Tropical Breezes in Alaska

            Several years ago, climate scientist and weather prognosticator Alexandra Autumn, advised that if I eventually wanted to retire to a pleasant Mediterranean climate I should consider holding on to a little piece of land I had in Fairbanks.  Given a bit more time, the Arctic would be a much warmer place to live. 

            Last week Autumn’s semi-tongue-in-cheek prediction seemed to be coming true with frightening speed.  In the early days of March, the temperatures in Alaska’s interior were soaring to unfamiliar heights.  The dog teams racing on the Iditarod trail faced both rain and open water on the normally frozen trail.  The Anchorage newspaper featured a photo of a dog team, sled and driver wading through more than a foot of water over old ice. 

            In Fairbanks, the temperatures climbed into the upper 40s and at least one night stayed well above freezing until well after midnight.  Walking outside that evening, I felt a gentle breeze that reminded me of tropic trade winds in Hawaii.  In fact, that is basically what the wind was; warm damp air sweeping up from near the equator.

            The NOAA weather broadcast explained in great detail the movement of low pressure systems and the unusual pattern of the jet stream.  The graphic depicted a huge jet stream sweeping up from the tropics, along the east coast of Asia and heading directly for the north pole.  It was pumping tropical air over the interior of Alaska, and worse yet, over the sea ice.  From there it turned sharply south, bringing equally unusual cold and snow to the central United States. 

             The local paper showed a graph for the week, although no records were being set, the daily lows for the week were at or above the average historic highs for the week.  The week’s high temperatures were well above the normal range. 

            One might be tempted to say, why complain when the weather was unseasonably pleasant.  The answer is simple – climate change in the Arctic is moving more rapidly than other parts of the globe.  Minor changes in this extreme environment beget larger changes, which in turn result in still more and greater change; the so called positive feedback loop. 

            At a time when many scientists believe the arctic should be cooling – due to the decadal position of the earth – the arctic and Alaska continue to grow warmer.  The effects of this warming are immediate, tangible and readily observed in the changing landscape, wildlife, flora and even in the challenges facing native communities. 

Tree killed by pests and blown down 2 days ago.

            This morning I awoke in a cabin chilled by the more typical minus 10 degree temperatures, the sun is shining, the snow is beautiful and it might be easy to not think about the larger processes that are reshaping this state, but it would be a mistake.  It has been said that Alaska is the proverbial canary in the coal mine of climate change.  If we ignore its health, we do so at the risk of our own climate health.

            For more information about the specific processes at work reshaping the sea ice, moving mountains and reducing the expanse of permafrost in Alaska, take a look at Michael Collier’s book, “The Melting Edge – Alaska at the Frontier of Climate Change,” published by Alaska Geographic.