Some characteristics of the climate in northern Alaska, USA

The climate of northern Alaska is strongly influenced by the ocean, not only during the summer months, as reported in the early literature, but also during the winter months as a result of the increased heat flux to the atmosphere from sea ice and leads over the ocean compared to the land. The air temperature remains below the freezing point through most of the year. National Weather Service records have underestimated annual total precipitation, on average, by 75%, varying from 20% to 180%, and snowfall by a factor of 2.6, ranging from 1.0 to 6.0, compared with the ''true'' values measured by Wyoming gauges. Precipitation, measured by Wyoming gauges in the eastern part of the region, increases with distance from the ocean and with elevation. Snow covers the ground surface for more than 8 mo yr(-1). The climate of northern Alaska can be divided into three different zones: Arctic Coastal, Arctic Inland, and Arctic Foothills. The Arctic Coastal zone is characterized by cool summers and relatively warm winters, due to the impact of the ocean. Precipitation is the lowest in the region, and more than 50% falls as snow. The Arctic Inland zone has the warmest summers and coldest winters in the region although its mean annual air temperature is very close to the values of the Arctic Coastal zone to the north. Precipitation is higher than in the Arctic Coastal zone and about 40 to 45% occurs as snow. The Arctic Foothills zone has the warmest winters in the region, due to the influence of the weaker atmospheric temperature inversion compared with the coast, but its summer temperature is slightly colder than that of the Arctic Inland zone. Precipitation is the highest in the region and snowfall accounts for about 40% of it.