Alaska Drops to -65 Degrees Friday

The temperature dropped to a bone-chilling cold level of 65 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) Friday across central Alaska. According to the National Weather Service office in Fairbanks, this was the coldest official temperature observed in the state since January 2012! https://twitter.com/NWSFairbanks/status/1210644178113191936 NWS Fairbanks shared a couple of interesting tidbits about the cold, as seen from space. https://twitter.com/NWSFairbanks/status/1210699694839488512 This time of the year doesn't provide much sunshine at all in this part of the world. In fact, take a look at where the sun was at noon Friday in Fairbanks. https://twitter.com/NWSFairbanks/status/1210672436292681728 Sitting very far north in latitude, much of Alaska doesn't see the sun at all this time of the year due to Earth's tilt away from the sun. As a result, temperatures have fallen quite far. It will remain well below zero this weekend in Alaska, but an incoming storm early this week will bring warmth and snow to the region. You may be wondering, 'Will any of this Alaskan cold make it down to the Lower 48 soon?' The short answer is maybe. It appears New Year's Day will be mild in the eastern U.S. however deeper into January may start to get cold across the western U.S.