Shaktoolik, AK

... Record high temperature set at Big Delta/Delta Junction AK...

A record high temperature of 37 degrees was set at Big Delta/Delta
Junction AK. This ties the old record of 37 degrees set in 1969.

... February off to a very mild start at Fairbanks...
... Wild temperature swings the norm this winter...

In sharp contrast to the coldest January in over 40 years this
February has gotten off to a very mild start at Fairbanks. Ten of
the first 12 days of the month have had an average temperature
above normal. Six of the first 12 days have had a high temperature
of 25 degrees or warmer. So far this month the average temperature
of 4.7 degrees is 9 degrees above normal. It has been the warmest
start to February since 2007.

So far this winter has been characterized by wild swings of either
well above or well below normal temperatures. We eased into winter
with above normal temperatures much of the time into mid November
before one of the coldest early season cold snaps affected the
area prior to Thanksgiving. A warm spell lasted much of the month
of December until just before Christmas when temperatures once
again turned cold. The cold weather with well below normal
temperatures persisted throughout the month of January. As soon
as February began the weather pattern again changed... this time
to well above normal temperatures which have so far persisted into
the first half of February.

Temperatures during the next week are expected to average above
normal. There are some long range indications that another pattern
change to below normal temperatures may develop toward the end of
February or early March... but this is still a long way out and
remains highly uncertain... but based on the wild extremes
experienced so far this winter it would certainly not be out of
character for the winter of 2011-2012.