Alaska Heat Wave: What 80 Degrees Means for a State Built for Winter
While much of the lower 48 is baking in triple-digit heat this summer, Alaska is experiencing its own version of a heat wave. For Iowans used to sweltering summers, the idea of a heat advisory in Alaska might sound strange. But when temperatures in the Susitna Valley approach 80 degrees, it creates unique challenges for a state where almost no one has air conditioning.
On Friday afternoon, parts of Southcentral Alaska were placed under a heat advisory lasting through Sunday evening. Daytime highs could reach 80 degrees. That may sound pleasant to Iowans enduring near-100 degree temperatures, but in Alaska, 80 degrees is a different beast entirely.
Why 80 Degrees in Alaska Is Different
The impact of a heat wave in Alaska is not the same as in the lower 48. Most homes and businesses in Alaska lack air conditioning because the need is so rare. Buildings are designed to maximize passive solar warming, with large windows that turn homes into greenhouses on hot days.
Alaskans are also not acclimated to high temperatures. They break out shorts and t-shirts when the mercury hits 50 degrees. This is the same phenomenon seen in Texas, where residents bundle up when temperatures drop to 48 degrees. For a native Iowan, 48 degrees barely calls for a jacket.
Where the Heat Will Hit Hardest
The warmest temperatures will be in the Mat-Su Valley, the Copper River Basin, along the Sterling Highway, and in eastern parts of Anchorage from midtown to Muldoon. Not everyone in Southcentral Alaska will feel the heat. Areas near Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound, and the Gulf of Alaska will see cooler conditions, with highs only in the upper 60s to lower 70s.
In the Interior, summer temperatures can push 90 degrees, while winter temperatures can drop to 40 below. That extreme range is part of life in Alaska.
What Comes Next: A Return to Normal
Next week brings a pattern shift. A low pressure system in the Bering Sea will move into Western Alaska, bringing clouds, rain, and winds back to Southcentral Alaska. Highs will fall back into the low to mid 60s, with most rain expected in the Western Susitna Valley and areas along the Cook Inlet region.
For now, Alaskans are making do. As one resident put it, It's worth the occasional uncomfortably warm day in a greenhouse of a home, just to live here. And if it's bad enough, we can always hop in the truck and go for a ride. Cars and trucks, even in Alaska, do have air conditioning.
The heat wave is a reminder that even in the Great Land, summer can bring surprises. But as the saying goes, six months from now, when it's 20 below zero, we'll talk again.