Editing Sitka, Alaska (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Sitka Harbor.jpg|thumb|A view of Sitka's [[Crescent Harbor]], [[Indian River (Alaska)|Indian River]] valley and, in the background, [[The Sisters (Alaska)|The Sisters]]]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough is the largest [[list of United States cities by area|incorporated city by area in the U.S.]], with a total area of {{convert|4811|sqmi|1}}, of which {{convert|2870|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1941|sqmi}}, comprising 40.3%, is water. As a comparison, this is almost four times the size of the state of [[Rhode Island]].

Sitka displaced Juneau, Alaska, as the largest incorporated city by area in the United States upon the 2000 incorporation with {{convert|2874|sqmi|km2}} of incorporated area. Juneau's incorporated area is {{convert|2717|sqmi|km2}}. [[Jacksonville, Florida]], is the largest city in area in the contiguous 48 states at {{convert|758|sqmi|km2}}.

===Climate===
[[File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - SITKA AIRPORT, AK.svg|thumb|left|Climate chart for Sitka]]
Sitka has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb'') with moderate, but generally cool, temperatures and abundant precipitation. The average annual precipitation is {{convert|131.74|in|sigfig=3}}; average seasonal snowfall is {{convert|33|in|cm|0}}, falling on 233 and 19 days, respectively. The mean annual temperature is {{convert|45.3|°F|1}}, with monthly means ranging from {{convert|36.4|°F|1}} in January to {{convert|57.2|°F|1}} in August.

The climate is relatively mild when compared to other parts of the state. Only 5.1 days per year see highs at or above {{convert|70|°F|0}}; conversely, there are only 10 days with the high not above freezing.<ref name = NCDC/> The winters are extremely mild compared to inland areas of similar and much more southerly parallels, due to the intense maritime moderation. The relatively mild nights ensure that four months stay above the {{convert|50|F|C}} isotherm that normally separates inland areas from being boreal in nature. Due to the mild winter nights, [[hardiness zone]] is high for the latitude (from 6b to 8a).

The highest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|88|°F|°C|1}} on July 30, 1976, and July 31, 2020. The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-1|°F|°C|1}} on February 16–17, 1948.<ref name = NCDC/>

