Anchorage Breaks Heat Record, in Unusually Warm Summer

July 31,2013

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Kan Kil floats face-first in the cool waters of Campbell Creek, near Lake Otis Parkway, while beating the heat on Tuesday, July 30, 2013. Anchorage broke a record on Tuesday for hitting 70 degrees or more for the 14th straight day. (AP Photo/Anchorage Daily News, Bill Roth)

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska  — Anchorage has set a record for the most consecutive days over 70 degrees during this unusually warm summer, while Fairbanks is closing in on its own seasonal heat record.
The National Weather Service said Alaska's largest city topped out at 70 degrees at 4 p.m. Tuesday, making it the 14th straight day the thermometer read 70 or higher. That breaks a record of 13 straight days set in 2004.
(MORE:  Anchorage Forecast)
In Fairbanks, temperatures Monday reached 80 or higher for the 29th day this summer. The record is 30 days of 80 degrees or higher, set in 2004.
Tuesday's high in Fairbanks was 77, weather service meteorologist Scott Berg said there's still an opportunity for a milestone.
"We have 80s forecast every day this week, so we're probably going to get that record; it all depends on cloud cover," Berg told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. "We're going to stay in this warm trend at least into the weekend."
To put it in perspective, Fairbanks has an average of 11 days a summer when temperatures reach the 80-degree mark.
Alaska's second-largest city usually has three days a summer of 85 degrees or hotter. This year it's been 85 degrees or warmer on 12 days, breaking the record of 10 days that was set in 1987 and tied in 1990.
Temperatures are projected to cool off a bit next week, but there's still no rain in the forecast.
"We're looking at temperatures closer to normal in the low 70s or around 70," Berg said. "There's potential for showers and sprinkles, but for the most part it looks like it's going to be nice."
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For the second year, brown bears in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve will be broadcast live on webcams as they hunt for salmon. (Keren Su/Getty Images)