Latest news with #BrianBrettschneider
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Miami Herald
Alaska Issued With First Ever Heat Advisory
Alaska has been issued its first ever heat advisory by the National Weather Service (NWS) as an unusual surge of high temperatures grips parts of the state. This weekend, parts of The Lost Frontier State-including areas around Fairbanks-are expected to climb into the mid-80s, with some locations potentially nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit. "We have issued a Heat Advisory for the Fairbanks Area this Sunday afternoon/evening. Temperatures are expected to reach as high as 86F, so be sure to take extra precautions if outdoors," NWS Fairbanks wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday afternoon. The advisory underscores the intensifying impacts of climate change in even the most traditionally cold parts of the United States. Alaska's infrastructure, wildlife, and communities are not built to withstand prolonged heat, raising concerns about public health, wildfires, and ecosystem disruption. Heat stress is the leading weather-related cause of death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Temperatures will be pushed into the mid-to-upper 80s by Sunday. This is around 10 to 15 degrees above average for the region where normal highs in Fairbanks sit around 72 degrees. This is officially the first heat advisory ever issued in Alaska, but there's a reason why it hasn't happened until now. As of June 2, the NWS offices in Fairbanks and Juneau were granted the authority to issue heat advisories, a change aimed at better communicating the risks posed by extreme heat in a state more familiar with subzero temperatures than sweltering afternoons. According to the new criteria, a heat advisory can be issued when temperatures are expected to reach at least 85 degrees in the interior, 80 degrees in the southeast, and 75 degrees on the North Slope. Sunday's forecast for Fairbanks and its surrounding areas barely clears that threshold, but meteorologists say that doesn't make it any less significant. Experts have warned that the state's buildings, designed to retain warmth in harsh winters, lack air conditioning and ventilation, making even moderate heat potentially dangerous. Climatologist Brian Brettschneider noted on Bluesky that these design choices, critical in winter, can pose some risks when the mercury rises. The advisory goes into effect from 1 to 7 p.m. local time on Sunday. NWS Fairbanks wrote in a post on X earlier this week: "Summer-like temperatures are expected to continue for much of Interior AK this weekend, with most areas seeing temperatures in the upper 70s & low 80s. There's a chance for some isolated showers & thunderstorms this weekend, but mainly for the eastern Interior. Enjoy AK!" Alaskans are being urged to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity, and check on vulnerable individuals. The risk is particularly acute for older adults, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions. Related Articles Map: Cargo Ship With 3,000 Vehicles Abandoned Off Alaska IslandRare June Winter Storm to Hit Alaska with up to 13 Inches of SnowAlaska Governor: Why the Alaska LNG Pipeline Matters for South Korea's Energy Security | OpinionSome Americans to Receive $1,702 Direct Payment in June: Are You Eligible? 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Alaska Issued With First Ever Heat Advisory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Alaska has been issued its first ever heat advisory by the National Weather Service (NWS) as an unusual surge of high temperatures grips parts of the state. This weekend, parts of The Lost Frontier State—including areas around Fairbanks—are expected to climb into the mid-80s, with some locations potentially nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit. "We have issued a Heat Advisory for the Fairbanks Area this Sunday afternoon/evening. Temperatures are expected to reach as high as 86F, so be sure to take extra precautions if outdoors," NWS Fairbanks wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday afternoon. Why It Matters The advisory underscores the intensifying impacts of climate change in even the most traditionally cold parts of the United States. Alaska's infrastructure, wildlife, and communities are not built to withstand prolonged heat, raising concerns about public health, wildfires, and ecosystem disruption. Heat stress is the leading weather-related cause of death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). What To Know Temperatures will be pushed into the mid-to-upper 80s by Sunday. This is around 10 to 15 degrees above average for the region where normal highs in Fairbanks sit around 72 degrees. This is officially the first heat advisory ever issued in Alaska, but there's a reason why it hasn't happened until now. As of June 2, the NWS offices in Fairbanks and Juneau were granted the authority to issue heat advisories, a change aimed at