Alaska’s Winter Outlook

Are you preparing for cold snaps? If not, now might be a good time to get started!

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By Christina Campbell

Story Created: Oct 20, 2011 at 5:02 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 20, 2011 at 5:02 PM AKDT

 

Alaska’s Winter Outlook
Are you preparing  for cold snaps? If not, now might be a good time to get started!
Most Alaskans may find themselves in the freezer this winter as NOAA today released the long term winter forecast for December through February and it’s looking a little frigid.
NOAA officials say La Nina will influence weather patterns across the country and Alaska! La Nina whose name is Spanish for “the girl” is associated with cooler than normal water temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which influences weather throughout the world. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino, in which warmer ocean temperatures are seen in the same region and, in case you were wondering, the word El Nino is Spanish for “the boy”. You might say they are the polar opposite “weather siblings”.
 
In Alaska, a La Nina weather pattern usually means that the Great Land will experience colder than average temperatures over the southern half of the state and the panhandle with below average precipitation in the interior and eastern part of the state. This is because during a La Nina year winter ridging (high pressure) usually occurs between the eastern Bering Sea to western Gulf of Alaska between 170°W and 150°W. As storms travel up along the west edge of the ridge they move warm and moist air from lower to higher latitudes. However, on the downslide, on the east side of the ridge, the air is cooler and drier because it’s being moved from higher to lower latitudes. So areas west of the ridge will be warmer while areas east of the ridge center will be cooler (that includes Anchorage to the Southeast Panhandle)
 

La Nina weather patterns also tends to produce cloud free conditions over the region (excluding, of course, marine fog and stratus). This might not be good news for skiiers or anyone else who relies on snow. But the good news is that this long term forecast is only a seasonal outlook. NOAA does not project where and when snowstorms may hit. And besides we all know that winter storms are generally not predictable more than a week in advance. So relax, and try to keep warm this winter!

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