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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
333 PM AKDT Thu May 14 2026

...2026 GREEN-UP ON CHENA RIDGE...

Green-up on Chena Ridge has been viewed from the National Weather
Service Forecast Office on the UAF campus on May 14, 2026. The day
began with a definite brown hue to Chena Ridge, but the
transition to a soft shade of light green progressed rapidly
through the day. By 3:30 PM AKDT, the decision was made to
officially declare "green-up". Last year green-up occurred May
10th. The climatological median for the day of green-up, from the
past 50 years, is May 8th. The earliest recorded day of green-up
in the last 50 years was back in 2016 when it occurred on April
26th, and the latest was on May 26, 2013.

Green-up in Interior Alaska is the sprouting of tree (birch and
aspen) leaves in the spring. In many years it is quite abrupt, with
entire hillsides "greening" up in just a day or two. Green-up occurs
earliest on the lower slopes of south facing hillsides, spreading
rapidly down to the valley and more slowly upslope.

This event is important meteorologically because evapo-transportation
rapidly increases, resulting in higher water content in the boundary
layer of the atmosphere.

$$

Laney/Cruz/Schlezinger/Troyke