Cold Bay, Alaska

{{More citations needed section|date=January 2010}}

There is evidence of prehistoric occupation by Aleuts and later Russian encampments. Cold Bay's significance to American history began with the Japanese invasion of the Aleutians in World War II. General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. ordered the creation of Fort Randall, an airbase on the shores of Cold Bay, in 1942 as a part of a general expansion of American assets in the Aleutians. It (along with Otter Point) served as a base for the 11th Air Force to provide protection to the only deep water port in the Aleutians at the time, Dutch Harbor.

This protection was necessary when during Yamamoto's Midway Campaign, a diversionary attack was launched against Dutch Harbor. The initial attack was repulsed by the surprise presence of P-40s stationed here. A second larger attack with its own fighter escort the next day caused minor damage. Later, with the victory in the Pacific, the forces grew to 20,000 troops. The quonset huts used to house this massive encampment still stand around the community. It also was a base of operations for the US Navy with the seaplane tender {{USS|Casco|AVP-12}} among the ships based in Cold Bay.{{Cite web|title=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c4/casco-iii.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of the Navy |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20130502082707/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c4/casco-iii.htm |archive-date=May 2, 2013 }}

In the spring and summer of 1945, Cold Bay was the site of the largest and most ambitious transfer program of World War II, Project Hula, in which the United States transferred dozens of ships and craft to the Soviet Union and trained Soviet personnel in their operation in anticipation of the Soviet Union entering the war against Japan.

In later decades, control of the airfield passed to civil authorities, who maintained it as a useful refueling and emergency landing location for great circle flights from the west coast of the United States to East Asia. A Distant Early Warning Line station established nearby was eventually decommissioned.

During the 1980s, deregulation of the airline industry under President Ronald Reagan caused many of the compelling interests{{who|date=December 2014}} supporting the need for the community to evaporate. Today, Cold Bay is still occasionally used for emergency or precautionary landings of commercial flights, and is also a hub for traffic from Anchorage and Seattle to the small communities around it.

Cold Bay is located at {{Coord|55|12|33|N|162|42|51|W|type:city}} (55.209038, -162.714298).{{cite web|url = https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher = United States Census Bureau|access-date = April 23, 2011|date = February 12, 2011|title = US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} It is west of Hawaii.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|70.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|54.4|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|16.6|sqmi|km2}} of it (23.34%) is water.

Cold Bay holds the record for most overcast community in America.{{cite web|url=http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/cloudiest.php|title=Cloudiest Places in United States - Current Results|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118225920/https://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/cloudiest.php|archive-date=January 18, 2024}}

File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - Cold Bay Area, AK(ThreadEx).svg

Cold Bay has an either an ocean-moderated subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfc) if the 0 °C isotherm is used, or a subpolar oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfc) if the {{convert|−3|°C|1}} isotherm is used, both of those climate being typical of southwest Alaska, though the summers are almost cool enough to qualify as a tundra (Köppen climate classification: ET). Cold Bay is considered the cloudiest place in the United States, with an average of 304 days of heavy overcast (covering over 3/4 of the sky).

Cold Bay's recorded temperature range is between {{convert|78|F|C}} and {{convert|-13|F|C}}. The coldest daytime maximum on record is {{convert|0|F|C}}, while the annual coldest maximum between 1991 and 2020 was at {{convert|16|F|C}}. With warm summer days being rare, nights remain chilly also during the warmer season. The warmest recorded overnight low is at a very modest {{convert|57|F|C}} and the annual average warmest night tends to fall to {{convert|53|F|C}}. Many years fail to break {{convert|68|F|C}} during the warmest afternoon.

{{Weather box

|location = Cold Bay Airport, Alaska (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 1942–present{{efn|Records for Cold Bay have been kept at the Cold Bay Airport since March 1950 and at Thornbrough Air Force Base from June 1942 to February 1950. For more information, see [http://threadex.rcc-acis.org/ ThreadEx]}})

