Alaska's first-ever Heat Advisory issued as Fairbanks sees temps soar

Watermelon aurora dances across the Alaskan sky

A photographer in Alaska captured the imagery of the northern lights across the Last Frontier.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – For the first time, the National Weather Service office in Fairbanks, Alaska, has issued a Heat Advisory, marking a significant shift in how Alaskans are alerted to unusually warm conditions.

Until recently, Fairbanks and other Alaskan forecast offices didn’t have the ability to issue such advisories, instead relying on Special Weather Statements to alert the public about sudden heat.

That changed on June 2, when adjusted procedures granted Alaskan offices the authority to use the Heat advisory product, aligning them more closely with practices used across the Lower 48.

The criteria for when an alert is issued vary across the Last Frontier, with some areas along the North Slope needing only to reach 75 degrees, while Fairbanks’ threshold is a warmer 85 degrees.

The NWS office in Fairbanks anticipates several upcoming days will hit at least 85 degrees, so a Heat Advisory will go into effect for the city’s more than 30,000 residents.

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Heat Advisory shown in orange on the National Weather Service map.

(NOAA)

An observed temperature of 85 degrees is 15-20 degrees above average for mid-June, but it’s still well below the all-time record of 96 degrees, set in 1969.

While the temps may seem modest compared to those seen during heat waves in the Lower 48, locals said the alert reflects the region’s unique vulnerabilities in coping with unusual warmth.

For example, the Haas Energy Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, estimates that about 7% of households across the state have sufficient air conditioning.

The lack of A/C, combined with actions like closing blinds and curtains to block over 20 hours of sunlight during meteorological summer, can interfere with a building’s natural ventilation and cause indoor temperatures to climb to uncomfortable levels.

Additionally, with more than 50 million acres of wilderness protected by various conservation groups, the state offers endless outdoor activities, and many Alaskans spend a large portion of their day outside.

So, when temperatures reach the mid-80s, it can place stress on a population more accustomed to the 60s and 70s this time of year.

View looking across Derwentwater towards Catbells and Causey Pike in summer.

(Photo by: Loop Images/Nigel Kirby/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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For now, Alaskan NWS offices still won’t issue what are known as Heat Watches or Heat Warnings, which are reserved for more extreme heat impacts typically seen in the Lower 48.

Forecasters said cities such as Anchorage and Juneau will rarely meet the criteria for a Heat Advisory, since the cooling influence of the North Pacific Ocean plays a major role in moderating temperatures.

However, Fairbanks is farther inland and well removed from ocean influence, making it more vulnerable to heat waves, dry spells and wildfires, which can also affect air quality.

On average, the city’s warmest high temperature reaches about 74 degrees during early July before starting its daily plunge and reaching the lower 60s by the time summer ends.