The rain might have obscured it for many Juneauites, but the capital city enjoyed a record-breaking heat wave over the weekend.
According to figures from the National Weather Service office in Juneau, high temperatures have set or tied all-time records across Southeast Alaska as warm air flows into the region from the central Pacific.
On Saturday, the high temperature of 54 degrees tied the record for the date, set last year. Sitka, at 56 degrees, also tied its record high. That mark was set in 1958.
On Friday, the measuring station at Juneau International Airport — the official measuring point for the capital city — saw 54 degrees, two degrees above the record for that date, set in 2006.
Records at the airport date to 1943.
Ketchikan and Sitka saw record highs on Friday as well. It was 64 degrees in Sitka and 67 in Ketchikan, marks that broke records set for that date in 1969.
Temperatures receded from record territory on Sunday, which saw a high of 51 degrees in Juneau — five degrees below the record for the date, set in 1979.
Above-normal temperatures are expected to continue through the start of the week before a storm from the west brings cooler, wetter conditions.
While the rain has been consistent in October, it hasn’t been heavy — at least according to the gauges at the airport.
Through midnight Monday morning, the capital city has seen 4.81 inches of rain in October, a figure that is about a half-inch below normal for the month, which is the rainiest of the year.
Thus far this year, Juneau has seen 68.12 inches of precipitation (rain and melted snow combined), almost 21 inches above normal for this point in the year.