{{Weather box
|collapsed = Y
|location = Sitka, Alaska ([[Japonski Island]], 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1944–present)
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 60
|Feb record high F = 61
|Mar record high F = 67
|Apr record high F = 76
|May record high F = 82
|Jun record high F = 83
|Jul record high F = 88
|Aug record high F = 84
|Sep record high F = 77
|Oct record high F = 70
|Nov record high F = 65
|Dec record high F = 65
|year record high F =88
| Jan avg record high F = 50.9
| Feb avg record high F = 50.8
| Mar avg record high F = 52.1
| Apr avg record high F = 60.1
| May avg record high F = 65.8
| Jun avg record high F = 69.5
| Jul avg record high F = 70.8
| Aug avg record high F = 71.4
| Sep avg record high F = 67.1
| Oct avg record high F = 58.5
| Nov avg record high F = 52.7
| Dec avg record high F = 50.6
|year avg record high F = 75.6
|Jan high F = 40.5
|Feb high F = 41.2
|Mar high F = 42.5
|Apr high F = 48.1
|May high F = 53.3
|Jun high F = 57.6
|Jul high F = 60.4
|Aug high F = 61.8
|Sep high F = 57.9
|Oct high F = 50.8
|Nov high F = 44.3
|Dec high F = 41.5
|year high F= 50.0
|Jan mean F = 36.5
|Feb mean F = 36.7
|Mar mean F = 37.5
|Apr mean F = 42.6
|May mean F = 48.1
|Jun mean F = 53.0
|Jul mean F = 56.5
|Aug mean F = 57.3
|Sep mean F = 53.2
|Oct mean F = 46.4
|Nov mean F = 40.0
|Dec mean F = 37.5
|year mean F= 45.4
|Jan low F = 32.4
|Feb low F = 32.1
|Mar low F = 32.5
|Apr low F = 37.2
|May low F = 43.0
|Jun low F = 48.3
|Jul low F = 52.5
|Aug low F = 52.9
|Sep low F = 48.5
|Oct low F = 41.9
|Nov low F = 35.8
|Dec low F = 33.4
|year low F= 40.9
| Jan avg record low F = 18.1
| Feb avg record low F = 21.4
| Mar avg record low F = 21.8
| Apr avg record low F = 29.7
| May avg record low F = 35.9
| Jun avg record low F = 42.1
| Jul avg record low F = 47.5
| Aug avg record low F = 47.1
| Sep avg record low F = 40.1
| Oct avg record low F = 32.0
| Nov avg record low F = 25.3
| Dec avg record low F = 21.1
|year avg record low F = 13.3
|Jan record low F = 0
|Feb record low F = -1
|Mar record low F = 4
|Apr record low F = 15
|May record low F = 29
|Jun record low F = 35
|Jul record low F = 41
|Aug record low F = 34
|Sep record low F = 31
|Oct record low F = 20
|Nov record low F = 2
|Dec record low F = 1
|year record low F= -1
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 8.22
|Feb precipitation inch = 5.93
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.60
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.31
|May precipitation inch = 3.81
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.92
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.62
|Aug precipitation inch = 7.25
|Sep precipitation inch = 11.69
|Oct precipitation inch = 11.78
|Nov precipitation inch = 9.91
|Dec precipitation inch = 8.43
|year precipitation inch = 84.47
|Jan snow inch = 9.5
|Feb snow inch = 8.0
|Mar snow inch = 4.9
|Apr snow inch = 0.9
|May snow inch = trace
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 4.7
|Dec snow inch = 4.0
|year snow inch= 32.3
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 21.2
|Feb precipitation days = 16.9
|Mar precipitation days = 18.4
|Apr precipitation days = 17.5
|May precipitation days = 16.4
|Jun precipitation days = 16.7
|Jul precipitation days = 18.9 
|Aug precipitation days = 19.4
|Sep precipitation days = 22.4
|Oct precipitation days = 23.7
|Nov precipitation days = 22.0
|Dec precipitation days = 21.6
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 4.5
|Feb snow days = 3.8
|Mar snow days = 3.4
|Apr snow days = 0.8
|May snow days = 0.1
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.4
|Nov snow days = 3.3
|Dec snow days = 2.7
|year snow days=19.0
|source 1 = NOAA (snow/snow days 1981–2010)<ref name="NCDC">{{cite web |url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ajk |title=NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=February 16, 2013}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025333&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 – Station: Sitka, Airport (1991–2020)
|access-date = February 15, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230506101232/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025333&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date = May 6, 2023
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USW00025333&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 – Station: Sitka Airport, AK (1981-2010)
|access-date = February 15, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230506101215/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USW00025333&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date = May 6, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
| collapsed = Y
| location = Sitka, Alaska ([[Hidden Falls (Baranof Island, Alaska)|Hidden Falls]], 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1992–2020)
| single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 53
|Feb record high F = 57
|Mar record high F = 53
|Apr record high F = 66
|May record high F = 73
|Jun record high F = 85
|Jul record high F = 83
|Aug record high F = 83
|Sep record high F = 69
|Oct record high F = 61
|Nov record high F = 54
|Dec record high F = 51
| Jan avg record high F = 44.9
| Feb avg record high F = 44.9
| Mar avg record high F = 46.7
| Apr avg record high F = 53.7
| May avg record high F = 63.4
| Jun avg record high F = 66.7
| Jul avg record high F = 69.2
| Aug avg record high F = 68.8
| Sep avg record high F = 61.3
| Oct avg record high F = 53.8
| Nov avg record high F = 47.4
| Dec avg record high F = 44.4
|year avg record high F = 72.5
|Jan high F = 34.7
|Feb high F = 35.7
|Mar high F = 38.5
|Apr high F = 45.7
|May high F = 53.3
|Jun high F = 57.9
|Jul high F = 59.9
|Aug high F = 59.6
|Sep high F = 54.7
|Oct high F = 46.8
|Nov high F = 39.0
|Dec high F = 35.9
|year high F= 46.8
|Jan mean F = 31.3
|Feb mean F = 32.0
|Mar mean F = 34.0
|Apr mean F = 39.6
|May mean F = 46.8
|Jun mean F = 52.3
|Jul mean F = 55.0
|Aug mean F = 55.0
|Sep mean F = 50.5
|Oct mean F = 43.1
|Nov mean F = 35.6
|Dec mean F = 32.9
|year mean F= 42.3
|Jan low F = 27.8
|Feb low F = 28.2
|Mar low F = 29.4
|Apr low F = 33.5
|May low F = 40.3
|Jun low F = 46.6
|Jul low F = 50.2
|Aug low F = 50.4
|Sep low F = 46.3
|Oct low F = 39.4
|Nov low F = 32.2
|Dec low F = 29.9
|year low F= 37.8
| Jan avg record low F = 14.5
| Feb avg record low F = 17.1
| Mar avg record low F = 19.9
| Apr avg record low F = 27.5
| May avg record low F = 34.1
| Jun avg record low F = 40.5
| Jul avg record low F = 45.3
| Aug avg record low F = 45.4
| Sep avg record low F = 39.1
| Oct avg record low F = 31.5
| Nov avg record low F = 23.0
| Dec avg record low F = 17.9
|year avg record low F = 10.6
|Jan record low F = 4
|Feb record low F = 6
|Mar record low F = 6
|Apr record low F = 15
|May record low F = 28
|Jun record low F = 35
|Jul record low F = 33
|Aug record low F = 40
|Sep record low F = 29
|Oct record low F = 13
|Nov record low F = 11
|Dec record low F = 3
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 13.57
|Feb precipitation inch = 9.27
|Mar precipitation inch = 10.66
|Apr precipitation inch = 8.11
|May precipitation inch = 4.77
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.03
|Jul precipitation inch = 5.06
|Aug precipitation inch = 6.90
|Sep precipitation inch = 12.94
|Oct precipitation inch = 15.96
|Nov precipitation inch = 18.98
|Dec precipitation inch = 17.83
|year precipitation inch= 128.08
|snow colour = green
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.5
|Nov snow inch = 11.5
|Dec snow inch = 22.8
|Jan snow inch = 29.7
|Feb snow inch = 20.0
|Mar snow inch = 21.1
|Apr snow inch = 0.6
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|year snow inch= 
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 21.1
|Feb precipitation days = 13.2
|Mar precipitation days = 20.4
|Apr precipitation days = 16.9
|May precipitation days = 13.1
|Jun precipitation days = 15.6
|Jul precipitation days = 14.9 
|Aug precipitation days = 12.8
|Sep precipitation days = 20.5
|Oct precipitation days = 22.0
|Nov precipitation days = 23.0
|Dec precipitation days = 23.6
|year precipitation days=
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.2
| Nov snow days = 3.1
| Dec snow days = 6.6
| Jan snow days = 7.1
| Feb snow days = 4.9
| Mar snow days = 6.1
| Apr snow days = 0.5
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
|year snow days =
| source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NCDC"/><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00503605&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 – Station: Hidden Falls Hatchery, AK
|access-date = February 15, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}
{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Sitka.tab
| title=Sitka monthly weather statistics
}}

