Highlights

• The southern part of Alaska experienced warmer than normal temperatures and extremely dry conditions; from abnormally dry to extreme drought warnings were issued; intense wildfire activity extended especially south of the Alaska Range and the Kenai throughout the entire month due to dry and warm weather. Anchorage and its surroundings were continuously dry for the whole month of August, and smoke from the ‘Swan Lake’- and other fires made Anchorage to the city with the worst air quality throughout the U.S. this summer.
• The interior experienced substantially wetter and cooler than average weather; flooding warnings were issued in Fairbanks; heavy rain caused floodings, damages to buildings and landslides on the Northern side of the Alaska Range (Denali borough).
• Arctic sea ice decline has slowed down this month. However, the level of sea ice extent is extremely low, well below the median value for this time of the year; fishing and hunting are affected, coastal erosion Is threatening local communities.