America's Northernmost Town, Barrow, AK, Posts Earliest-Ever Snowmelt; Beats Record By 10 Days

The nation's northernmost community posted its earliest snowmelt on record, federal scientists reported. The snow at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Barrow Observatory, part of a network of observatories monitoring weather and climate in the Arctic and elsewhere, started to melt on May 13. That was 10 days earlier than the previous record for Barrow, which was set in 2002 NOAA said.

The quick melt of Barrow's snow followed a series of other quick warmups and temperature records in Alaska and around the Arctic and subarctic. It also fits a pattern, with similar events happening in the prior two years.

"Everything is early. That is a fact," said Rick Thoman, Alaska climate science and services manager for the National Weather Service. "Once again, we have all of these individual features, all of the individual factors working in concert."

Alaska's year-to-date average temperature was the highest on record and 11.4 degrees Fahrenheit above the 1925-2000 average, NOAA reported in a national climate summary. Barrow, Nome and Anchorage posted record-warm temperatures for the entire month of April, NOAA said, and numerous other daily temperature records fell around the state.


EDIT

http://www.adn.com/arctic/2016/05/23/barrow/