Warm and dry May balances Juneau’s wet winter

A child in a life jacket jumps off a dock onto a unicorn pool float in a lake
Families played in the water at Auke Lake on a very warm June 1, 2022. (Photo by Paige Sparks/KTOO)

It was a rather dry and warm May in Juneau, but you don’t have to feel guilty for enjoying it.

Juneau got 2.78 inches of precipitation the entire month of May. The average temperature — for day and night — was 48.1 degrees. 

Two boys jumping into a lake at once
Parker Fenumiai and Isaiah Sipniewski do cannonballs at Auke Lake on June 1 2022, (Photo by Paige Sparks/KTOO)

According to the National Weather Service in Juneau, that wasn’t too far out of the norm for May in Southeast Alaska. Meteorologist Rick Fritsch says it was drier than normal but not approaching drought.

Fritsch says that part of the reason there’s minimal concern is that last winter was very wet.

From 1943 up until now, that December, January, February was the wettest on record,” he said.

One impact of the recent dry spell is that the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures has been a lot higher than usual. That’s because clouds aren’t around to trap heat in after the sun goes down.

So, while it’s been hot during the day, it’s been colder than normal at night. 

For now, it looks like the dry and sunny weather will last through Friday. The highs are predicted to be in the mid 70s, with lows in the 50s.

Yvonne Krumrey

Local News Reporter, KTOO

Juneau is built on hidden and assumed layers of power and access, influencing how we interact with identity, with the law and with each other. I bring you stories of the gaps in access to power, and those who are working to close those gaps.

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