Why Is Scotland Not Like Alaska?

[starlite9]

Point is that Alaska is located in the Arctic, Scotland isn't which is what the OP was asking....

The Contental U.S. is a large land mass just like Greenland and isn't getting constant Arctic temps either. Greenland doesn't melt much in the summer either, those are apples and oranges, great information though.

I live in interior Alaska and the coldest we have seen it here is -72 some years ago. But hitting -60 isn't that rare, but we do get colder than the North Slope of Alaska a lot of the time.

[teamcoltra]

See I just think that the dynamics of temprature flux between places is so interesting.

[Bruce 01]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Point is that Alaska is located in the Arctic, Scotland isn't which is what the OP was asking....

The Contental U.S. is a large land mass just like Greenland and isn't getting constant Arctic temps either. Greenland doesn't melt much in the summer either, those are apples and oranges, great information though.

The coldest temps in the lower 48 are typically in the upper midwest -- the farthest distance from either ocean. The reason it isn't as cold as AK or Canada is mostly because of latitude (it's not in the Arctic).

I've not read anything on why the summit station in Greenland is so cold. It is a small land mass compared to America or Asia but barely gets to freezing in mid-summer, if I recall correctly. The only thing I can think of is that it is on top of 2 miles of ice, and I'm guessing the ice reflects nearly all of the sun's energy back into space. But I'm not sure of that.

I live in interior Alaska and the coldest we have seen it here is -72 some years ago. But hitting -60 isn't that rare, but we do get colder than the North Slope of Alaska a lot of the time.

As I understand it, the interior of AK is colder than the northern part because the Arctic Ocean, even though frozen in the winter, still remains warmer than land and tempers the nearby landmass.

[bortstc37]

Bruce is right, we call that "continentality." Generally, the farther you get from large bodies of water, the warmer the summers get and the colder the winters get.

And Greenland not melting much in summer does indeed have a lot to do with it being already frozen and reflecting the sun's energy (what we call "albedo"). The summit station having very cold temperatures also has to do with its elevation, no doubt- temperature go down as you go up in elevation (there are exceptions, such as inversions, but these probably would not apply to the summit station if it is indeed at 10,000ft. in elevation).

[LuckyGem]

Aberdeen, Scotland latitude: 57° 9' N Longitude: 2° 9' W

ALASKA

Anchorage AP - 61° 10' N 150° 1' W
Barrow (S) - 71° 18' N 156° 47' W
Fairbanks AP (S) - 64° 49' N 147° 52' W
Juneau AP - 58° 22' N 134° 35' W
Kodiak - 57° 45' N 152° 29' W
Nome AP - 64° 30' N 165° 26' W

[bortstc37]

other ways scotland is not like alaska:
they have no bears. plenty of domesticated sheep, though.
they have never heard of dry villages. or dry anything, for that matter.
they have megabus.

similarities:
there is a sizable faction that wants independence.
tourists flock there in summer.

[Teak]

Scotland has Edinburgh: Annual Arts Festival, Fringe Festival, Hearts of Midlothian football, Hibernian football, the Golden Mile, Edinburgh Castle, Hollyrood, and much more to see.

Alaska has Barrow.

[1stimestar]

Alaskans do indeed wear kilts.

[Wynternight]

It's too bloody cold to be oot and aboot in a kilt in Barrow! Plus the wind would a blow and show off the goolies way too often.

"I don' know where ye been lad but I see you won first prize!"