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Climate Change in Alaska's Arctic: Observations and Impacts

This article explores the changing climate in Alaska's Arctic region, including temperature increase, growing season lengthening, precipitation decrease, sea ice extent decrease, and wildfire increase.

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Climate Change in Alaska's Arctic: Observations and Impacts

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  1. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Observed Climate Changein Northern Alaska Martha Shulski Alaska Climate Research Center Geophysical Institute, UAF http://climate.gi.alaska.edu MODIS image, courtesy of GINA

  2. Beaufort HighBeaufort Gyre Siberian Shelf Canada Basin Beaufort Sea Chukchi Sea Beaufort Shelf Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region

  3. Siberian Shelf Canada Basin Beaufort Sea Jan Jul Chukchi Sea Beaufort Shelf Calm: <2% Speed: 5 m/s Prevailing winds Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Beaufort HighBeaufort Gyre

  4. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region T = -12°C P = 10 cm S = 86 cm Snowcover Sept - June Barrow, Kuparuk Prudhoe Bay, Umiat

  5. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Comparison to rest of Alaska Driest Dry www.prism.oregonstate.edu

  6. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Comparison to rest of Alaska Driest Summer thermal gradient www.prism.oregonstate.edu

  7. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Meteorological observing stations

  8. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Meteorological stations Lack of spatial detail!!- inland - high elevation

  9. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Data Problems anemometer icing

  10. Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region Data Problems measuring precipitation accurately US NWS 8" non-recording gauge Photo by S. Berezovskaya (UAF) Double Fence IntercomparisonReference (DFIR) Photo by D.Yang (UAF)

  11. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Temperature increase

  12. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Walsh and Chapman http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/

  13. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background winter spring autumn summer Walsh and Chapman http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/

  14. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Growing season increase

  15. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Sea ice decrease Beaufort Sea

  16. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Sea ice decrease Beaufort Sea

  17. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Wildfire increase Alaska Fire Service http://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/stats/2007stats.pdf

  18. Alaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region Geographical and Meteorological Background Wildfire increase • Anaktuvuk FireStatistics • tundra • limited protection • 40% of total area • > 200,000 acres • > all historical fires north of 68° Alaska Fire Service http://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/stats/2007stats.pdf

  19. >> Environmental data for the Arctic Network parks http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/nps/reports/2007_04_23_arcninventory_final.pdf Alaska’s Arctic: Upcoming products Geographical and Meteorological Background >> New PRISM data (1971 - 2000) >> New plant hardiness maps (USDA)

  20. Climate Change in Northern Alaska Geographical and Meteorological Background • Temperature Increase: Warming most pronounced in winter and spring • GGD increase, lengthening of growing season • Precipitation decrease seen in observations • Sea ice extent decrease • Wildfire increase

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