A high-pressure system in Southeast Alaska broke or tied many high temperature records on Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
Skagway set an all-time record high temperature of 93 degrees, according to the weather service. The town just west of the Canadian border saw a low of 55 degrees on the same day; its average temperature in August is 74.7 degrees, according to weather service data.
"Skagway was impressive," said Wes Adkins, general meteorologist at the weather service's Juneau office.
[Three Interior Alaska towns just had their warmest month on record]
Adkins noted Skagway's previous record was 92 degrees. The previous daily high record for Aug. 5 was 80 degrees.
Daily records of 88, 87 and 86 degrees were set in Haines, Hyder and Annette Island, respectively, the weather service said.
The Juneau International Airport and the Mendenhall Valley recorded a daily record of 81, the weather service said.
Inland Panhandle towns experienced the highest highs, Adkins said. The temperatures ranged from the 70s into the lower 90s. A marine layer – atmosphere affected by the characteristics of the region with its moistness, fog and close proximity to the water – kept coastal communities chillier, yet still in the mid-60s and mid-70s, he said.
Dryer conditions inland are forecast though the middle of the week, but the weather should shift as clouds move in on Monday and Tuesday, the weather service said.