Record cold will grip interior Alaska this week. Low temperatures may dip asmuch as 50 degrees below zero.High pressure will build overhead. Meanwhile, the jet stream will remain southof Alaska, keeping any mild, Pacific air from entering the state.
Record temperatures in Fairbanks, for example, will be between 40 and 45degrees below zero over the next few days.
Several snow storms have pounded Alaska in recent days. With clear skies andlight winds, temperatures will tank. Temperatures will get colder and colderday by day. The reason is the days are so short this time of year. The sunrises at 9:30 in the morning and sets around 3:30 p.m. in Fairbanks. That is 18hours per day with dropping temperatures.
Records across other parts of the state are as follows. Anchorage is 15 to 20degrees below zero. Juneau's records are zero to 5 above.
The pattern will remain entrenched across the 49th state through at leastmidweek, then some modification is expected as the pattern begins to shift.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Dave Samuhel
