Valdez, AK January Climate Extremes

We are well into our third consecutive winter in the City of Valdez without a major wind event (+60mph) or significant snowfall event (+20″/24hr). The current snowpack depth and seasonal snowfall totals are slightly above average.

A couple things stick out when running the numbers on Valdez climate history for January. I am only using data from 1964 to 2015. Observations prior to these dates have some minor gaps, so I throw them out except for records.

A glance at the numbers show the 1960’s were much colder than recent decades., If you know an “Old Towner ” it might be interesting to poke their memory. When they say it used to be colder in Valdez, they are not kidding! The January before the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake was one of the coldest months ever and recorded a-14F. And it was also one of the driest.

Also of note is the continued decline of snowfall amounts in Valdez, which as to what they were 1980-2000.

January Weather Trivia

1964 – 2015 (I”/F°)

Average Snowfall for January

2006-2015   62

1981-1990   75

1960-1969   34

Snowiest Januarys

2007 – 143 (WOW!)

1987 – 128

1989  – 119

2001  – 116

2007 – 107

2012 – 105

Least Snowiest Januarys

1996 – 4

1970 – 8

1964 – 13

1982 – 19

1966 – 24

Greatest 24hr January snowfalls

1990 – 48 (WOW!!)

1993 – 31

1989 – 31

2004 – 30

1986 – 30

Wettest Januarys

2014 – 13.9

2001 – 15.2

1981 – 12.5

1987 – 12.4

1977 – 11.8

Driest Januarys

1969 – .09

1996 – .23

1964 – .87

1966 – 1.4

1982 – 1.6

Warmest January Day

2005 – 54

2015 – 51

2011 – 48

1991 – 46

2003 – 43

 

Coldest January Day

1964   -14

1966   -13

1969   -12

1989   – 8

1976   – 4

1984   – 3

(1951   -24 record)