Alaska hits record temperatures amid heatwave

Washington, July 6 (IANS) A new record high temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) has been set in the US state of Alaska, part of which lies inside the Arctic Circle.

The new temperature in Alaska's Anchorage city on Thursday topped the previous record set at Anchorage International Airport of 85 degrees Fahrenheit on June 14, 1969, the US Weather Service tweeted.

The state's most populous city, which boasts a population of roughly 300,000 people, Anchorage also had its hottest June ever, with an average temperature for the month of 60.5 degrees (5.3 degrees above normal).

Alaska had earlier broken records throughout a hot spring, particularly in the Arctic zone which is especially sensitive to fluctuations in climate.

The dramatic warming Alaska has experienced in recent years is linked partly to a decline in sea ice and Arctic Ocean warming. This has wreaked havoc on local communities, wildlife and the state's economy.

Climate change played a role in the deaths of thousands of puffins in Alaska, scientists said earlier, adding that the birds were believed to have starved to death when the fish they eat migrated with rising sea temperatures.

A bulletin issued by the National Weather Service is predicting more hot weather over the coming days and into next week. 

Anchorage "will continue to set daily record highs into early next week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson. 

The heatwave is being attributed to an oversized and stationary high pressure ridge that's pulling in warm air from the south and preventing cool ocean air from entering inland, according to the NWS.