Title: Alaska’s Changing Environment | IARC
Headings: Alaska's Changing Environment 2019
Alaska's Changing Environment 2019
Documenting Alaska's physical and biological changes through observations
Seasons
Big fire seasons more frequent
Dramatically more smoky days
Storminess not increasing
River break-up happening earlier

Content: Since 2004, it has occurred five times, including twice since 2014. Storminess not increasing
Storminess, related to the frequency, duration, and intensity of wind, is one of the most important aspects of day-to-day weather for Alaskans. In and around Alaska there has been a slight overall decline in autumn (September–November) storminess over the past 40 years. Winter (December–February) storminess has shown no clear trend since 1990. There has also been no detectable trend in the number of moderate and strong storms during the past 70 years over the Bering and Chukchi Seas, where sea ice has retreated. However, even without an increase in storms, coastal flooding and erosion in these waters are increasing as the sea ice-free open water season lengthens. River break-up happening earlier
Alaskans have closely watched spring river ice break-up for millennia, and for generations have monitored the timing of the break-up of the Tanana River at Nenana. Break-up has trended earlier, especially in recent years. Four of the past six years have seen break-up earlier than all but one year prior to 1990. The earliest break-up in the history of the Nenana Ice Classic, by six days, was in 2019.