Analyses of Variation Trends of Winter Cold Snaps in Subarctic and Arctic Alaska

Xiaofeng Chang, Zhaohui Yang (), Yimeng Zhu, Kaiwen Zhang () and Changlei Dai
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Xiaofeng Chang: Civil Engineering Department, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
Zhaohui Yang: Civil Engineering Department, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
Yimeng Zhu: Civil Engineering Department, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
Kaiwen Zhang: Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Changlei Dai: School of Hydraulic and Electric Power, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: Arctic Alaska is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the nation, severely impacting infrastructure built on permafrost. As winters warm, the effectiveness of thermosyphons used to stabilize foundations diminishes, increasing the risk of infrastructure failure. Because thermosyphons operate with the highest efficiency during winter cold snaps, studying the variation trends and patterns of winter cold snaps in Alaska is particularly important. To address this issue, this study analyzes the historical temperature data of four selected locations in Subarctic and Arctic Alaska, including Bethel, Fairbanks, Nome, and Utqiagvik. The winter cold snap is defined as a period when the average daily temperature drops below a specific site’s mean winter air temperature. The frequency, duration, and intensity of the winter cold snaps are computed to reveal their trends. The results indicate that the mean annual air temperature (MAAT) shows a warming trend, accompanied by sudden warming after 1975 for all study sites. The long-term average monthly air temperature also indicates that the most significant warming occurs in the winter months from December to March. While the frequencies of winter cold snaps remain relatively unchanged, the mean intensity and duration of cold snaps show a declining trend. Most importantly, the most intense cold snap during which the thermosyphons are the most effective is becoming much milder over time for all study sites. This study focuses specifically on the impact of changes in winter cold spells on thermosyphon effectiveness while acknowledging the complexity of other influencing factors, such as temperature differences, design features, coolant properties, and additional climatic parameters (e.g., wind speed, precipitation, and humidity). The data for this study were obtained from the NOAA NCEI website. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable reference for the retrofit or design of foundations and for decision making in selecting appropriate foundation stabilizing measures to ensure the long-term stability and resilience of infrastructure in permafrost regions. Moreover, the insights gained from this research on freeze–thaw dynamics, which are also relevant to black soils, align with the journal’s focus on sustainable soil utilization and infrastructure resilience.

Keywords: climate change; winter cold snap; thermosyphon; Subarctic and Arctic Alaska (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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