Why is barrow so cold

I was lucky enough to be one of the ones invited! We arrived on a spectacular approach over the Chugach mountains into Anchorage, where it was about 25 F. I had never been this far north about the same latitude as Helsinki , and the endless yellow afternoon light on the surrounding mountains was beautiful.

Almost as impressive was the enormous stuffed polar bear decorating the Anchorage terminal. After a two hour layover, we went on to Fairbanks in an old combi -- passengers in the back half, a bulkhead over the wings, and cargo forward. We flew right by Denali, and I saw a few dog mushers on the approach into Fairbanks, where it was a brisk -8 F. Finally, we went on to Barrow, an 80 minute flight northwest out of Fairbanks.

Twilight was fading as we reached the Brooks range, and I saw a few lonely lights were scattered across the land, impossibly cold and remote. I smiled when the flight attendent came around with the in-flight meal; after flying a full day north out of Arizona, heading over the tundra, I was served -- a burrito! The approach to runway 6 at Barrow was unnerving. We descended, turned, descended, slats and flaps extended, all the usual preparations for landing -- but there was pure darkness out the window.

Somewhere out there was the Arctic Ocean. At last, with my cheek pressed on the window, I saw a cluster of yellow lights ahead. Just before we landed, the town came into view, and for a moment, I had to think Dante was right. Near the airport were one-story huts covered with ice, steam whipping from their roof vents in a stiff east wind. Ice covered the telephone poles, the wires, walls, roofs, cars, windows Ramp workers at the airport were so heavily clothed they looked like robots.

The plane was bumping around in earnest, and we landed with a thud on a white runway. It was F with a 20 knot wind. The wind chill in such conditions is not rewarding to calculate. There was no jetway; we climbed down a stairway at the back of the plane and walked across the ramp to the terminal. I had enough layers to get that far, but with only a basic sweatshirt hood to protect my face, taking a breath was almost painful.

My hosts had brought an extra parka, correctly anticipating that I would be underdressed. This is where I stayed; a typical Barrow house. The walls are more than a foot thick. Like every structure in Barrow, it's on stilts so it won't melt the permafrost. Unlike many houses, it has an apron to keep the extreme cold out of the understructure. Power and running water are supplied via the "Utilidor," a deeply buried trench, constructed at grievous expense, running through the town and bringing utilities straight up into the houses from underneath.

Not all residences are hooked up to this. It was quite cozy inside the well-insulated residence -- about 80 degrees in the guest bedroom. The ocean influences the climate in the Arctic just like it does in temperate latitudes. Conversely, in winter the ocean is warmer than the land, and the ocean warms up the atmosphere. Since the Arctic region is dominated by the Arctic Ocean, the polar maritime climate subtype is the primary climatic influence. This air mass brings cold, stormy winters and mild, cloudy summers.

The interior of the large countries surrounding the Arctic, such as Siberia and Canada, are affected by a continental polar air mass. Just like Boston, they have harsher winters and hotter summers than the coastal regions.

In addition to being cold, the Arctic is also very dry. In fact, the only part of North America that gets less moisture is the desert southwest! Yeah, I can live with Although early summer in Barrow manages to achieve temperatures in the 40s, they usually get an inch of snow in August.

Thinking of Barrow even helps me get through Standard Time. Do you know when sundown on November 18 was in Barrow?

It was 2 p. When was sunrise? Barrow is old. None of us would likely enjoy living there.