The Alaska heat wave hit the 49th state after the long, long winter that ended in the middle of May, and brought the state to record-breaking temperatures of over 90 degrees.
An arctic jet stream, an air current that flows high above the earth, has been behaving abnormally for the past 3 years. Many are correlating its strange behavior to crazy weather conditions, including sea ice conditions in the Arctic during the summer last year and the Alaska heat wave this year.
Jeff Masters, the meteorology director at Water Underground comments on the Alaska heat wave saying, "I've been doing meteorology for 30 years and the jet stream the last three years has done stuff I've never seen. The fact that the jet stream is unusual could be an indicator of something. I'm not saying we know what it is."
Rutgers University climate scientist Jennifer Francis claims saying, "It's been just a crazy fall and winter and spring all along, following a very abnormal sea ice condition in the Arctic. It's possible [the Alaska Heat Wave] in this unusual weather is all connected."
The National Weather Service has issued warnings (in effect until Wednesday) for parts of Alaska due to its dry, windy conditions during the Alaska heat wave, which can bring about wildfires.
The Weather Channel meteorologist Melissa Kreller has warned Alaskans about lighting matches or throwing cigarettes on the ground. If the Alaska heat wave continues until July 4th, many may have to skip the fireworks for this year's celebration.
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