Past IEM Features tagged: alaska

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Few Fairbanks Days Warmer

09 Jan 2017 05:32 AM
When it gets cold in Iowa, it seems common to compare our temperatures with a location that is always assumed to be very cold, like Alaska. The large scale weather patterns are such that when it gets very cold in Iowa, it is often not relatively cold in Alaska. The featured chart displays the daily differences in high and low temperature for Ames with Fairbanks, AK. Just a few days during our recent few weeks has Fairbanks been warmer, while most days are significantly colder with an average difference around 35 degrees! So if somebody suggests that you move to Alaska to experience warmer weather, you will want to make the move a very brief one or find a warmer part of the state than Fairbanks.

Voting:
Good: 9
Bad: 0
Abstain: 1

Tags:   alaska  

Move to Anchorage

19 May 2014 05:36 AM
After an ugly stretch of cold weather last week, this weekend was delightful with sunshine and pleasant high temperatures. It was even warmer in Waterloo than Anchorage Alaska again on Sunday! The featured chart compares the daily high temperatures this year between the sites. The red bars indicate days that were warmer in Ames and the blue bars are for Anchorage. The black line represents the daily difference in high temperature climatology (it should be warmer for Waterloo on average). The totals for warmest days this year shows Anchorage winning! Before you decide to move there for warmer weather, much warmer air will be here for this week with highs near 80 and highs for Anchorage near 60!

Voting:
Good: 20
Bad: 2
Abstain: 2

Tags:   alaska  

Colder than Nome

30 Jan 2014 05:43 AM
The same large scale weather pattern that has kept the east coast stormy, the Upper Midwest cold, and the west coast dry, has kept Alaska warm this January. The featured chart compares the daily high temperatures for Waterloo against Nome, Alaska. For the month, the climatological high temperature is about 16 degrees warmer for Waterloo. This year has been a different story with Nome having a temperature 20+ degrees warmer on seven days so far this month. Before you consider moving to Alaska for warmth, this pattern will eventually shift with seasonal temperatures returning to both locations!

Voting:
Good: 21
Bad: 6
Abstain: 2

Tags:   alaska  

Tale of Three Cities

22 Nov 2011 05:48 AM
You may have remembered it like yesterday, but back on the 7th of July the three cities of Burlington, IA , Miami, FL, and Fairbanks, AK had a high temperature within two degrees of each other around 80 degrees. Fast forward a bit more than 4 months and a much different tale is to be told. While Fairbanks struggled to breach -30 degrees, Miami enjoyed a warm 85 and Burlington was stuck somewhere the middle around 40 degrees. This graph makes the directional choice for Iowans going on vacation in the winter easy.

Voting:
Good: 20
Bad: 1

Tags:   alaska  

Warmer in Barrow, Alaska

10 Jan 2011 05:47 AM
The high temperature on Sunday in Barrow, Alaska was a balmy 35 degrees whereas Des Moines, Iowa struggled in the 20s. The featured chart presents the daily frequency of occurrence for having Barrow with a warmer high temperature than Des Moines. Given that the chart presents 60 years of data, the chances are still rather slim for having such an occurrence. There have been 251 occurrences overall, so this happens about 4 times per year. The bottom chart presents the actual difference in high temperature on days that Barrow was warmer. The two lone events in September occurred back in 1995 (21 and 22). Temperatures on Monday will come close to accomplishing this rather rare feat with highs in both locations in the low 20s.

Voting:
Good: 26
Bad: 4

Tags:   alaska   highs