===Geology===
[[File:Sitka, 1805.jpg|thumb|upright|New Archangel and Sitka, 1805]]
[[Mount Edgecumbe (Alaska)|Mount Edgecumbe]], a {{convert|3,200|ft|m|adj=on}} "historically active"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avo.alaska.edu/news.php?id=1576 |title=Mount Edgecumbe volcanic field changes from 'dormant' to 'active' &ndash; what does that mean? |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=May 9, 2022 |website=Alaska Volcano Observatory |access-date=June 2, 2022 |quote=The Mount Edgecumbe volcanic field (MEVF) is now classed as 'historically active' by the standards of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) because it is experiencing deformation related to the presence of magma intruding three miles below the surface.}}</ref> [[stratovolcano]], is located on southern [[Kruzof Island]], approximately {{convert|24|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Sitka and can be seen from the city on a clear day.

On April 22, 2022, the [[Alaska Volcano Observatory]] reported that: {{blockquote|[a] swarm of earthquakes was detected in the vicinity of Mount Edgecumbe volcano beginning on Monday, April 11, 2022. There were hundreds of small quakes in the swarm, though the large majority were too small to locate. Over the past few days, earthquake activity has declined and is currently at background levels.

[...]

The recent swarm inspired an in-depth analysis of the last 7.5 years of ground deformation detectable with radar satellite data. Analysis of these data from recent years reveals a broad area, about {{convert|17|km|mi|abbr=on}} in diameter, of surface uplift centered about {{convert|2.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east of Mt Edgecumbe. This uplift began in August 2018 and has been continuing to the present at a rate of up to 8.7 cm/yr (3.4 in/yr) in the center of the deforming area. Deformation has been constant since 2018, and there has not been an increase with the recent earthquake activity. The total deformation since 2018 is about {{convert|27|cm|in|abbr=on}}. [...] The coincidence of earthquakes and ground deformation in time and location suggests that these signals are likely due to the movement of magma beneath Mount Edgecumbe, as opposed to tectonic activity. Initial modeling of the deformation signal shows that it is consistent with an intrusion of new material (magma) at about {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} below sea level. The earthquakes likely are caused by stresses in the crust due to this intrusion and the substantial uplift that it is causing.

Intrusions of new magma under volcanoes do not always result in volcanic eruptions. The deformation and earthquake activity at Edgecumbe may cease with no eruption occurring. If the magma rises closer to the surface, this would lead to changes in the deformation pattern and an increase in earthquake activity. Therefore, it is very likely that if an eruption were to occur it would be preceded by additional signals that would allow advance warning.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avo.alaska.edu/news.php?id=1572 |title=Mount Edgecumbe Information Statement, April 22, 2022 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=April 22, 2022 |website=Alaska Volcano Observatory |access-date=June 2, 2022}}</ref>}}

===Adjacent boroughs and census areas===
* [[Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska]] – north, northeast
* [[Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, Alaska]] – southeast

===National protected areas===
* [[Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge]] (part of Gulf of Alaska unit)
** [[Saint Lazaria Wilderness]] (formerly [[Saint Lazaria National Wildlife Refuge]])
* [[Sitka National Historical Park]]
* [[Tongass National Forest]] (part)
** [[South Baranof Wilderness]]
** [[West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness]] (part)