Over the past century, the average annual temperature at the Matanuska Experiment
Farm in Palmer increased from 35.2 degrees Fahrenheit to 37 degrees F. Only 38 days
annually now drop below 0 degrees, down from 45 days in the early 1900s. In October
1945, it was too damp to harvest crops. In June 1936, temperatures topped 90 degrees
for three days.
These are only a few of the tens of thousands of observations since staff at the Matanuska
Experiment Station began tracking the weather on July 1, 1917. A century later, those
daily temperature, precipitation, snowfall, snow depth and evaporation data points
have proven to be an invaluable record for climate scientists, researchers and the
agricultural community.
On July 6, the National Weather Service honored the Matanuska Experiment Station and
Extension Center for its century of participation in the Cooperative Observer Program.
Contact Julie Stricker for more information.
