Alaska Community Reaches Record High of 89 Degrees

Deadhorse, an industrial community supporting Alaska’s North Slope oil fields, recorded an unprecedented temperature of 89 degrees Fahrenheit this week, marking the highest temperature in over 50 years of record-keeping. This unincorporated area, located at the end of the Dalton Highway, typically experiences temperatures in the 50s and 60s during this time of year. The previous record of 85 degrees was set in July 2016, according to Andrew Stokes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fairbanks. The recent heat wave is attributed to a combination of factors, including a weather pattern that brought warmer, drier air from Alaska’s Interior region. Stokes noted that while individual weather events cannot be directly linked to broader climate trends, there is significant observational evidence indicating an increase in record-breaking temperatures. Additionally, Barter Island on the Beaufort Sea coast also set a new August record of 74 degrees, surpassing the previous high of 72 degrees from 1957. As temperatures in Deadhorse moderated to the mid-60s by Thursday afternoon, forecasts predict rain and highs in the 50s through Monday. Alaska is warming at a rate faster than the global average, with annual temperatures rising since 1971, as highlighted in a recent U.S. national climate assessment. Climate scientist Brian Brettschneider emphasized that areas reaching around 90 degrees typically do not have permafrost, raising concerns about the implications of such heat in the Arctic region.