Alaska Heat Record

Alaska recorded the highest temperature in December with the Kodiak region touching 19.4C.

• Alaska has recorded the highest temperature ever in December with one region touching 19.4 degrees C at a place called Kodiak.
• According to researchers, December is a dry month in interior Alaska as the interior air cannot hold much moisture.
• While there is high temperature in one part, in the south-eastern region of Ketchikan, there were record low temperatures of -18C (-0.4F) on 25 December.
• Hot temperatures are followed by torrential rains and snowfall which create layers as thick as cement on roads. Also triggered are power outages and major roads and offices have to be shut.
• Climate change is the number one reason that’s causing the temperatures to go higher than average in winters according to experts.
• Permafrost or the ground that remains at or below 0 degrees for over two years in a row, is thawing as a result of climate change and global warming. This is harmful for the local communities.
• Wildfires are another concern in Alaska because of duff, which are partly decomposed leaves, twigs, and bark beneath trees or the ground, which lead to zombie fires that can cause sinkholes.
• Alaska is an ecologically sensitive zone which is facing the ill-effects of climate change every year. In this reading, we take a look at the dangers facing Alaska.