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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWinter Heat Swamps Alaska: Rivers Dump Spring-Like Sediment Into Gulf of Alaska
(Deep red areas indicate temperatures above normal by 18 degrees Celsius)
(Satellite imagery of rivers flowing and releasing sediment into the ocean; enlarge for better view of river flows)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=83032&eocn=home&eoci=iotd_image
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"While much of the continental United States endured several cold snaps in January 2014, record-breaking warmth gripped Alaska. Spring-like conditions set rivers rising and avalanches tumbling.
This map depicts land surface temperature anomalies in Alaska for January 2330, 2014. Based on data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASAs Terra satellite, the map shows how 2014 temperatures compared to the 20012010 average for the same week. Areas with warmer than average temperatures are shown in red; near-normal temperatures are white; and areas that were cooler than the base period are blue. Gray indicates oceans or areas where clouds blocked the satellite from collecting usable data.
A persistent ridge of high pressure off the Pacific Coast fueled the warm spell, shunting warm air and rainstorms to Alaska instead of California, where they normally end up. The last half of January was one of the warmest winter periods in Alaskas history, with temperatures as much as 40°F (22°C) above normal on some days in the central and western portions of the state, according to Weather Undergrounds Christopher Bart. The all-time warmest January temperature ever observed in Alaska was tied on January 27 when the temperature peaked at 62°F (16.7°C) at Port Alsworth. Numerous other locationsincluding Nome, Denali Park Headquarters, Palmer, Homer, Alyseka, Seward, Talkeetna, and Kotzebueall set January records."
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)That's why the post is just trash.
Back on topic.... coupled with the high pressure shunting warm air north into Alaska, there is a rather large anomaly of warm water due south of Alaska.
High pressure systems rotate clockwise, they turn right. As the high south of Alaska turns over the higher than normal sea surface temperatures it ends up pumping warmer than usual air into Alaska.
That air circulation, fueled by warm air and water, invaded the Arctic and forced the cold air of the Arctic out and over Canada and into the US.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)I think she's in Washington or something. Wrong thread.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Don't make them cry. I had someone talking to me about global warming and the severe cold but funny he didn't know about the high temperatures in Australia.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)but last month was the fourth warmest January on record. We often get warm winds in January, but it usually doesn't last so long.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)The plants have been confused and my moms garden started sprouting a week and a half ago. They're probably dead again now.