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 59

|Feb record high F = 54

|Mar record high F = 56

|Apr record high F = 60

|May record high F = 68

|Jun record high F = 72

|Jul record high F = 77

|Aug record high F = 78

|Sep record high F = 70

|Oct record high F = 69

|Nov record high F = 59

|Dec record high F = 62

|Jan avg record high F = 43.5

|Feb avg record high F = 43.9

|Mar avg record high F = 44.6

|Apr avg record high F = 49.7

|May avg record high F = 56.2

|Jun avg record high F = 61.2

|Jul avg record high F = 64.7

|Aug avg record high F = 65.8

|Sep avg record high F = 60.1

|Oct avg record high F = 54.7

|Nov avg record high F = 49.2

|Dec avg record high F = 45.2

|year avg record high F = 67.7

|Jan high F = 33.2

|Feb high F = 35.0

|Mar high F = 35.4

|Apr high F = 40.2

|May high F = 46.5

|Jun high F = 52.1

|Jul high F = 56.2

|Aug high F = 57.2

|Sep high F = 53.4

|Oct high F = 46.5

|Nov high F = 39.9

|Dec high F = 35.6

|year high F = 44.3

|Jan mean F = 28.4

|Feb mean F = 30.2

|Mar mean F = 29.9

|Apr mean F = 35.0

|May mean F = 41.0

|Jun mean F = 47.1

|Jul mean F = 51.5

|Aug mean F = 52.6

|Sep mean F = 48.4

|Oct mean F = 41.3

|Nov mean F = 35.3

|Dec mean F = 30.8

|year mean F = 39.3

|Jan low F = 23.7

|Feb low F = 25.5

|Mar low F = 24.4

|Apr low F = 29.8

|May low F = 35.5

|Jun low F = 42.0

|Jul low F = 46.9

|Aug low F = 48.1

|Sep low F = 43.4

|Oct low F = 36.1

|Nov low F = 30.6

|Dec low F = 25.9

|year low F = 34.3

|Jan avg record low F = 6.7

|Feb avg record low F = 8.2

|Mar avg record low F = 9.7

|Apr avg record low F = 18.0

|May avg record low F = 25.7

|Jun avg record low F = 33.7

|Jul avg record low F = 40.8

|Aug avg record low F = 39.2

|Sep avg record low F = 33.2

|Oct avg record low F = 25.2

|Nov avg record low F = 18.0

|Dec avg record low F = 10.8

|year avg record low F = 2.1

|Jan record low F = -13

|Feb record low F = -9

|Mar record low F = -13

|Apr record low F = 4

|May record low F = 18

|Jun record low F = 27

|Jul record low F = 33

|Aug record low F = 32

|Sep record low F = 26

|Oct record low F = 6

|Nov record low F = 1

|Dec record low F = -9

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.38

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.17

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.98

|Apr precipitation inch = 2.70

|May precipitation inch = 2.64

|Jun precipitation inch = 2.74

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.51

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.71

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.50

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.93

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.99

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.42

|year precipitation inch = 42.67

|Jan snow inch = 12.6

|Feb snow inch = 10.0

|Mar snow inch = 12.8

|Apr snow inch = 6.4

|May snow inch = 1.2

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 2.0

|Nov snow inch = 8.2

|Dec snow inch = 14.1

|year snow inch = 67.3

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 20.5

|Feb precipitation days = 20.1

|Mar precipitation days = 19.4

|Apr precipitation days = 18.9

|May precipitation days = 17.8

|Jun precipitation days = 17.4

|Jul precipitation days = 19.8

|Aug precipitation days = 21.3

|Sep precipitation days = 22.6

|Oct precipitation days = 24.8

|Nov precipitation days = 24.4

|Dec precipitation days = 23.4

|year precipitation days = 250.4

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 13.0

|Feb snow days = 12.7

|Mar snow days = 13.3

|Apr snow days = 9.1

|May snow days = 2.4

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.1

|Oct snow days = 3.1

|Nov snow days = 9.7

|Dec snow days = 14.2

|year snow days = 77.6

|humidity colour = green

|Jan humidity = 84.3

|Feb humidity = 83.5

|Mar humidity = 82.8

|Apr humidity = 82.5

|May humidity = 83.5

|Jun humidity = 86.3

|Jul humidity = 88.3

|Aug humidity = 89.5

|Sep humidity = 86.4

|Oct humidity = 82.8

|Nov humidity = 83.5

|Dec humidity = 86.3

|year humidity = 85.0

|Jan dew point C = -3.4

|Feb dew point C = -4.4

|Mar dew point C = -3.5

|Apr dew point C = -2.6

|May dew point C = 1.1

|Jun dew point C = 4.9

|Jul dew point C = 8.1

|Aug dew point C = 9.1

|Sep dew point C = 6.8

|Oct dew point C = 2.2

|Nov dew point C = -0.9

|Dec dew point C = -0.8

|source 1 = NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1961-1990)

