A Little Cooler

The air mass over interior Alaska has cooled some in the past few days, but above-freezing temperatures still persisted at about 1100' above Fairbanks in this morning's balloon sounding.  Every sounding since 3pm on November 8 has recorded above-freezing temperatures aloft, which is the longest stretch on record in the winter months of November through March.  The new record of 26 consecutive above-freezing soundings compares to 25 straight in late March 1998; the previous November-February record was 21 straight soundings.

The above-freezing temperatures have come to an end (for now) at 850 mb and 925 mb, and November-March records were easily broken at both levels for the duration of the warmth; here are the top events in the 1948-present history:

850 mb:
16 soundings ending 3 am Nov 19, 2014
12 soundings ending 3 pm Jan 28, 2014
12 soundings ending 3 pm Jan 6, 1995
12 soundings ending 3 pm Feb 16, 1980

The 850 mb record also ties the November-April record (16 soundings ending 3 pm April 27, 1994).

925 mb:
20 soundings ending 3 pm Nov 19, 2014
16 soundings ending 3 pm March 25, 1998
15 soundings ending 3 am Jan 30, 2014

Here's a time-height cross-section of the temperature departure from normal since October 1 in the lowest 3 km; the magnitude and persistence of the recent anomalies are, to say the least, striking.

I'll note here for future reference that the Chena and Tanana rivers still show a considerable quantity of flowing water, which is remarkable for the date.