Barrow, Alaska is a name you may be familiar with. It's the former name of the northernmost city in the United States, lying inside the Arctic Circle (the town now goes by Utqiagvik). Cold weather is simply a part of life that far north, but Utqiagvik was recently visited by "heatwave."
Temperatures on Monday morning soared to levels that haven't ever been seen during the winter months for that area. A high of 40 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded in the town. That easily broke the record of the warmest December day (the old record of 34 degrees was set in 1932.)
Who turned up the thermostat? Utqiagvik saw its warmest day ever for the month of December, breaking a record of 34°F degrees set in 1932! This temperature is also the warmest day between Oct. 20th and April 22, passing 39°F set in November 1937. #akwx pic.twitter.com/ya90r7ZXKN
— NWS Fairbanks (@NWSFairbanks) December 5, 2022
Keep in mind that this occurred with the sun never rising in the sky. Because Utqiagvik is in the Arctic Circle, it will several weeks before they see another sunrise.
The warm-up did not last too long, and the town is now back to more traditional winter weather. Their forecast for the rest of the week calls for highs in the teens and lows in the single digits.