul Island |
0.2 |
5.7 |
-5.5 |
-96% |
4% |
Yakutat |
0.1 |
10.2 |
-10.1 |
-99% |
1% |
Newsworthy Events
Fairbanks broke 50°F on the 1st of April for the first time
since October 12th, 2016. On the 4th, avalanche warnings
were issued for Turnagain Arm, Kenai and Chugach Mountain areas. On the 4th,
5th and 6th, avalanche reduction efforts were conducted
along the Seward Highway around the Turnagain Pass area. Hazardous driving
conditions were reported along the northern end of the Dalton Highway on the 5th,
then on the southern end the next day. Hazardous conditions extended into the
next day for much of the Elliott and Dalton Highways.
On the 4th, gusts up to 72 mph were recorded at Cape
Decision, 47 mph at Annette Island, and 39 mph at Ketchikan. The high winds
continued into the next day with 69 mph recorded at Lincoln Island and Cape
Decision, 63 mph at Hydaburg, 59 mph at Ketchikan, 48 mph at Annette Island,
and 41 mph at Yakutat.
On the 10th, hazardous driving conditions were reported on
the Top of the World and Taylor Highways. Temperatures dropped in the Interior
on the 18th with -4°F reported at Eagle and ‑2°F at Circle Hot
Springs. High winds were reported around the Interior and western Alaska on the
19th with 43 mph at Shaktoolik River, 40 mph at Ruby, 39 mph at
Unalakleet, 38 mph at Tanana, 34 mph at Livingood and 32 mph at Fairbanks.
For Fairbanks the 3rd longest stretch of days (205) where the
minimum temperature was less than 30°F ended on April 22nd. The
longest stretch was 213 days that ended May 5th, 2013. The next day
ended the 207-day stretch of temperatures below freezing. The snowy winter in
the Juneau area helped the Eaglecrest Ski area stay open 95 days, longest
stretch since 2012.
Dry conditions resulted in a small grass fire on Douglas Island, on the
24th. The next day, a burn suspension was issued for the Tok area
due to dry, windy conditions. Smoke jumpers fought their first wildfire of the
season near Delta Junction on the 27th.
This information consists of preliminary climatological data compiled by
the Alaska Climate Research Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska
Fairbanks. For more information on weather and climatology, contact the center
at 907-474-7885 or visit the center web site at http://akclimate.org. Please report any errors to webmaster@akclimate.org. This summary is based on the 19 First Order Stations
in Alaska operated by the National Weather Service. Extreme events of other
stations are also mentioned.