The capital city is enjoying its coldest weather in years, according to figures provided by the National Weather Service.
On Sunday and Monday, the thermometer at Juneau International Airport — the city’s official measuring point — bottomed out at 5 degrees. That’s the coldest temperature recorded at the airport since March 5, 2014, when the thermometer read 4 degrees.
In the Mendenhall Valley, which is typically colder than the airport or downtown, Sunday’s high temperature matched the low temperature at the airport.
That 5-degree reading was the lowest high temperature in the Valley since Jan. 7, 2009. At night, clear skies have permitted Valley temperatures to dip well below zero.
The low temperatures haven’t set any records, nor have they endangered the chances of Juneau recording its warmest year on record. When 2016 ends, it will beat the record previously set by 2015 as the warmest since accurate record-keeping began.
The Weather Service expects temperatures to gradually warm during the second half of the week, rising above the freezing point as early as Friday.
Clear conditions are expected to continue through Thursday night, when clouds begin to roll into the area. Precipitation is expected starting Friday and continuing through the weekend — whether it falls as snow or rain will depend on the temperature.
