Editing Delta Junction, Alaska (section)

== Geography ==
"Big Delta" lies at the intersection of the [[Delta River]] and the [[Tanana River]]. The city of Delta Junction sits on the Delta River at the intersection of the Richardson Highway and the terminus of the Alaska Highway. The city and Delta community lie within the fertile [[Tanana Valley|Tanana River valley]]. Three mountain ranges—the White Mountains to the north, the Granite Mountains to the southeast, and the [[Alaska Range]] to the southwest—and the Delta River to the west surround the city.

Once overlain by glaciers, the geology is marked by glacial moraines as well as alluvial deposits from the Delta and Tanana Rivers. Numerous mineral deposits are found in the vicinity of Delta Junction ranging from gold to molybdenum to coal. A prominent natural feature on the landscape is [[Donnelly Dome]], located within the Donnelly Training Area of Fort Wainwright (formerly a part of nearby Fort Greely until 2001), to the south of Delta Junction. This dome was formed as a glacier coming from the Alaska Range split in two, carving away sides of a former mountain.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|17.3|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

=== Climate ===<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add images to this section. It would quickly become too unwieldy. Thank you. -->
[[File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - Delta Junction Area,AK (ThreadEx).svg|thumb|right|Climate chart for Delta Junction]]
As is typical of the Alaska Interior, Delta Junction has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dwc''), closely bordering on a [[semi-arid climate]] (Köppen ''BSk''). The average high temperature is below freezing from mid-October thru late March, and during the height of winter cold, as the town is located in [[Hardiness zone|USDA Plant Hardiness Zone]] 2a, the coldest conditions of the year typically bottom out in the {{convert|-45|to|-50|F|C}} range,<ref>{{cite web|title=USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map|url=http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227032333/http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/|archive-date=February 27, 2014|access-date=September 1, 2020 |quote=Input zip code 99737 |publisher=Agricultural Research Center, PRISM Climate Group Oregon State University}}</ref> with sub-{{convert|0|°F|0}} highs a common occurrence. Precipitation averages at only {{convert|11.62|in|0}} annually, and over half of this total occurs from June to August.

Snow, which typically falls from October to April and sometimes May and September, is generally not heavy due to the dry climate, and averages {{convert|54|in|cm}} per season. Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|−63|°F|0}} on January 30, 1947, up to {{convert|92|°F|0}} on June 15, 1969.<ref name="NOWData NWS Fairbanks, AK (PAFG)"/> Delta Junction has an unofficial record low of {{convert|-72|°F|0}} set on January 6, 1975 (as seen on the big thermometer in the town center) but the Delta Junction weather station and NOAA refuse to acknowledge this record as legitimate, as such temperatures are atypical for the region and atypical temperature readings are usually inaccurate.

The coldest daily maximum on record from Delta Junction was an extremely cold {{convert|-55|F|C}} in January 1975.<ref name="NOWData NWS Fairbanks, AK (PAFG)"/> During an average year between 1991 and 2020, the coldest maximum averaged {{convert|-39|F|C}}.<ref name="NOWData NWS Fairbanks, AK (PAFG)"/> Summer nights are seldom warm but nevertheless did not fall below {{convert|70|F|C}} in August 1999 and August 6, 2024.<ref name="NOWData NWS Fairbanks, AK (PAFG)"/> During an average year the warmest low is {{convert|61|F|C}}.<ref name="NOWData NWS Fairbanks, AK (PAFG)"/>

Delta Junction was known as the "Windy City" and "Little Chicago" by many soldiers on Fort Greely.{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}} In Delta Junction itself, but not in the nearby areas, wind blows many days from the south down the Delta River from the [[Gulf of Alaska]], bringing river silt in the summer and snowdrifts in the winter. There are usually several days in the winter when the temperature is in the range of −40&nbsp;°F/°C when a wind (known as a [[Chinook wind]]) begins to blow. A few minutes later, the temperature climbs to above the freezing mark. When the wind stops, the temperature returns to colder ranges.

Delta Junction's prevailing winds are from the east.{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}

