Large chunks of sea ice float just off the shore of Nome on February 12, 2025. Ben Townsend photo.

‘Extreme’ is the word of the year says Alaskan climatologist

In 2025, Alaskans experienced record-breaking heat on the North Slope, over 7 inches of rain in a single day in Ketchikan, and in recent weeks extreme winds in the Mat-Su Valley.

When we asked veteran climatologist, Rick Thoman, what word he’d use to describe 2025, he said picking one was easy. Extreme.

This is KNOM's Ben Townsend talking with Thoman about the Alaskan climate in 2025.

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