December 2017 Climate Summary for Fairbanks

A remarkably warm December in Fairbanks. A persistent upper level
ridge parked over the west coast of North America and extended
into the Yukon which produced multiple long duration warm chinook
events that pushed the temperatures in Fairbanks into the record
books. December of 2017 was the warmest of the last century and
the second warmest December on record which date back 113 years.

The average max temperature at the Fairbanks Airport during the
month of December was 18.1 degrees above which was 13.3 degrees
above the normal max temperature of 4.8 degrees and ranked as the
2nd warmest of 113 years of record. The average min temperature
was 0.2 below which was 12.7 degrees above the normal min
temperature of 12.9 below and ranked as the 2nd warmest of 114
years of record. The average mean temperature was 9.0 degrees
above which was 13.1 degrees above the normal mean temperature of
4.1 degrees below and also ranked as the 2nd warmest of 113 years
of record. The warmest temperature recorded during the month of
December 2017 at the Fairbanks Airport was 41 degrees which
occurred on the 13th. The coldest temperature that occurred during
the month of December was 26 below which occurred on the 29th.
The coldest temperature to occur during the 2017 to 2018 cold
season was 27 below on November 26th.

The warm and typically dry chinook winds also limited the amount
of snow that fell during the month of December. Only 7.0 inches of
snow fell during the month which was 5.1 inches below the normal
snowfall of 12.1 inches and ranked as the 61st snowiest of 103
years of record. Most of the 0.38 inches of precip that fell at
the airport fell as snow, however freezing rain and freezing drizzle
were observed on several days during the month and produced
hazardous travel conditions in the local area. The 0.38 inches of
precipitation that fell at the Fairbanks Airport was 0.26 inches
below the normal precipitation of 0.64 inches and ranked as the
40th driest of 103 years of record.

Looking forward to January, the average maximum temperature drops
from 2 above on the 1st to zero by the 12th and then climbs back
to 3 above by the 31st. The average minimum temperature drops from
16 below on the 1st to 18 below on the 14th and then climbs back
to 16 below again by the 31st. The average temperature continues
to drop from 7 below on the 1st and bottoms out at 8.7 below on
the 16th and then climbs back to 6 below on the 31st for an
average of 8 below for the month which is the lowest monthly
average temperature for Fairbanks. Temperatures in January have
ranged from 52 above in 2009 to 66 below in 1934.

The average snowfall in January is 10.3 inches, however in
January of 1993 40.2 inches of snow fell during the month.
Possible sunshine increases dramatically in January with 4 hours
and 2 minutes of possible sunshine on the 1st increasing by an
average of 5 minutes per day to 6 hours and 52 minutes by the
31st.

The outlook for Fairbanks for January from the Climate Prediction
Center calls for increased chances for above normal temperatures
and equal chances for below normal, near normal, or above normal
precipitation.


Observed last month...12/2017

                         OBSERVED   RANK
Avg max temp (F)             18.1   2nd warmest of 113 years
Avg min temp (F)             -0.2   2nd warmest of 114 years
Avg temp (F)                  9.0   2nd warmest of 113 years
Total precip (in)            0.38   40th driest of 103 years
Total snow (in)              7.00   61st snowiest of 103 years