![]() ![]() There is no natural topographic barrier on the eastern edge of the West Central region to separate it from the continental climate of the Interior. These areas have a maritime climate that is strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean, the frequent storms moving through the area during autumn and winter, and the seasonal distribution of sea ice. The West Coast region of Alaska spans a large area and can be subdivided into two smaller regions: the mainland area along the Bering Sea coast (West Central) and the Aleutian and Bering Sea islands (Southwest Islands). Typically there are days of intense lightning outbreaks during the summer which bring the risk of wildfires. Much of the region’s annual precipitation falls in summer as sporadic rain showers or thunderstorms. Big Delta is a notable exception as winds here are highest in the winter. Winds are generally light in the valleys, with higher wind speeds in the summer. In urban areas and around natural hot springs, ice fog – a type of fog made up of suspended particles of ice – is common in winter, sometimes lasting from several days to a week. ![]() The Interior experiences some of the mosts extreme temperature variability in the state. Although it is not geographically part of the Interior, the high plateau of the Copper River Basin, south of the Alaska Range and north of the Church Mountains, has a similar continental climate. In general, summers are warm and sunny while winters are very cold. The climate here is continental with large temperature variability, low humidity and relatively light and irregular precipitation. This region encompasses the largest area of the state and the terrain includes both river valleys and highland areas. The Interior of Alaska is bounded by the Brooks Range to the north and the Alaska Range to the south. Hours of daylight at the beginning of each month for four cities across Alaska, listed in geographic order from north to south (Shulski and Wendler, 2007). ![]() Even during the long summer days, the solar elevation angle is relatively small, and the sun is never directly overhead. North of the Arctic Circle, around the winter solstice, the sun does not rise above the horizon.Īnother latitudinal factor that affects climate is solar elevation: the angle between the horizon and the sun. In winter, darkness dominates (the “Polar Night”). The number of days on which this occurs increases from south to north (see figure). North of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set in midsummer (the “Midnight Sun”) but remains continuously above the horizon. Given the high latitude environment, the state experiences extreme seasonal variability in solar radiation. km) and almost 20 degrees of latitude from about 51°N to 71°N, the spatial coverage of Alaska is quite expansive. The Geophysical Institute has forecast Kp 6 for Thursday’s storm.Covering an area of 570,374 square miles (1,477,262 sq. The lights appear suddenly and the intensity varies.Ī geomagnetic index known as Kp ranks auroral activity on a scale from zero to nine, with zero being not very active and nine being bright and active. Northern Lights occur when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field and causes atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center said people wanting to experience an aurora should get away from city lights and that the best viewing times are between 10 p.m. Boise, Idaho Cheyenne, Wyoming Annapolis, Maryland and Indianapolis, according to the institute. Light displays are expected to be visible overhead in Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Helena, Montana, and low on the horizon in Salem, Oregon. The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks has forecast auroral activity on Thursday in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Indiana, Maine and Maryland.Īuroral activity also has been forecast for Canada, including Vancouver. Three months ago, the light displays were visible in Arizona, marking the third severe geomagnetic storm since the current solar cycle began in 2019. Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are most often seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, but an 11-year solar cycle that’s expected to peak in 2024 is making the lights visible in places farther to the south. A solar storm forecast for Thursday is expected to give skygazers in 17 American states a chance to glimpse the Northern Lights, the colorful sky show that happens when solar wind hits the atmosphere. ![]()
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