Cold in Alaska, January 1 to 31, 2012

All of northern Alaska was under the influence of a very cold air mass for nearly all of January 2012. The greatest temperature departures from normal occurred across the western interior where the sky was more persistently clear, which allowed strong inversions to form and temperatures remained very low for a prolonged period of time.|Many communities along the west coast and across the western interior had the coldest or one of the top few coldest months on record. The duration of the cold weather was more notable than the absolute minimums, as relatively few daily record low temperatures were set at locations with more than 50 years of weather observations.

At Nome (zone 211), January 2012 was the coldest on record. The average temperature of -16.6 degrees easily exceeded the old record of -15.2 degrees that occurred in 1989. This was not quite The coldest month on record as February 1990 had an average Temperature of -17.2 degrees. The lowest temperature observed during the month was 40 below on the 5th. This was the first 40 below reading at Nome since 1999. Temperature records at Nome date back to 1907.

At Kotzebue (zone 209), January 2012 was the second coldest since 1929. The average temperature of -22.6 degrees was the coldest since 1934 when the average temperature was -27.7 degrees. Continuous temperature records at Kotzebue date back to 1929. The low temperature observed during the month occurred on the evening of the 31st with a low of 45 below. This was the coldest temperature|observed at Kotzebue since 2006.

At Galena (zone 216), January 2012 goes down as the coldest month on Record. The average temperature of -32.6 degrees surpassed January 1971 when the average temperature was -31.4 degrees. The lowest temperature in January 2012 was 65 below observed on the 29th. Not only was this a daily record low, but it was the 3rd lowest temperature ever observed at Galena. The all-time low of 70 below was observed in January 1989. There were four consecutive days with a low temperature of 60 below or colder on the 28th through the 31st. This was only outdone once, in 1989, when there were six consecutive 60 below days at Galena. Weather records at Galena date back to 1942.

At McGrath (zone 227), the average temperature of -28.5 during January 2012 was the coldest month on record. The previous record was -27.5 degrees in January 1989. The low temperature in January 2012 was 55 below on the 4th. Weather observations have been made at McGrath since 1939.

At Bettles (zone 219), January 2012 ended up as the coldest month on record. The average temperature of -35.6 degrees surpassed the old record of -34.0 in January 1971. The low temperature for the month was 61 below on the 31st. Three of the last 4 days of the month had a low temperature of 60 below, and all three were new daily|temperature records. These were the first 60 below temperatures at Bettles since February 1999. Weather records at Bettles date back to 1951.

At Tanana (zone 221), January 2012 was the coldest in over a hundred years with an average temperature of -32.6 degrees. Only 1906 with an average temperature of -36.6 degrees was any colder. The low temperature for the month of 61 below was observed on the 28th. Although not a record, it was the first time the temperature had dropped to 60 below or lower since 1993.

At Denali National Park headquarters (zone 225), January 2012 was the coldest January since 1933 with an average temperature of -18.6 degrees, which was 22 degrees below normal. The lowest temperature was 41 below on the 25th. Weather observations have been made at Denali National Park Headquarters since 1922.

At Fairbanks (zone 222), January 2012 was the fifth coldest on record with an average temperature of -26.9 degrees...which was 19 degrees below normal. It was the coldest January at Fairbanks since 1971, and ranked only behind 1906, 1934, 1966 and 1971. The coldest temperature observed was 51 below on the 29th. Temperature records at Fairbanks began in 1904.

On the North slope, temperatures in January 2012 were considerably below normal but were nowhere near record cold.

At Barrow (zone 202), January 2012 ended up as the coldest since 1990. The average temperature of -20.6 degrees was 7.2 degrees below normal. The month ended up as the 17th coldest January on record. The lowest temperature observed during the month was 45 below on both the 30th and 31st. Continuous records at Barrow date back to 1921.

At the Deadhorse Airport at Prudhoe Bay (zone 203), the average temperature of -25.9 degrees was 9.7 degrees below normal. The low for the month was -51 on the 31st. At Nuiqsut (zone 203), the average temperature of -28.1 degrees in January 2012 was 13.1 degrees below normal. The lowest temperature was 62 below on the 4th.