2019—An Extremely Warm Year in Alaska: A Review of Significant Events, Impacts, and Decision Support Services

Long term temperatures trends show a gradual warming over Alaska since the 1970s. The warming trend is accelerating, with significant persistent warmth since June 2013. This trend has continued into 2019 with the magnitude of the warmth easily exceeding previous records with temperatures 4.0+ Standard Deviations above normal in some areas. 2019 will very likely be the warmest year on record in Alaska. The impacts of the dramatic heat this year and the accumulative warming trend are having significant impacts on several population and commercial sectors throughout the state. Dramatic sea ice loss this past winter greatly impacted subsistence and transportation activities of normally ice covered waters unlike what these communities have experienced in the past. A very mild winter contributed to a record number of fatalities with people falling through thin ice on rivers and lakes, the primary transportation corridors in the vast road less areas of the state. Persistent and unusual weather patterns have resulted in severe drought in portions of the Southeast Alaska rain forests. The first time this level of drought as been recorded in the state. This is leading to extreme stress on communities reliant on hydro power and surface water for drinking and the salmon fisheries. Extremely hot and dry conditions developed in South Central and Interior Alaska in June and July, leading to extremely dry conditions and numerous wild fires. Many long standing temperature records for both daily extreme of heat and long term trends were broken by significant margins. Several important ecological impacts are occurring as well. Significant marine / fisheries changes are occurring with major fish, bird, and whale die-offs and migration of species to areas they've never been found before. A result of all of these extreme events, the National Weather Alaska and it's partners are being asked to provide support for issues that have never occurred before. A review of the extreme conditions, description of impacts, and decision support services the National Weather Services and it's partners provided will be presented.