The lack of winter sea ice is keeping temperatures warm. Climatologist Rick Thoman says it's a "very clear climate change signal."
After 100 highs, Utqiagvik marks record low temperature
The United States’ northernmost city plummeted to a bone-chilling minus 20 degrees Wednesday morning, beating out the previous daily record set in 1973.
From unseasonal rainfall to early flooding and record heat, this summer has seen a lot of strange and concerning weather events across the Northwest Arctic and North Slope. That's not changing as summer comes to an end.
When temperatures soar this high above the Arctic Circle, it’s an attention-grabber.
“Climate change is happening faster than it’s ever happened before in our record,” Utquiagvik-based NOAA scientist Bryan Thomas said. “We’re right in the middle of it.”
This November in Utqiaġvik was the hottest on record, averaging 17.2°F. It was so warm that NOAA's quality control algorithms flagged the data. “When we look out on the ocean right now we see a few icebergs,” Thomas said. “Normally we would see white to the horizon in the past, and in this case we’re seeing dark water to the horizon.”
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