better communicating the risks posed by extreme heat in a state more familiar with subzero temperatures than sweltering afternoons. According to the new criteria, a heat advisory can be issued when temperatures are expected to reach at least 85 degrees in the interior, 80 degrees in the southeast, and 75 degrees on the North Slope. Sunday's forecast for Fairbanks and its surrounding areas barely clears that threshold, but meteorologists say that doesn't make it any less significant. Experts have warned that the state's buildings, designed to retain warmth in harsh winters, lack air conditioning and ventilation, making even moderate heat potentially dangerous. Climatologist Brian Brettschneider noted on Bluesky that these design choices, critical in winter, can pose some risks when the mercury rises. The advisory goes into effect from 1 to 7 p.m. local time on Sunday. What People Are Saying NWS Fairbanks wrote in a post on X earlier this week: "Summer-like temperatures are expected to continue for much of Interior AK this weekend, with most areas seeing temperatures in the upper 70s & low 80s. There's a chance for some isolated showers & thunderstorms this weekend, but mainly for the eastern Interior. Enjoy AK!" What Happens Next? Alaskans are being urged to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity, and check on vulnerable individuals. The risk is particularly acute for older adults, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Alaska gets its first-ever heat advisories from National Weather Service
An aerial view of Fairbanks is seen in summer in an undated photo. Temperatures are expected to soar into the high 80s in Alaska's second-largest city and surrounding Interior Alaska areas, prompting the state's first National Weather Service heat advisories. (Photo by Jacob Boomsma via Getty Images Plus) With temperatures forecast to soar as high as 89 degrees in Interior Alaska, the National Weather Service has issued its first-ever heat advisories for the state. The advisories, which started Thursday and are in effect through Sunday, warn residents in the Fairbanks area and a wider swath of Interior Alaska to be careful about outdoor activities over the weekend. 'Take extra precautions when working in the sun. Wear sunscreen and lightweight, loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke,' the National Weather Service said Friday in its special statement. For context, the normal June high temperature in Fairbanks is 72 degrees. While Alaska has occasionally had such high temperatures before, the practice of issuing heat advisories is new in the farthest-north state, said Brian Brettschneider, a National Weather Service climate scientist. The service officially added heat advisories to its list of Alaska warnings earlier this year, Brettschneider said. The decision stems from the state's experiences in 2019, when an ultra-hot summer was marked by long-lasting wildfires that poured smoke into populated areas and a record 90-degree temperature in Anchorage, the state's largest city. 'We kind of realized, 'Whoa, maybe extreme heat is something that we need to think more about.' And even though we've had occasional extreme heat in the past, it really kind of brought to the forefront that we need to think about it as part of our mission for protecting life and property,' he said. Temperatures in the 80s might not seem extreme in the Lower 48 states, but they can have big impacts on Alaska residents, Brettschneider said. Part of that is because the homes and other elements of the built environment are structured for a cold climate, he said. 'In Alaska, our homes are built to retain every molecule of heat, basically, and we have 20 hours of daylight,' he said. And part of that is because at Alaska's high latitude, the angle of the sun is low, 'so the solar energy is penetrating deep into the houses' and is otherwise unrelenting nearly around the clock, he said. 'What might be considered pleasant weather in the Lower 48 really has an outsized impact on our comfort and our health here,' he said. Research led by the University of Alaska Anchorage has found that 70 degrees is generally the threshold at which Alaskans begin to suffer heat-related health problems. Brettschneider said the current heat baking Interior Alaska is the product of a big ridge of high pressure. That has replaced what was a persistent low-pressure system that previously kept parts of the state unseasonably cool. Fairbanks' record high temperature was 96 degrees, recorded in 1969, Brettschneider said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
National Weather Service Issues First Heat Advisory Ever For Alaska This Weekend, But There's A Catch
