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ALASKA and NORTHWESTERN CANADA 

Weather and Climate Highlights and Impacts, March-May 2018; Climate Outlook July– Sept. 2018
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Temperature & Precipitation, March-May 2018

Source: NOAA and ECCC 

Source: NOAA and ECCC 

The majority of the Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT), northern British Columbia, and the

southeastern part of Alaska had, on average, near normal temperatures between March and May

2018. Most of Alaska experienced significantly warmer than average conditions during that

period, while a small area in eastern central British Columbia saw below normal temperatures.

Total precipitation was above average over the majority of Alaska, along the shore of the Beaufort

Sea in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and over a very small area in eastern central British

Columbia. Below normal precipitation was observed over central Yukon and the southern half of

the Northwest Territories.

The photo above shows the 2018 ice break-up along the Yukon River on May 13th. The river ice

break-up was uneventful this year. Photo taken by Rampart and Tanana, courtesy of the National

Weather Service.

The region around Inuvik, NWT and the

southern Beaufort Sea experienced warmer

than average surface air temperature in the

spring of 2018. Warmer than average

temperatures, combined with thinner sea ice

than average, a lack of multiyear ice, and an

southeasterly wind generated conditions

favourable to the formation of leads in the sea

ice. These linear cracks in the sea ice

influence regional and local climate (albedo,

surface energy balance), and are important for

wildlife and marine navigation.

The photo on the right shows open leads over

the Beaufort Sea, and was taken on board an

Aklak Air flight between Inuvik and Sacks

Harbour on April 9th 2018 (Photo credit Armel

Castellan).
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Science, Outreach, and Community Engagement in the North

The 11th annual Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference : “Sharing Science and Knowledge”

The 11th annual Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference (WAISC) was held in Nome March 28th-30th and more than

100 people from across Alaska and elsewhere came to share and learn about a wide variety of topics of importance to western

Alaska. This conference is held every spring in a different community, and aims to explore the intersection of local and indigenous

knowledge of subsistence-based communities with scientific research relevant to the region.

This year’s focus was on effectively communicating science and traditional knowledge in rural communities. The record low sea ice

and impacts to subsistence activities in the Bering Sea this season was an important topic of conversation. Presentations covered a

wide range of topics including the low sea ice extent in an historical context, accessing weather information in a low bandwidth

environment, home energy efficiency, and Indigenous empowerment in science of and for western Alaska. 

On the right, James Nicori from Bethel speaks to the opening session of the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference

on the importance of western science connecting with the Yup’ik and Inupiaq knowledge in western Alaska.

Photo credit: Gay Sheffield/University of Alaska Fairbanks NW Campus.

User-driven monitoring of adverse marine and weather states in the

Eastern Beaufort Sea

As part of the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response

(MEOPAR) project, scientists from the University of Victoria, joined by a

representative of Environment and Climate Change Canada, visited the

hamlets of Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik in the

Northwest Territories in April 2018.

The focus of the trip was to establish and strengthen relationships within

these communities, and to participate in engagement and outreach activities

with local residents. Activities included the sharing of local weather

knowledge, the introduction of weather products currently available over the

Canadian Arctic, and discussions on how to best tailor weather products to

the needs of the communities. Public meetings were hosted in Ulukhaktok to

share information on the MEOPAR project, and to learn from hunters, mayors

and Elders about their way of life, traditions, and concerns. The sharing of

knowledge highlighted the potential impact of hazardous weather to

Indigenous Peoples and communities and Northerners.

The trip also allowed the MEOPAR project to partner with local residents to build capacity in understanding and interpreting weather products and services. 

Local research assistants will visit the University of Victoria and the Prairie and Arctic Storm Prediction Centre as part of a training and knowledge exchange

opportunity in December 2018. This partnership will provide two-way sharing of knowledge between researchers and Indigenous Peoples and communities and

Northerners. 

Matthew Asplin and David Atkinson connect instruments in

strong winds and -25°C on a boundary-layer scientific tower.

Photo credit: Armel Castellan.

Sachs Harbour is named after the ship 'Mary Sachs' of the Canadian Arctic

Expedition of 1913. Photo credit: Armel Castellan.
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Sea Ice Conditions at the end of May 2018 in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

Ice extent in the Bering Sea was the by far lowest on record during the

entire spring. The average ice extent for March through May was only 6%

of the 1981-2010 average. Additionally, there was a lack of shorefast ice

in many areas, resulting in significant impacts to subsistence activities. At

the end of May, there was virtually no ice left in the Bering Sea except in

some protected bays. Ice in the southern Chukchi Sea started to open up

very early, and average ice extent for both April and May were the lowest

in the past 40 years. By the end of May, open water extended to

71°N and Kotzebue Sound was nearly ice free.

The onset of ice breakup began earlier than normal in the southeastern

Beaufort Sea area as well as the region southwest of Point Barrow. Late

winter and spring temperatures have been much warmer than normal.

Favorable southeasterly winds during the last month has also contributed

to the early ice breakup. Ice conditions in the southeastern Beaufort Sea

and Amundsen Gulf area are about 3-4 weeks earlier than normal. The

area of open water west and southwest of Point Barrow usually doesn’t

appear until the middle of July, representing sea ice conditions about 6

weeks earlier than normal.

Temperature Outlook: July-Sept. 2018 Precipitation Outlook: July-Sept. 2018

A combined Canada-USA climate forecast model is used to provide

temperature and precipitation outlook for July-September 2018.

The temperature outlook for July through September 2018 shows that the

majority of Alaska and northwest Canada have a 40-95% chance of

above average temperature, with chances of above average temperature

decreasing with increasing latitude. A small area along the coast of the

Beaufort Sea and extending to Banks Island in the Northwest Territories

(NWT), on the other hand, show 40-80% chance of below normal

temperatures.

The precipitation outlook for July through September 2018 shows that

most of Alaska, the Yukon, and the northwest part of the NWT have a 40-

60% chance of above normal precipitation, while a small region of

southern Alaska along the coast, most of northwest BC, and most of

inland NWT have a 40-70% likelihood of below normal precipitation.

Content and graphics prepared in partnership with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, NOAA National Weather 

Service Alaska Region, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. 

ALASKA REGION PARTNERS: Alaska Climate Research Center, Alaska Climate Science Center, National Snow and Ice Data Center 

(NSIDC), NOAA / NWS Weather Forecast Offices, NOAA / NESDIS / NCEI, Scenarios Network for Alaska + Arctic Planning. 

NOAA ALASKA REGION CONTACTS: 

RICK THOMAN richard.thoman@noaa.gov

ncei.noaa.gov • #regionalclimateoutlooks

BRIAN BRETTSCHNEIDER: ACCAP 

brbrettschneider@alaska.edu

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE 

CANADA WESTERN CONTACTS: 

LISA ERVEN lisa.erven@canada.ca 

ARMEL CASTELLAN 

armel.castellan@canada.ca

GABRIELLE GASCON 

gabrielle.gascon@canada.ca