How Weather Effects Valdez, AK

Considering Valdez's extreme northern latitude nearly 60 degrees North, the people that live in Valdez experience a low average range of temperatures and drastic changes in sunlight from season to season. Though, Valdez is a port city that is very much influenced by the maritime conditions of the ocean, causing less variable weather than the inland areas. Below are charts of the annual temperature, precipitation, and daylight variances throughout the year.

Source: http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/u/US70275005096861.php

Valdez, and Alaska as a whole, is greatly effected by the Aleutian Low that forms in the Bering Sea, and between the months of October and April this attracts hurricane-like, wet, windy storms that blow eastward from the ocean over Valdez. As the storms pass over Valdez, they are forced up and over the Chugach Mountain Range, about 5000 feet above sea level, which forces further precipitation out of the storm system. This explains why Valdez receives about 320 inches of snow annually while Fairbanks, further inland, sees only 68. Below is an image of the Aleutian Low:

Source: http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/snow-plough-clears-storm-4343-pictures.htm

A snowplow clearing the roads of Valdez, showing the effects of the Aleutian Low on the snowiest place on earth! The largest snowfall on record in Valdez from one storm happened in 2009, where they saw 5 feet 8 inches of snow. The snow ended up sinking a boat due to the heavy weight, and forced other boat owners to defend their boats from the storm with shovels.