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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
146 AM AKDT WED MAY 16 2012

...THE FIRST HALF OF MAY AT FAIRBANKS...
...COOL AND DRY...

THROUGH MAY 15TH...THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE THIS MAY AT THE
FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OF 41.8 DEGREES IS 4 DEGREES
BELOW NORMAL. THE MONTH GOT OFF TO AN UNSEASONABLY COLD START THAT
ACCOUNTED FOR MUCH OF THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL. THE HIGH ON THE
1ST WAS ONLY 32 DEGREES...WHICH WAS THE LOWEST HIGH TEMPERATURE
EVER OBSERVED ON MAY 1ST AT FAIRBANKS. IT WAS ALSO THE LOWEST HIGH
TEMPERATURE OBSERVED DURING THE MONTH OF MAY SINCE 2001 WHEN THE
HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 31 DEGREES ON MAY 3RD. THE HIGH HIGH
TEMPERATURE OF THE 2ND WAS NOT MUCH WARMER WITH A HIGH OF ONLY 35
DEGREES. TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO MODERATE SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE
AFTERNOON OF THE 3RD...AND WERE BACK TO NEAR NORMAL BY THE 4TH.
TEMPERATURES SINCE THE 4TH HAVE MOSTLY NOT STRAYED TOO FAR FROM
NORMAL...ALTHOUGH THE 15TH WAS A FAIRLY COOL DAY WITH A HIGH OF
ONLY 50.

SO FAR THIS MONTH A TOTAL OF 14 HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH OF RAIN AND
A TRACE OF SNOW HAS BEEN OBSERVED AT FAIRBANKS. ON AVERAGE...BY
THE 15TH OF THE MONTH A TOTAL OF 25 HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH OF RAIN
HAS BEEN OBSERVED AT THE AIRPORT...BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY YEARS
WITH LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION DURING THE FIRST HALF OF MAY. JUST
LAST YEAR THERE WAS NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION DURING THE FIRST
HALF OF MAY.

MODERATING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEK WITH HIGHS WELL
INTO THE 60S BY THURSDAY...AND TO NEAR 70 BY FRIDAY. THE NORMAL
HIGH TODAY IS 61 DEGREES WITH A LOW OF 38.

AS OF YESTERDAY THERE WAS 24 HOURS OF CIVIL TWILIGHT...OR USABLE
DAYLIGHT AT FAIRBANKS.THE MIDNIGHT SUN WILL MAKE AN APPEARANCE ON
THE 29TH WHEN SUNSET IS NOT UNTIL 1201 AM ON THE MORNING OF THE
30TH.

$$

CB