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Cumulative cooling degree days, since June 1

The boxes show the average cumulative cooling degree days since June 1. The line shows the cumulative cooling degree days so far this year. Cooling degree days are a measure of the difference in temperature between 65°F and the actual average temperature for that date, when the average temperature is above 65°F. They are a way of showing how warm a particular season has been, and are often used in warmer climates to estimate consumer cooling electric demands because large cooling degree days indicate hot weather (and lots of air conditioning). Cumulative cooling degree days are normally calculated starting on January first, but in Fairbanks the average doesn't rise above zero until June.

If the line on yesterday's date is above the box, this indicates that the summer has been warmer than average. Warm periods are those where the slope line is strongly positive. Cooler periods will show a flatter, or more horizontal line.

For a Portable Document Format (pdf) document of this plot, click here (approximately 3 K).

[ cumulative cooling degree days ]