Cold and Wet

	Public Information Statement
Statement as of 4:00 am AKDT on August 12, 2010 ... Cold and wet pattern continues for southcentral Alaska... The overall weather pattern for much of Alaska this Summer has been cool and wet. Alaska as well as portions of the western conus have been reporting below average temperatures for much of the Summer while upstream in eastern Siberia and downstream in the central and eastern US have been experiencing warmer than average temperatures. The abnormal weather is a result of a long wave pattern that has remained stagnant since early June. A large upper level trough has been positioned in the central and eastern Bering Sea. Areas of low pressure develop at the base of the trough... tap into the subtropical moisture... and move northeast toward the Gulf of Alaska. The result is increased cloud coverage and periods of rain. Similar patterns have occurred recently during the Summers of 2006 and 2008. Both Summers saw higher than average precipitation and temperatures below climatological norms. Here is how the Summer of 2010 is shaping up... June 1 through August 11 average high temperature ------------------------------------------------ 1. 1971 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 60.2 degrees 2. 2008 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 60.6 3. 1987 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.0 4. 1917 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.1 5. 1973 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.3 6. 1982 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.5 7. 1980 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.7 8. 1970 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.8 9. 1939 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.9 10. 2010 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 62.0 (normal high temperature during this period is 64.3 degrees) July 1 through August 11 average high temperature ---------------------------------------------- 1. 1971 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.6 degrees 2. 2008 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61.8 3. 2010 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 62.5 1959 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 62.5 5. 1970 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 62.6 (normal high temperature during this period is 65.5 degrees) Precipitation June 1 through August 11 ---------------------------------------------- 1. 1958 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7.89 inches 2. 1981 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7.24 3. 1980 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6.28 4. 1989 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6.18 5. 1979 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6.15 6. 2010 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5.98 (average precipitation during this period is 3.54 inches) Consecutive days with a trace or more of precipitation ------------------------------------------------------ 1. 1951 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 consecutive days 2. 2010 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 (as of Aug 11) 1946 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 4. 2008 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 1989 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 1950 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 7. 2008 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 23 8. 1947 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 Outlook... this pattern is expected to continue through this week... and possibly beyond. There is an indication that a ridge of high pressure will build from the northeastern Pacific late this week which will likely bring an end to our consecutive days with a trace or more of precipitation. Any break will be short lived as the large trough settles back over the eastern Bering Sea allowing the moisture to return to southcentral early next week.