Valdez, AK January Climate Extremes
![IMG_0729](http://thompsonpass.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_0729.jpg)
January 1, 2017 – Valdez City, Alaska 80cm/32in
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)