Baked Alaska sets new temperature record on Independence Day

The US state of Alaska’s largest city and two other state locations reached record high temperatures on Independence Day.

The National Weather Service says Anchorage on Thursday afternoon reached 90F (32.22C).

Meteorologist Bob Clay says the previous record for Anchorage was 85F (29.44C) on June 14 1969.

Kenai and King Salmon also reached new high temperatures of 89F (31.67C).

A minimum list of all-time record high temps set Thursday. These may finish higher a bit, and then there's Friday:
Anchorage Merrill Field: 90F (32.2C)
Anchorage International AP: 89F (31.7C)
Kenai AP: 89F (31.7C)
King Salmon: 89F (31.7C)#akwx @Climatologist49 @climateguyw
— Rick Thoman (@AlaskaWx) July 5, 2019

Palmer matched its record high at 88F.

Mr Clay said a high pressure ridge over much of south-central Alaska is strengthening and responsible for the record temperatures.

Rick Thoman of the Alaska Centre for Climate Assessment and Policy said the high temperatures are both a weather story and a climate story as extreme weather events become much more likely in a warming world.