The longest duration of a drought on record in Alaska has finally ended.
The drought that started on July 17, 2018 continued to worsen through the summer, which not only intensified wildfires on the Kenai Peninsula and across portions of the state but also led to some water restrictions.
Now for the first time since then, none of Alaska is experiencing any drought conditions. At its peak the drought even led to the first extreme drought ever recorded in Alaska, with the most intense period occurring during the week of Aug. 27, 2019 where an exceptional drought affected 1.5% of Alaska.
The drought intensified during the summer due in large part to a blocking high across the Gulf of Alaska. This not only exacerbated fire conditions across the Kenai Peninsula, but led to a record high of 90 degrees and dangerous air quality levels due to wildfire smoke.