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Anchorage broke a daily temperature record on Monday, hitting a balmy 54 degrees mid-afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The previous record, 52 degrees, was set in 2013.
Anchorage’s high on Monday was a full 20 degrees over the average high temperature for Oct. 28, which is 34 degrees, said NWS meteorologist Michelle McAuley.
The coldest Oct. 28 on record in Anchorage reached just 8 degrees, in 2008.
An “atmospheric river” has been pumping warm and moist air from the tropical Pacific Ocean north, bringing record temperatures to Alaska.
The phenomenon, known as the “Pineapple Express” has also led to unseasonably warm weather in a broad swath of Southwest and Western Alaska.
Bethel, Saint Paul, Kodiak, Cold Bay and King Salmon all broke daily temperature records on Sunday, the NWS said.
Record high temperatures occurred yesterday at five locations across southern Alaska thanks to a surge of warm and humid air originating in the subtropical Pacific. #AKWx pic.twitter.com/nTCE125Bbs
— NWS Anchorage (@NWSAnchorage) October 28, 2019
The above-average temperatures should stick around through Wednesday, McAuley said.
Thursday may be the rare Anchorage snowsuit-free Halloween, with temperatures expected to cool slightly but remain in the 40s.