Ketchikan area, USGS Ketchikan map sheet, 1955 with minor revisions 1976. Squares are townships, 6 miles on a side; elevations in feet.
Map of Ketchikan area
Ketchikan station history
Ketchikan temperature history
Ketchikan area, USGS Ketchikan map sheet, 1955 with minor revisions 1976.
Squares are townships, 6 miles on a side; elevations in feet.
Located in the southern part of the southeastern archipelago, near NW-SE trending fjord/valley almost separating Gravina Island from Revillagigedo Island. Current coordinates 55 degrees 22' N, 131 degrees 43' W, elevation 76 feet. One summer's observations in 1902. Then operated 9/1/10 through 6/22/11. Observer change to Citizens' Light, Power and Water 5/1/12, then location 55 degrees 20' N, 131 degrees 37' W, elevation 75 feet, temperature height 7 feet. Moved 2.3 miles NW and down 59 feet 10/17/29, temperature ht raised to 43 feet (roof or upper story window location?) Moved 0.2 miles E and 1 foot downhill 2/16/38, temperature instrument height 69 feet. USWB took over 9/1/40, private observer took over 12/17/47. Moved 2.0 miles N and 75 feet up 8/16/75 after several observer changes, temperature instruments still shown at 69 feet. Move 1.0 miles SW and 10 feet downhill 9/21/78; temperature instruments now shown at 5 feet and observer security police so this is probably move to airport. Moved 0.9 miles NW and 4 feet downhill 3/1/89 when FAA took over; HO8 hygrothermometer installed and temperature ht again 57 feet. Record suggests that some moves were across channel - need to check actual station maps.
Official time for this station was 120 WMT through October 1983; 135 WMT thereafter. Corrected times here are 135 WMT, which is closer to local mean solar time. Observation time 4 pm (3 pm corrected) 1010-1911, 6 pm (5 pm corrected) 1912-1925, 8 am (7 am corrected)1925- 1929, 5 pm (4 pm corrected) 1929-1940, midnight (11 pm corrected) 1940-1947, 4 pm (3 pm corrected) 1947-1975, 3 pm (2 pm corrected) 1975-1978, 11 am (10 am corrected)1978-October 1983, 11 am November 1983-Dec 1988, midnight 1989 on.
Observers variable, currently FAA
Record length good, data continuity excellent early 20's to late 70's, poor in recent years; site continuity poor, time of observation continuity poor. Comparison with Annette suggests cooling at Ketchikan or warming at Annette since 1950, probably due to changes at Ketchikan.
