Updated 8/30/99
Beringian Climate
| The winter climate over Beringia is strongly affected by cold and very dry air masses well north of the main position of the polar jetstream. An intensive high-pressure system dominates western Beringia (Siberian high) due to intensive radiational cooling. Temperatures are a bit higher in eastern Beringia due to more winds from the south around a low-pressure system in the North Pacific (Aleutian low). January temperatures in western Beringia range from below –40°C in the interior valleys to around -17°C along the eastern Siberian coast. January temperatures in eastern Beringia are normally around -30°C in northwestern Alaska and around -15°C along the southwestern Alaskan coast. During July, atmospheric circulation patterns generally shift northward as more radiation and warm high pressure systems (subtropical highs) become more dominant. Temperatures range from 5-12°C progressing from north to south, but some exceptions to this gradient occur along the coastlines. The jetstream is most prominent over Beringia during summer, causing summer precipitation maxima at most locations as storms travel from west to east. July precipitation varies from 50-100 mm, with higher values again generally southward, but some values in high mountain ranges exceed 100 mm. |
Climate Catalog: Composite maps of modern synoptic climatological types. Temperature: Station data and gridded temperature fields for Beringia. Precipitation: Station data and gridded precipitation fields for Beringia. |