Alaska July snow: Blink and you missed it
A recent spate of snow in northern Alaska didn't last long, but the northern part of the state will start their snow season soon.
Utqiagvik, Alaska, the northernmost U.S. city, saw its last sunset until August on May 10, as the town began 84 straight days of sunlight, also known as the midnight sun.
A quick-hitting snowstorm affected the Brooks Range in northern Alaska Sunday night, with several inches of snow falling in the mountains. The webcam at Toolik Lake, operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, showed the snow accumulating then melting within a day.
The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the region, including Atigun Pass, which sits at 4,739 feet in elevation and is the only road crossing in the Brooks Range. For that reason, it is the highest highway pass in Alaska that receives year-round winter maintenance. The advisory forecast widespread totals of 2 inches, with 6 inches in the highest elevations.
Even in the summer, snow is not unusual in the Brooks Range. At Toolik Lake, the typical snow season runs from August to mid-June, though snow has been reported multiple times in June and July. Although there are no more snow chances this week, it will remain chilly and wet in Toolik Lake.
Much of Alaska is experiencing an unusually chilly and wet summer, AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Joe Lundberg says. Anchorage has not had any 80-degree days this summer and has received almost twice its normal precipitation so far this season. Fairbanks is 2.1 degrees lower than the historical average this season so far.
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