March Temperatures in Alaska: 20 Degrees Hotter Than Usual

Temperature records have been set across the state, including in Kotzebue, where the thermometer reached 42 degrees Fahrenheit on the last day of March — 30 degrees above normal. Two factors led to the March extremes, said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy in Fairbanks. As the jet stream dipped down over the Midwest and East, bringing Arctic air with it, it trapped a region of warmer, high-pressure air over Alaska.

Source: www.nytimes.com