{{Weather box
|location = Delta Junction, Alaska ([[Big Delta Army Airfield]]), 1991–2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.}} extremes 1917–present
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 54
|Feb record high F = 51
|Mar record high F = 58
|Apr record high F = 72
|May record high F = 90
|Jun record high F = 92
|Jul record high F = 91
|Aug record high F = 90
|Sep record high F = 79
|Oct record high F = 74
|Nov record high F = 52
|Dec record high F = 55
|Jan avg record high F = 36.0
|Feb avg record high F = 39.9
|Mar avg record high F = 43.7
|Apr avg record high F = 59.5
|May avg record high F = 73.1
|Jun avg record high F = 81.9
|Jul avg record high F = 82.3
|Aug avg record high F = 78.3
|Sep avg record high F = 66.1
|Oct avg record high F = 53.0
|Nov avg record high F = 35.7
|Dec avg record high F = 35.7
|year avg record high F = 84.6
|Jan high F = 6.1
|Feb high F = 15.6
|Mar high F = 24.7
|Apr high F = 44.2
|May high F = 58.7
|Jun high F = 68.2
|Jul high F = 69.7
|Aug high F = 64.5
|Sep high F = 53.3
|Oct high F = 33.3
|Nov high F = 14.9
|Dec high F = 9.4
|year high F = 38.5
|Jan mean F = -1.0
|Feb mean F = 7.3
|Mar mean F = 14.2
|Apr mean F = 33.9
|May mean F = 48.5
|Jun mean F = 58.5
|Jul mean F = 60.7
|Aug mean F = 55.6
|Sep mean F = 44.8
|Oct mean F = 26.5
|Nov mean F = 8.2
|Dec mean F = 2.4
|year mean F = 30.0
|Jan low F = -8.0
|Feb low F = -0.9
|Mar low F = 3.6
|Apr low F = 23.5
|May low F = 38.2
|Jun low F = 48.7
|Jul low F = 51.7
|Aug low F = 46.7
|Sep low F = 36.4
|Oct low F = 19.6
|Nov low F = 1.4
|Dec low F = -4.6
|year low F= 21.4
|Jan avg record low F = -40.1
|Feb avg record low F = -30.9
|Mar avg record low F = -23.2
|Apr avg record low F = -1.0
|May avg record low F = 25.6
|Jun avg record low F = 37.3
|Jul avg record low F = 43.0
|Aug avg record low F = 33.5
|Sep avg record low F = 20.4
|Oct avg record low F = -5.5
|Nov avg record low F = -24.1
|Dec avg record low F = -32.5
|year avg record low F = -43.9
|Jan record low F = −63
|Feb record low F = −60
|Mar record low F = −49
|Apr record low F = −37
|May record low F = −1
|Jun record low F = 26
|Jul record low F = 32
|Aug record low F = 22
|Sep record low F = −2
|Oct record low F = −39
|Nov record low F = −47
|Dec record low F = −62
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.21
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.23
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.18
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.20
|May precipitation inch = 0.76
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.18
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.37
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.02
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.90
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.59
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.41
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.23
|year precipitation inch = 10.28
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 2.2
|Oct snow inch = 13.0
|Nov snow inch = 13.1
|Dec snow inch = 6.7
|Jan snow inch = 5.8
|Feb snow inch = 6.4
|Mar snow inch = 3.1
|Apr snow inch = 2.8
|May snow inch = 1.1
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|year snow inch = 54.2
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch
|Jan precipitation days = 5.9
|Feb precipitation days = 5.1
|Mar precipitation days = 3.7
|Apr precipitation days = 3.7
|May precipitation days = 7.9
|Jun precipitation days = 12.9
|Jul precipitation days = 14.0
|Aug precipitation days = 12.8
|Sep precipitation days = 8.5
|Oct precipitation days = 7.8
|Nov precipitation days = 7.4
|Dec precipitation days = 6.3
|year precipitation days = 96.0
|unit snow days = 0.1 inch
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 1.5
|Oct snow days = 9.7
|Nov snow days = 10.0
|Dec snow days = 7.2
|Jan snow days = 6.6
|Feb snow days = 6.5
|Mar snow days = 4.6
|Apr snow days = 2.5
|May snow days = 0.4
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|year snow days = 49.0
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 68.9
|Feb humidity = 72.0
|Mar humidity = 66.9
|Apr humidity = 63.9
|May humidity = 55.6
|Jun humidity = 58.9
|Jul humidity = 65.9
|Aug humidity = 69.8
|Sep humidity = 71.8
|Oct humidity = 78.9
|Nov humidity = 73.4
|Dec humidity = 74.3
|year humidity = 68.4
|Jan dew point C = -26.8
|Feb dew point C = -20.0
|Mar dew point C = -16.3
|Apr dew point C = -7.8
|May dew point C = -1.8
|Jun dew point C = 5.2
|Jul dew point C = 8.2
|Aug dew point C = 6.6
|Sep dew point C = 1.3
|Oct dew point C = -7.4
|Nov dew point C = -18.2
|Dec dew point C = -22.9
|source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] (relative humidity and dew point 1961-1990, snowfall and snowy days 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name="NOWData NWS Fairbanks, AK (PAFG)">{{cite web 
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=afg 
|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data 
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] 
|access-date = September 1, 2020}}</ref><ref name=NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00026415&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access
|access-date = September 4, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230904045228/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00026415&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date = September 4, 2023
}}
</ref><ref name="NCDC txt PABI">{{cite web 
|url = ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00026415.normals.txt 
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
|title = Station Name: AK BIG DELTA AIRPORT 
|access-date = November 1, 2019
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230904045039/ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00026415.normals.txt
|archive-date = September 4, 2023}}</ref><ref name= WMO>{{cite web 
|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP1/70267.TXT
|title = WMO Climate Normals for BIG DELTA/ALLEN AAF AK 1961–1990 
|access-date = September 4, 2023
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230904043119/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP1/70267.TXT
|archive-date = September 4, 2023}}</ref>
}}
;Notes: 
{{notelist}}