2001 Fairbanks, Alaska (FAI)

views updated

2001 FAIRBANKS, ALASKA (FAI)

Fairbanks is located in the Tanana Valley, in the interior of Alaska. It has a distinctly continental climate, with large variation of temperature from winter to summer.

The climate in Fairbanks is conditioned mainly by the response of the land mass to large changes in solar heat received by the area during the year. The sun is above the horizon from 18 to 21 hours during June and July. During this period, daily average maximum temperatures reach the lower 70s. Temperatures of 80 degrees or higher occur on about 10 days each summer. In contrast, from November to early March, when the period of daylight ranges from 10 to less than 4 hours per day, the lowest temperature readings normally fall below zero quite regularly. Low temperatures of −40 degrees or colder occur each winter. The range of temperatures in summer is comparatively low, from the lower 30s to the mid 90s. In winter, this range is larger, from about 65 below to 45 degrees above. This large winter range of temperature reflects the great difference between frigid weather associated with dry northerly airflow from the Arctic to mild temperatures associated with southerly airflow from the Gulf of Alaska, accompanied by chinook winds off the Alaska Range, 80 miles to the south of Fairbanks.

Snow cover is persistent in Fairbanks, without interruption, from October through April. Snowfalls of 4 inches or more in a day occur only three times during winter. Blizzard conditions are almost never seen, as winds in Fairbanks are above 20 miles an hour less than 1 percent of the time. Precipitation normally reaches a minimum in spring, and a maximum in August, when rainfall is common. During summer, thunderstorms occur in Fairbanks on an average of about eight days. Thunderstorms are about three times more frequent over the hills to the north and east of Fairbanks. Damaging hail or wind rarely accompany thunderstorms around Fairbanks.

There are rolling hills reaching elevations up to 2,000 feet above Fairbanks to the north and east of the city. During winter, the uplands are often warmer than Fairbanks, as cold air settles into the valley. In some months, temperatures in the uplands will average more than 10 degrees warmer than Fairbanks. During summer, the uplands are a few degrees cooler than the city. Precipitation in the uplands around Fairbanks is heavier than it is in the city by roughly 20 to 50 percent. Fairbanks exhibits an urban heat island, especially during winter. Low lying areas nearby, such as the community of North Pole, are often colder than the city, sometimes by as much as 15 degrees.

During winter, with temperatures of −20 degrees or colder, ice fog frequently forms in the city. Cold snaps accompanied by ice fog generally last about a week, but can last three weeks in unusual situations. The fog is almost always less than 300 feet deep, so that the surrounding uplands are usually in the clear, with warmer temperatures. Visibility in the ice fog is sometimes quite low, and this can hinder aircraft operations for as much as a day in severe cases. Aside from the low visibility in winter ice fog, flying weather in Fairbanks is quite favorable, especially from February through May, when crystal clear weather is common and the length of daylight is rapidly increasing.

Hardy vegetables and grains grow luxuriantly. Freezing of local rivers normally begins in the first week of October. The date when ice will normally support a persons weight is October 27. Rivers remain frozen and safe for travel until early April. Breakup of the river ice usually occurs in the first week of May.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

