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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Umiat, Alaska
Umiat (OO-mee-yat) is an unincorporated community in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. It is located on the Colville River, 140 miles southwest of Deadhorse in the Arctic Circle. The town is not accessible by road or rail, only by air or river.

History

In 1944, the Naval Oil Reserve was set up and it later became an air force base, which is now closed.

In 1946, the Umiat oil pool was discovered in an anticlinal trap and estimated to hold more than 70 MMBO oil, but was never produced.

In 2009 Governor Parnell budgeted for a proposed road to Umiat branching off of the Dalton Highway.

Umiat has become a center in the summer for research by the BLM and USGS concerning climate change. Research also goes on in the impact that development has on the Arctic tundra. As the NPRA is managed by BLM, they watch the impact that the ice roads and ice-drilling pads have on plant and animal life in the area.

Umiat has no permanent residents, being a camp and fuel stop for aircraft and helicopters operating in the area. The camp is run by a locally owned company that provides oilfield services in the area, their crew consists in the summer of approximately 10 people who work on a two weeks on two weeks off schedule. At any given time, there are between 20 and 30 people lodged and fed there.

The camp operates from the middle of May to the middle of September. The camp has access to the internet, news and entertainment by satellite.

Accommodations are "ATCO" units that are permanently placed; a cafeteria style kitchen is in one of the units.

Climate

Umiat has a subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc), with long, severely cold winters and short summers with warm days but cool nights (despite the midnight sun.) February is the coldest month, a common trait on the North Slope, and average temperatures remain below 0 °F (−18 °C) until mid-April. Severe cold can persist well into spring; on April 5, 1995, the temperature fell to −50 °F (−46 °C). Precipitation is irregular and snow has occurred in every month but July. Yearly low temperatures run even colder than Utqiaġvik, Alaska on average. Umiat is the weather station with the lowest average annual temperature in the United States so far except for the Antarctic weather station.

Climate data for Umiat, Alaska (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1945–2001)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 37
(3) 		37
(3) 		40
(4) 		51
(11) 		79
(26) 		88
(31) 		92
(33) 		90
(32) 		75
(24) 		52
(11) 		43
(6) 		37
(3) 		92
(33)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 18.8
(−7.3) 		20.6
(−6.3) 		23.8
(−4.6) 		36.8
(2.7) 		57.6
(14.2) 		80.2
(26.8) 		82.0
(27.8) 		77.0
(25.0) 		61.9
(16.6) 		38.9
(3.8) 		20.4
(−6.4) 		20.4
(−6.4) 		83.5
(28.6)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) −11.9
(−24.4) 		−10.7
(−23.7) 		−4.8
(−20.4) 		14.5
(−9.7) 		36.2
(2.3) 		61.4
(16.3) 		68.3
(20.2) 		59.5
(15.3) 		43.6
(6.4) 		19.7
(−6.8) 		−0.8
(−18.2) 		−6.9
(−21.6) 		22.3
(−5.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) −21.3
(−29.6) 		−20.2
(−29.0) 		−16.9
(−27.2) 		2.4
(−16.4) 		26.5
(−3.1) 		49.2
(9.6) 		55.0
(12.8) 		47.9
(8.8) 		35.0
(1.7) 		11.5
(−11.4) 		−8.5
(−22.5) 		−16.5
(−26.9) 		12.0
(−11.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) −30.7
(−34.8) 		−29.8
(−34.3) 		−29.0
(−33.9) 		−9.7
(−23.2) 		16.8
(−8.4) 		37.0
(2.8) 		41.8
(5.4) 		36.2
(2.3) 		26.3
(−3.2) 		3.3
(−15.9) 		−16.2
(−26.8) 		−26.2
(−32.3) 		1.6
(−16.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −52.5
(−46.9) 		−54.6
(−48.1) 		−50.2
(−45.7) 		−36.0
(−37.8) 		−7.5
(−21.9) 		24.7
(−4.1) 		30.8
(−0.7) 		22.6
(−5.2) 		11.9
(−11.2) 		−23.3
(−30.7) 		−42.5
(−41.4) 		−50.9
(−46.1) 		−58.3
(−50.2)
Record low °F (°C) −62
(−52) 		−66
(−54) 		−63
(−53) 		−50
(−46) 		−22
(−30) 		9
(−13) 		24
(−4) 		5
(−15) 		−6
(−21) 		−38
(−39) 		−56
(−49) 		−58
(−50) 		−66
(−54)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.38
(9.7) 		0.19
(4.8) 		0.24
(6.1) 		0.24
(6.1) 		0.05
(1.3) 		0.33
(8.4) 		0.76
(19) 		0.95
(24) 		0.31
(7.9) 		0.56
(14) 		0.39
(9.9) 		0.41
(10) 		4.81
(122)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.5
(11) 		2.4
(6.1) 		2.3
(5.8) 		1.9
(4.8) 		1.2
(3.0) 		0.2
(0.51) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.2
(0.51) 		2.6
(6.6) 		8.5
(22) 		5.2
(13) 		4.2
(11) 		33.2
(84)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) 3.7 2.2 1.7 2.0 0.8 2.4 3.3 5.2 3.5 6.3 4.6 4.1 39.8
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: XMACIS2 (mean maxima/minima 1981–2010), WRCC (snowfall)

Transportation

Umiat Airport is a state owned, public use airport located in Umiat.

References

  1. ^ "Feature Detail Report for: Umiat (populated place)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. March 31, 1981.
  2. ^ David W. Houseknecht, Richard O. Lease, Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, William A. Rouse, Palma J. Botterell, Katherine J. Whidden, Christopher P. Garrity, Kristen A. Lewis, Samuel J. Heller, William H. Craddock, Timothy R. Klett, Phuong A. Le, Rebecca A. Smith, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Cheryl A. Woodall, Michael E. Brownfield, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Thomas M. Finn (2017). "Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Cretaceous Nanushuk and Torok Formations, Alaska North Slope, and summary of resource potential of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, 2017". U.S. Geological Survey. doi:10.3133/fs20173088.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Foothills West Transportation Access Project", State of Alaska, Retrieved June 19, 2010
  4. ^ "NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  5. ^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "UMIAT AP, ALASKA (509539): Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023.
  7. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for UMT PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
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