Climate Watch
By Rick Thoman Alaska Climate Specialist Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy International Arctic Research Center/University of Alaska Fairbanks
Very cold weather is not uncommon in western Alaska in March, with a taste this past week, and as we saw last year, even early April.
In the 20th century, the lowest temperature of the winter in Nome occurred in March more than one quarter of the time. Since then, late season cold has become more unusual.
Since 2000, early spring bringing the lowest temperatures of the year has been quite rare: Only once in March and then last year, with the first time in Nome’s long climate history that the lowest temperature for the entire cold season was in April.
This week’s graphic shows the number of days each spring in March and April when the daily low temperature was -20F or lower in Nome.
Since sea ice is (historically) in place near Nome in the early spring, the difference between airport observations (since 1946) and when the Weather Bureau was downtown or at Fort Davis is likely minimal, I’ve plotted the full 117-years period of record.
Several features pop out from this graphic. Perhaps most obviously, there was a dramatic drop in the number of very cold spring days after 1977 and the lack of any springs with 10 or more very cold days, something that was not at all unusual before 1978. In fact, this is so dramatic that if I saw this without knowing where it’s for, I would ask if there was a major location change in 1977. But we know this is real, because temperature observations have been made at the airport since 1946. Less obvious but also important is the increase in the number of springs without any days of -20F or lower. Why this drop has occurred probably has multiple causes, but it’s very likely that thinner sea ice, both in the Bering Sea and oceans to the north is playing an important role.
the towers height.
After more deliberation the commission approved the conditional use permit, pending the results of the FAA’s Air Navigation Study and staff commentary from city employees who were previously contacted for input.
During discussion, Lust stressed the importance of not impacting future city operations due to a hasty decision.
“As long as we’re all on the same page. The next time I look at the Nome airport master plan surface obstructions, I don’t want to see another item on there, that’s the only thing I’m concerned about,” Lust said.
Other Business
Before the meeting started, to make quorum, Rhonda West was
sworn onto the commission. Appointed by Mayor John Handeland last month and approved by the Nome Common Council, the addition of West makes the planning commission a full board with eight seats.
With the Front Street rezoning plan set, City Planner Erin Reinders proposed the commission sets up a joint work session with the Nome Common Council to present on what they’ve established so far. After that the commission would open it up to the community, sending out letters to business and residences on Front Street that will be impacted by the rezoning. Next steps would be a community discussion on what the future of Front Street should look like and how the rezoning will help achieve that.