Why is fairbanks ak so cold

The flow of air between these two weather systems has allowed a persistent tongue of cold to sweep down from the Arctic, lapping at the frigid tundra. In Fairbanks, the summers are long, comfortable, and mostly cloudy and the winters are frigid, snowy, and partly cloudy.

With a population of about 31K, Fairbanks is around the same size as 2 Juneau, yet earned both a lower property crime rate and violent crime rate than the preceding city…. Freezing temperatures can show up in Fairbanks during every month except July. The city typically sees frosty nights a year.

For an average of days annually the thermometer at Fairbanks never rises above freezing. Password recovery. Alaska Public Media. Due to climate change and other factors, cold snaps in the area have declined in frequency and severity. Climatologist Rick Thoman graphed the frequency and severity of cold snaps in Fairbanks where the temperature averaged F or colder for a week.

Graphic courtesy of Rick Thoman Thoman said a significant driver of that is climate change. As more nations eye the Arctic as a strategic resource, what is the U. Ice fog occurs when tiny ice particles are suspended in the air when temperatures fall lower than about 22 degrees below zero. At midday, it's in Fairbanks. Even with full sun, can barely see across the river in the ice fog. It was so cold that schoolkids in Fairbanks this week were forced indoors for recess, he said.

When the temperature is colder than 20 degrees below zero in Fairbanks, outdoor recess is canceled, according to the local school district. And when it dropped to 40 below in Fairbanks, a meteorologist quipped "Celsius or Fahrenheit? Latest Newscasts. Air Quality Alert is in effect. Dismiss Weather Alerts Alerts Bar. Fairbanks experiencing a longer than usual cold spell. By John Dougherty. Published: Jan. Share on Facebook. Email This Link. Share on Twitter.