Since I've lived here, every year it has shown me that the winters in Alaska are getting shorter and shorter. It is alarming because at this pace, Alaska will be similar to California.
Observation by Sherry Moua
In my ten years in Alaska, I have noticed different climate changes while growing up. I moved up here when I was 10 years old during the middle of winter. It was my first winter and that lasted for about seven to eight months for winter to pass and then another two to three months for the "melting" season to occur. The "melting" season is when all the snow melts and all that's left are murky puddles and fields of damp grass. Last year for example, the winter had ended a month or two early and summer had become intensely hot as well. This year, winter had ended three to two months early as well. Summer had come earlier than expected and the "melting" season has already passed. Normally by the end of May does the snow finish melting. However it's already the end of April and the "melting" season had already passed. Since I've lived here, every year it has shown me that the winters in Alaska are getting shorter and shorter. It is alarming because at this pace, Alaska will be similar to California.
Comments from LEO Editors:
2019 was the warmest year in Alaska since 1949 according to the Alaska Climate Research Center 2019 Report. In 2020, we saw a very warm November-December and January 2021 Alaska Climate Research Center January 2021 Report, while in February and March Alaska observed much colder than usual temperatures with the largest departures from normal in the interior of the state. Anchorage ended a period of consecutive days without a high temperature at or above freezing on March 24th, marking the 2nd longest streak recorded (57 days) according to the Alaska Climate Research Center March 2021 Report. December through February of 2021 made the coldest winter in the Arctic since 1992. This is not unexpected as 2020/21 is a La Niña year and Alaska does not typically feel the effects until later in the winter, as described in the Alaska Climate Research Center February 2021 Report. For the 2020 year, Alaska was noticeably cooler than in the previous seven years. According to the 2020 Year in Review:
"The North Slope, Interior, and Panhandle regions were wetter than normal. This ended drought conditions in the Panhandle that had lasted for 18 months. The West Coast, Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay regions were drier than normal, with moderate drought conditions developing over Kotzebue and Kodiak Island in August. Above average snowfall was observed in Anchorage, Bettles and Fairbanks, with below average snowfall in Juneau for the year."
The attached documents and graphics report more information on these findings. To summarize the overall pattern, the past two winters (though this past winter set cold-temperature records) have been warming compared to the long-term averages and have been affecting snowfall and snow melt. This pattern of warmer and more wet (in some places) winters appear to invite springs earlier than historically seen. Chyna Williams
Observations From Members 