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025624&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 = August 11, 2022

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230903151628/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025624&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|archive-date = September 3, 2023

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=afg

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data

|access-date = August 11, 2022

}}

{{cite web

|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP1/70316.TXT

|title = WMO Climate Normals for COLD BAY, AK 1961–1990

|access-date = September 3, 2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230903145000/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP1/70316.TXT

|archive-date = September 3, 2023}}

}}

{{Graph:Weather monthly history

| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Cold Bay, Alaska.tab

| title=Cold Bay monthly weather statistics

}}

;Notes:

{{notelist}}

{{US Census population

|1890= 231

|1960= 86

|1970= 256

|1980= 228

|1990= 148

|2000= 88

|2010= 108

|2020= 50

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}

}}

Cold Bay first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as the unincorporated area of "Thin Point", which included Thin Point & Cold Bay (including two canneries and Cold Bay Salting Station). It reported 231 residents, of which 110 were White, 106 were Asian, ten were Creole (Mixed Russian & Native), three were Native and two were Other.{{cite web |title=Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v8-01.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=Government Printing Office}} It would not appear again until 1960, when it reported as the unincorporated village of Cold Bay. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980 and incorporated in 1982.

Cold Bay is a highly transient community, lacking the generational attachment characteristic of the surrounding native villages. Residents, drawn to the area largely by the Wildlife Refuge, Weather Service, or air traffic jobs, rarely stay more than a year in Cold Bay.

At the 2000 census, there were 88 people, 36 households and 18 families residing in the city. The population density was 1.6 per square mile (0.6/km{{sup|2}}). There were 98 housing units at an average density of 1.8 per square mile (0.7/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup of the city was 72% White, 3% Black or African American, 17% Native American, 5% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander, and 1% from two or more races. 2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 36 households, of which 33% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44% were married couples living together, 3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50% were non-families. 36% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was two and the average family size was three.

Age distribution was 24% under the age of 18, 9% from 18 to 24, 40% from 25 to 44, 27% from 45 to 64. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 184 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 205 males.

The median household income was $55,750, and the median family income was $64,375. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $38,333 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,037. There were no families and 27% of the population living below the poverty line, including no one under eighteen or over 64.

Cold Bay has a significant Baptist population. The city's only church is Cold Bay Community Chapel, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention.{{Cite web|title=Cold Bay Community Chapel|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/church/cold-bay-community-chapel-cold-bay-ak|website=FaithStreet|access-date=October 23, 2015}}

Cold Bay has one store, the Bearfoot Inn Alaska, formerly known as the World-famous Weathered Inn. It supplies groceries, clothing and small trinkets to the residents of Cold Bay and other communities within the Aleutians East Borough, although many residents order groceries and supplies from suppliers in Anchorage and Seattle. The Bearfoot Inn also offers lodging with its 8-room hotel and 6-room bunk house. Within the main building there is the Bearfoot Inn Bar which is open 3 to 6 days a week depending on the season. Bearfoot Inn is within walking distance of the airport.

The Cold Bay Lodge is the only restaurant in town. The lodge can accommodate up to about 40 people (38 beds), offers wireless Internet access, holds a liquor license, is less than a mile from the airport and offers trinkets and snacks.

A major community event is the Silver Salmon Derby, a fishing contest that takes place every fall. Participants vie in both adult and child categories for cash prizes for the largest fish. A raft race and "Polar Bear Jump" are also held. The Derby concludes with a banquet and door prize giveaway at the town community hall.

{{Main|Izembek National Wildlife Refuge}}

The {{convert|498000|acre|km2|adj=on}} Izembek refuge was established in 1960. It encompasses several large lagoons, including the {{convert|30|mi|km|adj=on}} long Izembek Lagoon, which serve as a food source and shelter for a large migratory bird population.