FAIRBANKS, AK (FAI)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 26411

64 49′ 00″ N  147 51′ 18″ W  GRND: 461 BARO: 464  ALASKA (UTC + 9)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM30–1.67.223.841.059.370.172.366.354.832.010.91.836.5
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM53–1.17.524.142.159.670.572.266.154.431.911.21.036.6
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM5050475674899694938465494596
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198119871994196019601969197519941957196919971999JUN 1969
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5329.033.044.659.774.683.985.380.568.851.534.329.956.3
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM30–18.5–14.4–1.720.438.049.552.647.236.218.1–5.6–14.817.2
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM53–18.8–14.6–2.620.137.448.851.746.535.416.8–5.1–15.916.6
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM50-61-58-49-24–13135273-27-46-62-62
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196919931956198619641963195919871992199219901961DEC 1961
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.53–43.5–38.3–26.6–2.726.138.442.734.522.4–5.9–27.8–39.7–1.7
NORMAL DRY BULB30–10.1–3.611.030.748.659.862.556.845.525.12.7–6.526.9
MEAN DRY BULB53–10.0–3.610.931.248.459.762.156.144.824.53.1–7.626.6
MEAN WET BULB13–2.9–1.510.828.441.452.555.951.540.621.0.2–1.124.7
MEAN DEW POINT13–6.0–6.73.118.230.344.450.046.935.817.0–3.9–4.618.7
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 70300.00.00.00.14.217.021.510.91.50.00.00.055.2
MAXIMUM 323029.825.821.56.60.10.00.00.00.115.928.129.5157.4
MINIMUM 323031.028.030.926.86.2*0.00.68.728.430.031.0221.6
MINIMUM 03025.622.216.72.5*0.00.00.00.03.619.224.2114.0
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS30232819211674102950818212326758512371869221713940
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS3000000264513000084
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3069666056505664716974737165
HOUR 03 LST3069676666657379847977737172
HOUR 09 LST3069676560536169787678737168
HOUR 15 LST3069635245374250545466727156
HOUR 21 LST3069666153454958686975737163
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG (VISBY 1/4 MI)504.32.40.50.30.20.30.81.71.41.71.22.817.6
THUNDERSTORMS500.00.00.00.00.43.02.40.90.10.00.00.06.8
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE–SUNSET (OKTAS)455.05.04.75.35.55.85.96.26.16.35.55.65.6
MIDNIGHT–MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)324.84.54.45.05.45.85.96.05.86.05.25.25.3
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR469.18.19.96.74.63.03.32.84.13.86.86.768.9
PARTLY CLOUDY465.96.07.07.911.010.48.96.86.14.95.05.785.6
CLOUDY4616.014.214.115.415.416.618.220.919.321.517.618.0207.2
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2729.3929.3729.3129.3029.3229.3229.4029.4029.3029.2229.3129.3129.33
MEAN SEA–LEVEL PRES. (IN)1629.8429.9429.8829.8329.8429.8629.9229.8929.8129.8029.8529.7829.85
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)453.13.85.16.47.56.96.56.06.05.13.63.05.2
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2902013636362423223636360436
MAXIMUM 2–MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)423302928302530252320222130
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)13072626120826012628052507
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200120011998199919981999199920001998199819991999FEB 2001
MAXIMUM 5–SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)436383436373240322824252440
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)12062721110727012529050827
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200120011998199819982000199920001998199819992000JUL 1999
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.470.400.370.320.611.371.871.960.950.900.800.8510.87
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)502.401.752.240.931.673.524.876.203.052.193.323.236.20
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319661991198219551955199019671960198319701984AUG 1967
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)500.010.01TT0.070.190.350.400.150.08TTT
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196620001987199119571966199319571968195419531969APR 1991
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)500.750.971.170.470.881.521.733.421.212.220.841.253.42
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319661991197919551955199019671954197619701968AUG 1967
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01307.26.15.85.47.511.112.912.49.411.610.89.5109.7
