132
CXAK57 PAJK 050559
CLMASI
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
829 PM AKST SAT JAN 04 2025

...................................

...THE SITKA CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2024...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD: 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1944 TO 2025

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR`S
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE
                                          NORMAL
..............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH             65   12/12/1944
 LOW               1   12/03/1970
HIGHEST           56   12/04         50       6
LOWEST            29   12/18         19      10
                       12/30
AVG. MAXIMUM    47.0               41.5     5.5
AVG. MINIMUM    38.0               33.4     4.6
MEAN            42.5               37.5     5.0
DAYS MAX >= 90     0                0.0     0.0
DAYS MAX <= 32     0                1.8    -1.8
DAYS MIN <= 32     8               12.4    -4.4
DAYS MIN <= 0      0                0.0     0.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM       16.55   1956
 MINIMUM        2.25   1983
TOTALS          8.51               8.43    0.08
DAILY AVG.      0.27               0.27   -0.00
DAYS >= .01       19               21.6    -2.6
DAYS >= .10       13               16.1    -3.1
DAYS >= .50        5                5.7    -0.7
DAYS >= 1.00       3                1.9     1.1
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL   2.87   12/01 TO 12/02


DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    688                854    -166
 SINCE 7/1      2705               3038    -333
COOLING TOTAL      0                  0       0
 SINCE 1/1         1                  1       0

FREEZE DATES
EARLIEST                        10/08
LATEST                          03/14
..............................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.3
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    37/110    DATE  12/22
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    56/100    DATE  12/22


WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                4     RAIN                       9
LIGHT RAIN               23     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0
LIGHT SNOW                1     SLEET                      0
FOG                      18     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      1
HAZE                      7

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

$$

...A SNOWY START TO DECEMBER BUT WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES
SOON AFTERWARDS...

December began with a major winter weather event on the first of the
month. Heaviest snowfall was concentrated along the Icy Strait
corridor with values ranging from 8.6 inches at Lena Point to 16.5
inches in Glacier Bay. Other notable snow totals included Auke Bay
with 12 inches, Hoonah with 12.2 inches, WFO Juneau with 10.3
inches, Juneau Airport with 14.1 inches, Gustavus with 10.5 inches,
and Snettisham Powerplant with 15 inches. Lesser amounts of snow
from this system fell over the far northern inner channels as well,
with 8 inches in Haines and 6 inches at Haines Customs at the
border.

The promise of more early season snow quickly evaporated, or rather
melted, with the unseasonably warm temperatures that followed
beginning on December 2nd. The next four days saw daily average
temperature departures anywhere from 10 degrees to nearly 17 degrees
above normal. In those 4 days, snow on the ground at the Juneau
Airport went from a respectable 21 inches to a mere trace, though
most other locations fared a little better at retaining snow on the
ground. In the middle of the month, however, there was a cold snap
associated with a northerly outflow event across all of Southeast
Alaska from 14 to 19 December. During this time, daily average
temperatures ranged from 2 to as much 10 degrees below normal. This
stretch of time was neither cold enough nor long enough to offset
the otherwise warmer than normal temps for the rest of the month. In
the end, monthly average temperatures measured out significantly
above normal with values ranging from 3 to 5.6 degrees above normal
at the four climate sites.

The month and year ended with clear skies and a spectacular Aurora
display that coincided with midnight fireworks celebrating the new
year. The Aurora, courtesy of a G4 geomagnetic storm and associated
coronal mass ejection was visible much farther to the south over
portions of the lower 48 states as well.

Fritsch
$$