South Jersey Is as Cold as Fairbanks, Alaska (But We’re Still Cooler!)
Just how cold has it been here in South Jersey?
Cold enough that there really isn't any difference between our weather and the weather in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Fairbanks, which is located about 350 miles north of Anchorage, is right in the middle of nowhere and sees some incredibly cold weather every winter. If you have ever seen that show "Ice Road Truckers," you know what I'm talking about.
Here's a forecast for the end of this week from the National Weather Service...
Today - Partly sunny, with a high near 25.
Tonight - Partly cloudy, with a low around 11.
Wednesday - A 30 percent chance of snow, with a high near 18.
Thursday - A chance of snow, with a high near 14.
Friday - Partly sunny, with a high near 16.
Saturday - Cloudy, with a high near 18.
...that forecast is for Fairbanks, Alaska -- not South Jersey -- although it is practically interchangeable. Our highs today are in the mid 20s and by Friday and Saturday it will struggle to hit 15 degrees here.
So that got me to thinking about how the good people of Alaska pass the time when it's this cold. Let's compare Fairbanks to South Jersey...
- In Fairbanks, you can go outside at night and look at the Northern Lights. Here in Atlantic City, the giant pearl on top of Revel (or whatever it's called now) is on. Oh, the majesty!
- In the middle of Alaska, you can go ice fishing. Here in Atlantic City, a quick visit to the frozen food aisle in Acme will make you shiver and wish of being beach chair-to-beach chair in Ocean City in July.
- Alaska: dog sledding. Atlantic City: chasing seagulls.
- Fairbanks, Alaska, has an ice museum complete with an ice bar so you can get ice drunk. South Jersey: the Denny's in Vineland serves beer with your Moons Over My Hammy.
- Fairbanks is home to the World Ice Art Championships every winter. Here in South Jersey, we're still left wondering what the hell that rock sculpture thing is at the Mays Landing motor vehicle inspection station.
Stay warm!