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.00.00.00.00.00.10.20.10.00.00.00.00.4
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)308.98.46.53.80.50.00.0T1.011.715.114.970.8
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)5040.243.130.411.514.1TT0.124.425.954.050.754.0
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319661991199219921993199019951992198219701984NOV 1970
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)5010.120.112.66.39.4TT0.19.010.414.614.720.1
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319661963199219921993199019951992197419701968FEB 1966
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)5246525449140001216424654
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319661991199119911992198219701990MAR 1991
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0302.82.32.31.20.20.00.00.00.34.25.14.522.9
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 FAIRBANKS, AK (FAI)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.730.160.270.200.350.550.631.092.080.860.461.138.51
19730.440.110.400.050.990.971.922.190.190.910.800.159.12
19740.140.330.270.210.111.221.171.140.471.081.030.557.72
19750.600.040.220.470.490.991.812.100.200.790.440.318.46
19760.220.010.550.080.941.081.600.691.050.890.130.087.32
19770.310.810.260.361.633.011.580.412.511.110.190.8012.98
19780.390.190.090.160.441.711.191.240.980.591.021.409.40
19790.580.020.470.830.881.542.541.220.190.940.630.4910.33
19800.520.220.130.100.311.381.371.680.760.390.700.327.88
19810.310.780.070.320.731.912.411.350.800.910.910.5811.08
19820.340.380.390.930.961.962.331.670.771.481.490.2312.93
19830.240.180.090.270.140.571.713.330.922.190.080.6510.37
19840.890.640.030.471.170.482.951.150.220.700.423.2312.35
19850.520.480.570.360.411.801.131.882.591.000.900.0811.72
19860.130.190.320.070.540.872.122.360.651.790.480.349.86
19870.680.10T0.050.211.021.700.560.570.390.640.516.43
19880.320.130.130.211.512.261.021.950.731.070.680.4610.47
19890.520.980.130.050.992.530.910.780.721.280.970.5710.43
19900.520.720.110.070.401.734.873.601.740.311.512.9418.52
19911.170.172.24T0.100.360.811.181.160.710.481.029.40
19920.850.660.070.471.232.152.320.591.340.910.931.2112.73
19932.400.310.260.030.631.240.351.582.630.610.860.4311.33
19940.470.320.170.070.222.411.111.380.610.821.670.489.73
19950.250.290.180.170.731.911.322.101.330.310.200.068.85
19960.321.400.530.050.141.561.072.831.061.130.810.4611.36
19970.250.340.060.010.071.031.081.700.480.940.260.526.74
19980.080.11T0.050.411.333.353.181.190.270.210.5610.74
19990.220.210.190.040.311.302.111.851.830.900.580.7310.27
20001.97T0.10T0.740.721.293.041.480.910.370.1610.78
20010.400.660.430.160.620.652.452.010.250.550.060.248.48
POR=72 YRS0.680.460.400.270.641.381.802.131.000.790.680.5910.82
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 FAIRBANKS, AK (FAI)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972–16.3–10.1–2.820.847.459.464.558.940.126.87.0–2.524.4
1973–18.2–1.511.935.350.660.362.055.047.325.1–.7–3.427.0
1974–16.7–17.87.634.951.458.763.559.151.421.40.6–11.325.2
1975–15.5–3.412.630.553.563.468.456.145.823.9–8.0–16.125.9
1976–11.5–13.712.136.047.859.661.859.245.423.915.9–3.927.7
19779.88.64.627.848.759.662.862.645.625.6–7.6–14.927.8
19780.13.914.034.850.254.663.559.546.823.38.63.330.2
1979–7.7–25.312.030.949.957.461.360.446.532.420.2–10.227.3
1980–9.516.017.335.950.756.560.953.643.033.011.5–24.028.7
198118.15.127.131.451.358.956.553.644.129.512.3–4.232.0
1982–18.0–3.913.127.746.858.563.156.649.318.54.42.226.5
1983–11.03.413.837.450.462.364.253.541.223.68.6–3.728.6
1984–5.9–13.321.630.347.261.660.953.846.825.90.1–3.127.2
198511.1–9.414.620.846.757.863.156.342.918.8–4.77.727.1
1986–2.14.76.024.047.862.663.654.746.327.10.27.328.5
19870.71.513.535.050.961.964.257.744.133.06.0–3.230.4
1988–5.33.917.833.652.862.965.858.444.417.4–3.14.229.4
1989–21.33.46.736.247.860.164.660.848.626.2–7.14.527.5
1990–12.9–21.718.538.155.161.665.360.044.824.1–4.9–6.326.8
1991–4.7–1.211.935.451.263.860.654.448.024.90.6–2.928.5
1992–4.7–8.714.026.141.860.064.156.531.717.510.4–7.625.1
1993–3.92.417.241.153.762.065.656.144.129.38.40.631.4
1994–1.5–6.410.534.751.658.464.759.643.721.00.3–8.527.3
1995–9.4–.23.840.153.560.963.157.352.828.0–2.7–9.028.2
1996–16.8–2.615.533.349.159.563.453.442.013.2–1.9–13.424.6
1997–16.213.04.735.449.063.164.958.749.717.510.6–7.028.6
1998–13.62.118.438.650.058.862.753.046.126.15.0–5.828.5
1999–17.0–16.77.232.746.961.461.558.045.219.5–4.7–12.823.4
2000–9.96.717.631.944.461.559.651.741.722.38.70.328.0
20017.87.09.933.344.561.160.057.347.522.00.6–10.528.4
POR=72 YRS–10.1–3.110.230.748.059.361.455.644.625.23.0–7.826.4

