September 2013 Monthly Weather Summary

Date: October 8, 2013
Contact: Deb Kurtz, [phone]

Kenai Fjords National Park experienced nearly normal temperatures and above normal precipitation during the month of September. Measurable precipitation was received on 23 days of the month, making for consistently rainy conditions throughout the month. Daily maximum temperatures were above 50 degrees F on all but two days of the month with a maximum temperature of 65 degrees F recorded on September 15^th. Daily minimum temperatures (nighttime lows) remained above 50 degrees F on eight days. Temperatures at the Seward airport remained above freezing throughout the month.

As recorded at the Seward airport, total precipitation for the month was 11.21 inches (113% of normal), 1.35 inches above the 30-year average (1981-2010) for the month. The monthly average temperature for September was 50.2 degrees F; 0.7 degrees F above the 30-year average. In general, winds were gusty throughout the month with a maximum average daily wind speed of 19.0 mph and a maximum wind gust of 44 mph, both recorded on September 22^nd.

Also of note:                                                                                        

·The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center's  three month weather outlook (October-November-December) favors normal temperatures and normal precipitation for the Kenai Fjords area.

·The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group I released the fifth assessment report titled Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis.

·Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum extent on September 13, 2013. Although it was substantially greater than last year's minimum extent, it was the sixth lowest extent in the satellite record. Learn more at NASA Earth Observatory.

·Climate Watch Magazine reports on how changes in sea ice are currently affecting Barrow, Alaska.

·The journal Nature Climate Change published a new study on the future distribution of tundra species in northern Alaska based on accelerated warming.

·NOAA climate services portal serves as a single point-of-entry for NOAA's extensive climate information, data, products, services, and the climate science magazine ClimateWatch.