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Last month was the second hottest June on record in Kodiak., with five all-time high temperature records for individual days being broken. The all-time hottest June record was set nearly a century ago in 1936 at a 60.3 degree average temperature- June 2022 averaged out at 56.2 degrees.
According to National Weather Service meteorologist Carson Jones, these temperatures wouldn’t have been possible without unusual summertime weather.
“We’ve had a, what we call a blocking high pressure system that’s been pretty much engulfed over the entire state of Alaska and what that does is it just really prevents any storm systems from coming into the state,” Jones said.
That system has also made skies unusually clear, and dried up much of the state. Kodiak received less than a third of its average rainfall throughout June, and other parts of southern Alaska saw similarly high temperatures and dry conditions.
Things should start to cool off towards the end of the summer, according to Jones.
“Looking at some of the outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center, it does look like the rest of the summer is looking, leaning towards being above average for temperatures, most of that falling in July, and then kind of moving to more equal chances for normal temperatures, as we move into August, and then September,” Jones said.
If this weekend is any indication – Jones says the rain will also return to average levels, or even above average levels.