A Spatiotemporal Assessment of Extreme Cold in Northwestern North America Following the Unidentified 1809 CE Volcanic Eruption

Extreme cold conditions in northwestern North America, including the Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek region, were linked to an unidentified volcanic eruption around 1809 CE, one of the least-documented events contributing to the Little Ice Age's coldest phases. This study reveals that persistent and severe cold anomalies were most pronounced near the Gulf of Alaska, Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, and southern Yukon, with diminishing effects farther from this core region. The spatial pattern suggests atmospheric conditions resembling a weak Aleutian Low and negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation phase may have amplified post-eruption cooling. Researchers used a high-resolution tree-ring network to reconstruct warm-season temperatures, providing unprecedented insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of volcanic climate forcing in this critical UNESCO World Heritage Site region.

Leland, C., D’Arrigo, R., Davi, N., Anchukaitis, K. J., Andreu‐Hayles, L., Porter, T. J., Galloway, T., Mant, M., Wiles, G., Wilson, R., Beaulieu, S., Oelkers, R., Gaglioti, B. V., Rao, M. P., Reid, E., & Nixon, T. (2023). A Spatiotemporal Assessment of Extreme Cold in Northwestern North America Following the Unidentified 1809 CE Volcanic Eruption. Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 38(5). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022pa004581