With Alaska in the midst of a truly unprecedented heat wave that's driven by the climate crisis, according to experts, Anchorage—the state’s biggest city—reached an all-time high temperature of 32.2°C (90°F) on July 4th, 2019.
Anchorage reached 32.2°C just hours after the city hit 31.6°C (89°F), shattering the previous high of 29.4°C (85°F) set in June 1969, as reported by the Anchorage National Weather Service.
UPDATE! At 5pm this afternoon, #Anchorage International Airport offically hit 90 degrees for the first time on record. #AKwx #RecordHeat
— NWS Anchorage (@NWSAnchorage) July 5, 2019
It's 90 degrees in Anchorage, Alaska today for the first time in recorded history.
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) July 5, 2019
We are in a climate emergency, America. https://t.co/ySYbbexNNd
It's 90 degrees in Anchorage, Alaska today for the first time in recorded history.
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) July 5, 2019
We are in a climate emergency, America. https://t.co/ySYbbexNNd
This isn't just breaking a record--it's obliterating a record that's stood for more than half a century. https://t.co/rybQkET2bC
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) July 5, 2019
The record heat forced officials to cancel planned 4th of July firework celebrations because of wildfire concerns. The Alaska state fire marshal had already banned the sale and personal use of fireworks throughout much of the state because of the unusually hot weather.
According to the Times, temperatures could rise even higher.
“This is unprecedented,” said Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. “I tease people that Anchorage is the coolest city in the country—and climatically that is true—but right now we are seeing record heat.”
Anchorage, Alaska / Paxson Woelber / Flickr Creative Commons
News of Anchorage’s record-breaking heat came after data from the U.N.-backed Copernicus Climate Change Service demonstrated that June 2019 was the hottest June ever recorded.
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