State of the climate continues to track global change
By Heather McFarland | UAF on Comments Off on State of the climate continues to track global change
Photo courtesy of Deadhorse Aviation Center Cloud shadows dapple the airstrip at Deadhorse, Alaska, where temperatures hit a record high of 89 degrees Fahrenheit in summer 2024.
The American Meteorological Society released its annual State of the Climate report this week, providing a comprehensive overview of global conditions in 2024. University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists contributed data and analysis for the Arctic and Alaska regions, as they have for years.
Rick Thoman was the lead editor of the Arctic chapter this year, and several other UAF scientists authored sections of the report. Their contributions demonstrate that increasing air, ocean and ground temperatures; greater precipitation; and declining snow and sea ice cover are transforming Alaska and the Arctic.
“The Arctic environment in 2024 continued on a trajectory that has put it in a state far different from that of the 20th century,” said Thoman, a climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness. “Ongoing accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continues to quickly warm the Arctic, resulting in rapid changes in the cryosphere that are driving cascading impacts to climate, ecological and societal systems.”
The following highlights represent key contributions shared by UAF authors within the Arctic chapter of the State of the Climate. These authors included Thoman, Tom Ballinger, Rick Lader, John Walsh, Uma Bhatt, Chris Waigl, Vladimir Romanovsky and Skip Walker.
2024 was the second-warmest year on record (since 1900) in the Arctic.
Deadhorse reached 89 degrees Fahrenheit on Aug. 6, 2024, the highest temperature ever recorded in Alaska north of 70 degrees latitude.
2024 experienced the third-highest average precipitation (since 1950) in the Arctic and the highest summer (July-September) precipitation.
Permafrost temperatures rose again after several years of slight cooling. 2024 marked the highest temperature ever recorded at a few sites.
Satellite observations of plant color show that vegetation across the North American Arctic was the greenest ever observed (since 2000). And Alaska’s North Slope was much greener than average. This trend is primarily driven by warmer summers, which make vegetation more productive. Greening is also associated with the expansion of shrubs into areas where small tundra plants once dominated.
Documenting these occurrences annually makes the State of the Climate a key resource for understanding and tracking climate change globally and in Alaska.
The State of the Climate is a supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society and has been produced since 1996. To learn more about climate reports, review the Quick Guide to Climate Reports.
