Blog 3: Contrast and Compare

Deadhorse, Alaska vs. Liberia, Costa Rica, what a combination of polar opposites. From the Arctic Circle to the Equatorial zone, maritime polar and continental polar, to maritime tropic, comparisons are few and far between, but contrasts are almost too many to list. Seasonality is opposite but the extremes are minimal for Liberia, whereas Deadhorse has utmost extremes. Liberia is now ending the rainy season (winter) and beginning an almost summertime season. Deadhorse on the other hand ended its warm season a month or two ago, and is almost in the death grips of winter. Daytime temperatures hover in the twenties and soon will be lower that, while lows are near zero and below, only to get even colder. No warm tropical breezes up here, however no arctic blasts of cold air travel down to Liberia either. The ITCZ plays a part in the movement of warm air north, but gets interrupted by the mid-latitude tropopause, and mixed in with the arctic tropopause.

The comparisons occur in geographies more so than weather. Both locations are in close proximity to oceans and very close in elevations but the difference in latitudes ends the similarities. Changes in latitudes result in changes in attitudes

                                      Ocean Fun in the Arctic!

                                      SeaWorld.org


                                      Where most people would enjoy ocean fun!!

                                 adorakamalia.blogspot.com

 Where would you enjoy yourself most? At 70N or 5N? I would rather be at 5N.
 

Blog Two, Air Masses and Maps

Blog 2                                                                                     Deadhorse, Alaska           

Deadhorse, being located in the Arctic, falls in the maritime arctic and continental arctic air masses. Its particular location, edging on the Beaufort Sea, places it in a semi permanent pressure pattern, named the Beaufort High, which is a high-pressure center or ridge, predominately present in winter. So what does that mean for the local weather? It is predominately blown in from the east and northeast. The Brooks mountain range to the southwest of Deadhorse, acts as the barrier to block air masses from the south, so for the local weather, the major influence is the ocean and the continental polar air mass. Combine these and small intense storms develop. Though short-lived, they can produce blizzard conditions in winter and near tropical conditions in summer. Fog and freezing mist are common conditions in the fall. The deep winter type conditions typically occur in late December through March.

            The image below, Figure 1, displays an updated daily prevalent weather condition. Interesting how fog consumes approximately one-quarter of the state.

Figure 1, courtesy of National Digital Forecast Database

Figure 2, courtesy of NOAA

Figure 2, is a Northern Hemisphere map of current frontal activity as of 11/1/11. As you view the North Alaskan coast you see the cold front approaching landfall verifying the forecast of : Overcast with snow showers. High of 27°F with a wind chill of -15°F. Winds from the SW at 20 mph with gusts to 44. Chance of snow 80% with accumulations up to 2.0 in possible. (1)

1. Weather Underground: Deadhorse Alpine Airstrip, AK.