000
CXAK57 PAJK 022102
CLMASI
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
1251 PM AKDT MON OCT 02 2023

...................................

...THE SITKA CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD: 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1944 TO 2023

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR`S
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE
                                          NORMAL
..............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH             77   09/05/1986
                       09/04/1986
 LOW              31   09/26/1956
HIGHEST           72   09/10         67       5
LOWEST            44   09/23         40       4
AVG. MAXIMUM    59.3               57.9     1.4
AVG. MINIMUM    51.2               48.5     2.7
MEAN            55.3               53.2     2.0
DAYS MAX >= 90     0                0.0     0.0
DAYS MAX <= 32     0                0.0     0.0
DAYS MIN <= 32     0                0.0     0.0
DAYS MIN <= 0      0                0.0     0.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM       20.59   1987
 MINIMUM        3.55   2018
TOTALS         18.79              11.69    7.10
DAILY AVG.      0.63               0.39    0.24
DAYS >= .01       25               22.4     2.6
DAYS >= .10       19               17.5     1.5
DAYS >= .50        9                8.4     0.6
DAYS >= 1.00       6                3.2     2.8
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL   4.53   09/13 TO 09/14


DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    288                354     -66
 SINCE 7/1       586                857    -271
COOLING TOTAL      2                  0       2
 SINCE 1/1         4                  1       3

FREEZE DATES
EARLIEST                        10/08
LATEST                          03/14
..............................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              8.4
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    35/160    DATE  09/17
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    47/150    DATE  09/17


WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                6     RAIN                      13
LIGHT RAIN               26     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0
LIGHT SNOW                0     SLEET                      0
FOG                      18     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      0
HAZE                      9

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

$$

...MUCH ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL AND MARGINALLY ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES FOR SEPTEMBER...

Warm air advection associated with several frontal systems resulted
in daily average temperatures above normal for the month. Departures
from normal ranged from 0.3 degrees in Yakutat to 2.1 degrees in
Sitka. At all 4 climate sites, the departures from normal were more
the result of warmer overnight lows than daytime highs, and this
hase been a trend we have observed for many months now.

Several strong frontal systems with associated atmospheric rivers
resulted in above normal rainfall for the month at all 4 climate
sites, with departures from normal ranging from 2% above at Yakutat
to 61% at Sitka. In fact, Sitka came close to recording a new
precipitation record for the month, rivaling the 20.59 inches that
fell in 1987. Minor flooding was reported at Indian River near
Sitka. More notable was the moderate flooding observed at Jordan
Creek in Juneau. Multiple homes and several businesses in the
business complex (Jordan Creek Center) adjacent to the creek were
affected. At least 1 home resorted to using a pump to remove water
from a crawlspace during the height of the event. Parking areas,
yards, a local street (Jordan Creek Rd), and driveways had 6 to 12
inches of standing water on them.

Numerous temperature and precipitation records were broken during
the month. Ketchikan Airport set a new daily rainfall record with
4.96 inches on the 11th - a full 35% more than the previous record
of 2.48 inches set way back in 1937. Juneau International Airport
set a new daily rainfall record with 1.36 inches on the 12th, which
broke the old record of 1.03 inches set back in 2009. On the 14th,
both the Juneau and Sitka airports broke 24-hour rainfall records.
Juneau received 2.13 inches of rainfall, exceeding their old record
of 1.62 inches set back in 1952. Sitka received 3.88 inches of
rainfall, exceeding their old record of 3.47 inches set back in
1972. On the 21st, Sitka received 3.57 inches of rainfall, which
broke their old record of 3.1 inches set back in 1994. Quite the wet
month in Sitka! Sitka also posted 2 record warm days; on the 10th
with 72 degrees and on the the 25th with 66 degrees, records set in
2018 and 1944, respectively.

Chambers/Fritsch
$$