Unrelenting Winter Warmth Could Herald Alaska’s Future

The first 100 days of 2016 were record warm for many spots around Alaska, continuing a pattern of warmth that has gripped the state over much of the last three years and looks to continue for at least the next few months.

The prolonged period of decidedly unusual balminess — the result of a particular combination of climate factors (and a nudge from long-term global warming) — comes with concerns for an earlier wildfire season, salmon die-offs and damage to roads and other infrastructure as seasonally frozen ground thaws early.
And such winters are only going to become more and more common as greenhouse gases continue to build up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The National Weather Service noted on Monday that this Jan.1 through April 9 was the warmest such period on record in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, as well as other spots.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/winter-warmth-could-herald-alaskas-future-20245