Anchorage Reached 90 Degrees On The 4th Of July, Shattering Previous All-Time Record
This Fourth of July was "one for the books" in Alaska, at least in terms of its unprecedented scorching temperatures. The National Weather Service confirmed the temperature in Anchorage reached 90 degrees, breaking an all-time high set 50 years ago.
The previous record was set on June 14, 1969: 85 degrees. The record-setting temperature was caused by a number of factors, including warm sea temperatures caused by the hottest June on record and a "warm atmospheric setup," said Anchorage-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider.
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"A massively large and warm air mass from the surface to over 15,000 feet intensified right over southern Alaska," Brettschneider told USA TODAY. "This warm air aloft kept the surface air that was heated by the sun at the ground level."