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 FAIRBANKS, AK (FAI)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–736318473811771739209125821864163788343915013547
1973–7411130252312311968212425352322177889541418814391
1974–758519540213421935237024971918162010283476913808
1975–763327057012702195251323722285163186152715614683
1976–77116188583126914662136170915741871110750015512674
1977–7810112457312162184248020131712157689845430413635
1978–7965176542128616891912226025331638101846322013802
1979–8012414354810041336233523121415147586843624812244
1980–811273516549851599276614471676116899941818812378
1981–82255347622109415732150258119291602111355521614037
1982–838625246514341816194623561725158182345113313068
1983–8462351705128016882126220122771338103554912013732
1984–85140344538120519502111166620861558132155821513692
1985–8672267654143020951776207916861825122452711313748
1986–8711031255911691943178719941776159489342812812693
1987–8861218620987176821112185176814559343719612574
1988–893920261114692045188326761722180485952914913988
1989–907313448411952164187524202433143179831012713444
1990–917417860012612097221221611849164087742113013500
1991–92143321504123419352105216321401577116071115714150
1992–934525999514631636225321341751147871134310313171
1993–944327362010991694199520612002168990040821012994
1994–955621763413571941228023101827189673935414313754
1995–969223536511412033229925411962152894648617113799
1996–977135368116002010242425091450186288048510614431
1997–984020445314671624222424291755143778646019913078
1998–9910336556312001793218825352282178496355313114460
1999–0014722158414032084240323151680146798763111214034
2000–0116540769313181682200117641616170194062912613042
2001–164231521132619262333
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 FAIRBANKS, AK (FAI)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720000040550000095
19730000013242000039
19740000194420000074
1975000002814610000175
19760000022314000039
19770000004454000098
19780000002710000037
1979000000167000023
198000000086000014
1981000011102000014
19820000027360000063
198300005614000000106
19840000022212000045
1985000008204000032
198600000467400000120
19870000042420000084
198800000417220000115
198900000106711000088
19900000113291350000169
1991000001001300000113
19920000017214000042
19930000018703000091
1994000001955550000129
19950000524410400074
19960000011290000040
1997000005646150000117
19980000018371000056
199900000274511000083
2000000001650000021
20010000015140000029
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 FAIRBANKS, AK (FAI)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–730.00.07.86.912.226.914.21.88.71.0T0.079.5
1973–740.00.01.28.217.52.53.08.77.01.30.0T49.4
1974–750.00.00.324.422.517.914.11.65.04.4T0.090.2
1975–760.00.0T14.411.46.76.40.510.41.2T0.051.0
1976–770.00.0T14.74.32.66.719.05.56.8T0.059.6
1977–780.00.01.017.35.114.44.93.01.60.70.10.048.1
1978–790.00.00.37.615.121.79.70.57.73.10.00.065.7
1979–800.00.0T6.54.411.010.84.43.20.80.00.041.1
1980–810.00.03.45.110.64.86.210.20.91.90.00.043.1
1981–820.00.00.37.816.210.67.67.07.211.40.30.068.4
1982–830.00.00.625.927.83.84.83.62.11.90.40.070.9
1983–840.00.00.417.32.414.413.811.10.86.7T0.066.9
1984–850.00.00.011.38.550.78.18.07.45.91.00.0100.9
1985–860.00.02.15.414.71.82.32.63.71.00.00.033.6
1986–870.00.0T11.87.46.012.01.5T1.0T0.039.7
1987–880.00.0T3.514.110.46.32.52.60.20.30.039.9
1988–890.00.00.212.915.210.510.813.43.90.40.80.068.1
1989–900.00.00.519.718.111.110.416.02.6T0.0T78.4
1990–91T0.01.66.937.347.520.63.030.4T0.00.0147.3
1991–920.00.00.012.29.718.915.515.01.811.514.10.098.7
1992–930.00.024.416.718.728.540.25.45.2T0.0T139.1
1993–940.00.07.57.316.38.511.28.14.50.80.00.064.2
1994–950.00.00.015.335.313.15.97.43.11.30.00.081.4
1995–960.00.10.07.13.20.85.429.39.60.70.00.056.2
1996–970.0T7.116.218.49.44.98.82.30.40.0T67.5
1997–980.00.00.019.37.613.11.33.20.90.50.10.046.0
1998–990.00.0T6.24.68.54.22.73.50.90.40.031.0
1999–000.00.03.011.111.213.827.90.23.0TT0.070.2
2000–010.00.01.49.87.52.76.710.78.62.27.00.056.6
2001–0.00.00.36.42.84.6
POR=49 YRST0.01.510.913.213.010.38.66.23.11.3T68.1

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

2001 Fairbanks, Alaska (FAI)

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article

You Might Also Like

    NEARBY TERMS

    2001 Fairbanks, Alaska (FAI)