The first heat advisory ever issued in the state of Alaska was put in place by the National Weather Service in Fairbanks for Sunday. This is in preparation for unseasonable warmth that's expected to invade the region this weekend, causing temperatures to soar nearly 15 degrees above average. Yes, this is indeed the first heat advisory ever issued in the state of Alaska. But there is a caveat. This is the first year that issuing heat advisories is even an option for the NWS offices in Fairbanks and Juneau, Alaska. These changes, which officially went into effect on June 2, will allow the Alaska forecast offices to better communicate heat information and impacts in their forecast areas. Fairbanks, Alaska, is currently forecast to reach the mid-to-upper 80s by Sunday, with the heat lasting into early week. These forecast temperatures are 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year, which is around 72 degrees in Fairbanks. The Sunday forecast barely exceeds the new criteria to trigger a heat advisory. Here are the temperature thresholds, depending on location within the state, that prompt an advisory with the Alaska offices: Interior: 85 degrees North Slope: 75 degrees Southeast: 80 degrees Don't scoff at these temperatures quite yet. In the same way that only a couple of inches of snow can cripple the South while Alaskans wouldn't even bat an eye, these temperatures, though seemingly mundane for many in the continental U.S., could be dangerous for those in Alaska. Places are built to withstand their climate - which, for Alaska, is on the colder end of the spectrum. As Alaska-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider pointed out on the social media platform Bluesky, many buildings, such as homes and schools, are built to retain heat – which, while ideal in the brutal winters, could pose a major threat as temperatures begin to rise. And most don't have air conditioning, either. While it's tempting to spend time outside once the temperatures warm up, it's important to stay safe in the heat. Heat stress is the leading weather-related cause of death. Here are some tips to keep in mind: Stay hydrated Avoid strenuous activities Wear light clothing Find an air-conditioned building if possible, and stay indoors Check on vulnerable individuals Caitlin Kaiser graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with both an undergraduate and graduate degree in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences before starting her career as a digital meteorologist with
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
It Might Seem Odd, But April Is The Snowiest Month Of The Year In Parts Of The US
April brings to mind blooming flowers and greening vegetation, but for some, it can deliver blankets of wet, heavy snow, especially in one region where it's oddly the snowiest month of the year. April's Snowy Sweet Spot: The northern and central Rockies and adjacent High Plains, particularly the Black Hills of South Dakota, are the regions where the month is snowiest, based on the 1991-2020 average from data compiled by Alaska-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider. You can see these general regions in bright pink below, which shows where the month ranks in terms of average snowfall across North America. Some of these places will see snowfall late this week. Snow Is Typical in April For Many Others: Depending on the weather pattern in a given year, snowflakes can still blanket most other areas across the nation's northern tier and Mountain West. For example, April ranks as the 5th or 6th snowiest month for a majority of the Midwest and Northeast. Cities Where April Is Snowiest: In South Dakota's Black Hills, the town of Lead averages a stunning 29 inches of snow each April, and once was buried in 86.7 inches of snow in April 1984. It's also the snowiest month by at least a small margin in the following locations: Cheyenne, Wyoming (11.3 inches); Breckenridge, Colorado (28 inches); and Red Lodge, Montana (25.5 inches). Not Far Behind: Denver's snow history is complicated since observing sites have moved over the years. But, for all those sites combined dating to 1882 April ranks second snowiest (8.7 inches) behind March (11.4 inches). In Rapid City, South Dakota, April is second snowiest with 10 inches, which right behind March with 10.4 inches. April Brings Last Snow Of Season To Many: April is when the average last snow of the season (0.1 inches or greater) occurs from northern New England and parts of the interior Northeast to the Great Lakes, upper Midwest and Northern Plains. That includes Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit and Burlington, Vermont. Some cities in the West also see their average last measurable snow in the month, including Denver and Salt Lake City. April Snow Can Be Damaging: Since late-season snowfall is often wet and heavy, it can be a concern for causing tree damage and power outages. Early April 2024 featured a winter storm that brought heavy snow which, in combination with strong winds, downed trees and knocked out power in parts of several states, from Wisconsin and northern Michigan to upstate New York and northern New England. Chris Dolce has been a senior digital meteorologist with for nearly 15 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.