Approximately 150,000 Pacific black brant, 62,000 emperor geese, 50,000 Taverner's Canada geese, 300,000 ducks, and 80,000 shore birds stop over in the Izembek area during migration and as many as 50,000 Steller's eiders find winter grounds there.[http://izembek.fws.gov/wildlife.htm Izembek National Wildlife Refuge website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925235744/http://izembek.fws.gov/wildlife.htm |date=September 25, 2006 }}

Cold Bay was incorporated as a city in January 1982.{{Cite book|title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs / Alaska Municipal League|date=January 1996|page=42}} Cold Bay is classified by the state government as a second-class city.{{Cite web|title=Cold Bay|url=http://www.swamc.org/html/southwest-alaska/aleutians-east-borough-raquo/cold-bay.php|publisher=Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference|access-date=October 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151014054046/http://www.swamc.org/html/southwest-alaska/aleutians-east-borough-raquo/cold-bay.php|archive-date=October 14, 2015|url-status=dead}} As such, it is governed by a seven-member city council, which elects the city's mayor from among its membership. The current mayor is Harold Kremer. The city clerk is currently a vacant position.

The following individuals have served as the mayor of Cold Bay since its incorporation:

The Cold Bay School was the community's public grade school, operated by the Aleutians East Borough School District (AEBSD), until its closure in May 2015. AEBSD's school board voted to close Cold Bay School following the conclusion of the 2014–2015 school year due to a decline in enrollment, which led to the loss of state funding.{{Cite news|last=Boots|first=Michelle Theriault|date=August 8, 2015|title=The last kid in Cold Bay|url=https://www.adn.com/article/20150808/last-kid-cold-bay|newspaper=Alaska Dispatch News|location=Anchorage|access-date=October 23, 2015}} The school employed one teacher and served between four and nine students in its last years.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} The loss of the school caused an exodus of the remaining school-aged children until, by 2015, only one was left.

Circa 1978 the school, then a part of the Aleutian Region School District, had two teachers,Aleutian Islands, Aleutian Peninsula Debris Removal: Environmental Impact Statement. United States Army Corps of Engineers, 1980. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UvoyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA58 58]. and 37 students.Aleutian Islands, Aleutian Peninsula Debris Removal: Environmental Impact Statement. United States Army Corps of Engineers, 1980. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UvoyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA59 59]. In the 1980s, the school typically enrolled around 30 students.{{Cite book|title = Proposed North Aleutian Basin lease sale (sale 92): draft environmental impact statement|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=4T_xAAAAMAAJ|publisher = U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region|date = January 1, 1985|first = United States Minerals Management Service Alaska OCS|last = Region}} In 1985 it reached peak enrollment, with 50 students and four teachers. Despite its remote location, the school was involved in state and national activities, such as hosting the military's "Operation Arctic Care" outreach health program in 2002, and by briefly becoming involved with reporting for CNN Student Bureau that same year.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

The school building was used to house passengers of flights which made emergency landings in Cold Bay.{{cite news|author=Knight, JoAnne|url=https://www.adn.com/education/article/cold-bay-braces-closure-its-school/2015/05/02/|title=Cold Bay braces for the closure of its school |newspaper=Anchorage Daily News|date=May 31, 2016|access-date=February 20, 2017}}

Cold Bay has approximately {{Convert|40|mi|km|abbr=|sp=us}} of gravel roads, and a state-owned paved highway.

The Alaska Marine Highway travels between Cold Bay and Kodiak twice a month between May and October, and cargo ships visit the city monthly from Seattle, Washington. Currently, the city only has a dock and a seaplane base, but the city hopes to develop a breakwater, boat harbor and boat launch.

Cold Bay is serviced by Cold Bay Airport, holding the fifth-largest runway in Alaska,{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} and a second, smaller one. Regional flights occur six times a week.

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Portal|Alaska}}

{{commons category-inline}}

• http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CIS.cfm?Comm_Boro_name=Cold%20Bay
• [https://archive.today/20121213090518/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp105&sid=cp105D27x6&refer=&r_n=sr113.105&item=&sel=TOC_0&]
• http://www.ilovealaska.com/alaska/cities.cfm?cityid=63
• https://web.archive.org/web/20060926235118/http://alaska.fws.gov/internettv/nwrtv/izembektv/history.htm
• http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/photos/comm_photos.cfm?comm=Cold%20Bay

{{Coord|display=title|55.209038|-162.714298}}

{{Aleutians East Borough, Alaska}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Alaska

Category:Cities in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska

Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean

Category:Alaska Peninsula