December temperatures finally arrive in February

Observation by Wilson Justin:

This is the week that we haven't seen in December in decades. Average about 20 below at night, staying around 6 below during the day. The Chistochina River froze over and went to overflow by the second of February which means we went through the new year and January with the River running open. First time that I know of. The River hit January without freezing over I think by 2016 but always iced up shortly after the new year. I think in 2022 the Rivers will begin to run open year round. Also the average green line in the 1960 on the mountains was around 2500 feet. I guess today at 4500 feet or double in my lifetime.

Comments from LEO Editors:

This observation has been shared with the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Between 1949 and 2016, annual temperatures in the nearby community of Gulkana increased by 3 degrees Fahrenheit. The most significant seasonal temperature change occurs in winter, which has warmed 8.3 degrees Fahrenheit during the same period. During 2020, early winter temperatures trended warm before dropping to around 0 degrees and colder during February 2021.