Far North Science

Despite the warmest January on record, the world’s climate may have chilled in February. Global estimates haven’t been released yet, but the United States shivered under Arctic blasts and experienced the 34th coldest February since 1895.

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Along with most other Americans, Alaskans moved to Daylight Savings Time on Sunday. The shift came a month earlier than last year, a change estimated to save energy consumption across the United States by up to 1 percent and reduce carbon emissions.

Arctic Sunrise — 1950
NOAA Photo Library

But there are reasons to doubt this savings will really happen in Alaska. When you live this far north along the 150th Meridian — the longitudinal line that passes over most of the state’s population — springing forward one hour on March 11 almost certainly conserves neither energy nor daylight.

Consider that Alaska already shifted off normal standard time in 1983 when the state consolidated three of its four time zones. Solar noon — when the sun is directly overhead — now comes at 1 p.m. in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

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