Module VIII...and counting :)

Essential Question: How are Arctic sea-ice, climate and culture all connected?

The climate in the Northwest Arctic region is predominantly continental, with very extreme winters and warm summers, but maritime influences from the nearby Arctic Sea, Chukchi Sea and the Norton Sound.

In the upper Kobuk valleys dominate season, winter is roughly five months long.  During most of this period, temperatures remain consistently near or below zero.  Seasonal lows are between -20 to -60 and cold spells range from -25 to – 40 weather commonly last from about one to three weeks.

On the other extreme, the summer months in the valleys of the Kobuk village span across the months of June through August, where temperatures range from 50 to 80 degrees. 

The Elders in the Arctic explain how the Arctic sea-ice helps bring villages closer to one another because they build their homes inward along the sea in order for subsistence living. The Kobuk river people had to choose their living reasons by social and economic factors. 

The climate changes that occur in our environment determine how much ice will gather in the winter and how much ice will melt in the summer, which then directly affects the amount of fishing and gathering of food that many Native Alaskans partake in as part of their culture.

One thing that remains is the ice conditions for the five long months. The Elders state that there used to be more snow and much colder weather that would last a long time.  During the winter months in rural Alaska, the frozen ground becomes a gateway into the ice roads that lead the Natives to other villages.  Thin ice is a constant threat to the traveler.   Submerged springs, whirlpools, and strong currents can all keep ice from developing normally.  A heavy snow cover can insulate the ice and further slows its growth or causes it to be eroded. 

In summary the Arctic-sea has helped guide a lot of families to stay together and tough it out and others to split and find a warm place and better resources. It is a survival of the mind and the unexpected to come.  It has changed hopes and dreams of even trying to explore all the waterways and really see how the Arctic has changed over time. In the last few decades of global warming issues, the Arctic –sea and people are struggling to survive together as a team.