Skwentna River

Coordinates: 61°59′8″N 151°8′23″W / 61.98556°N 151.13972°W / 61.98556; -151.13972
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Skwentna River
Skwentna River is located in Alaska
Skwentna River
Location of the mouth of the Skwentna River in Alaska
Native nameShqitnu (Tanaina)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
BoroughMatanuska-Susitna
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • coordinates61°25′57″N 152°40′47″W / 61.43250°N 152.67972°W / 61.43250; -152.67972[2]
South Twin Glacier
 • elevation3,500 ft (1,100 m)[1]
Mouth 
 • coordinates
61°59′8″N 151°8′23″W / 61.98556°N 151.13972°W / 61.98556; -151.13972[2]
Yentna River
 • elevation
125 ft (38 m)[2]
Length100 mi (160 km)[2]

The Skwentna River[3] (Dena'inaShqitnu) is a river in the southwestern part of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska.

History[edit]

Tanaina Indian name reported in 1898 by Spurr (1900,p. 48), USGS, as "Skwent River."[2]

Watershed[edit]

Heads at South Twin Glacier at 61°26′00″N 152°41′00″W / 61.43333°N 152.68333°W / 61.43333; -152.68333, flows North and East to Yentna River, 63 miles (101 km) North of Tyonek, Alaska Cook Inlet Low.[2]

Tributaries[edit]

Climate[edit]

Puntilla Lake, 1858 ft (566 m), is a weather station located near the source of the Skwentna River, approximately 50 miles west of Skwentna.[4] Puntilla has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc).

Climate data for Puntilla, Alaska, 1991–2020 normals, 1942–2020 extremes: 1858ft (566m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 49
(9)
47
(8)
52
(11)
62
(17)
80
(27)
87
(31)
85
(29)
83
(28)
73
(23)
61
(16)
52
(11)
45
(7)
87
(31)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 32.2
(0.1)
35.6
(2.0)
39.0
(3.9)
49.6
(9.8)
66.1
(18.9)
75.0
(23.9)
76.7
(24.8)
70.9
(21.6)
61.4
(16.3)
49.4
(9.7)
35.4
(1.9)
31.1
(−0.5)
78.4
(25.8)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 12.0
(−11.1)
21.7
(−5.7)
26.9
(−2.8)
39.5
(4.2)
52.5
(11.4)
61.6
(16.4)
64.4
(18.0)
60.4
(15.8)
50.2
(10.1)
35.2
(1.8)
20.8
(−6.2)
14.4
(−9.8)
38.3
(3.5)
Daily mean °F (°C) 5.9
(−14.5)
13.5
(−10.3)
16.7
(−8.5)
29.7
(−1.3)
42.5
(5.8)
51.6
(10.9)
55.7
(13.2)
52.2
(11.2)
43.1
(6.2)
28.4
(−2.0)
14.2
(−9.9)
8.0
(−13.3)
30.1
(−1.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) −0.1
(−17.8)
5.3
(−14.8)
6.4
(−14.2)
19.9
(−6.7)
32.4
(0.2)
41.7
(5.4)
47.0
(8.3)
44.0
(6.7)
35.9
(2.2)
21.5
(−5.8)
7.5
(−13.6)
1.6
(−16.9)
21.9
(−5.6)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −28.6
(−33.7)
−23.1
(−30.6)
−19.1
(−28.4)
−5.7
(−20.9)
18.2
(−7.7)
28.1
(−2.2)
35.6
(2.0)
29.7
(−1.3)
19.9
(−6.7)
2.6
(−16.3)
−14.0
(−25.6)
−22.8
(−30.4)
−32.3
(−35.7)
Record low °F (°C) −50
(−46)
−45
(−43)
−40
(−40)
−28
(−33)
−8
(−22)
8
(−13)
25
(−4)
14
(−10)
5
(−15)
−25
(−32)
−36
(−38)
−50
(−46)
−50
(−46)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.21
(31)
1.07
(27)
0.61
(15)
0.51
(13)
0.31
(7.9)
1.13
(29)
2.14
(54)
2.14
(54)
2.11
(54)
1.47
(37)
1.41
(36)
1.75
(44)
15.86
(401.9)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 15.90
(40.4)
15.00
(38.1)
8.50
(21.6)
5.30
(13.5)
0.40
(1.0)
0.00
(0.00)
0.00
(0.00)
0.00
(0.00)
1.20
(3.0)
8.60
(21.8)
18.90
(48.0)
22.50
(57.2)
96.3
(244.6)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 34.2
(87)
41.0
(104)
37.7
(96)
32.6
(83)
9.8
(25)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.9
(2.3)
5.0
(13)
16.0
(41)
26.9
(68)
47.8
(121)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 7.4 7.1 4.6 3.0 3.0 6.8 10.7 10.8 10.9 7.8 8.9 10.6 91.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 8.3 7.4 4.8 2.9 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 4.0 7.3 10.3 45.9
Source 1: NOAA[5]
Source 2: XMACIS2 (records, 1991-2020 monthly max/mins & snow)[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Skwentna River source from USGS-GNIS". MSR Maps.
  2. ^ a b c d e f U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Skwentna River
  3. ^ United States Geological Survey Hydrological Unit Code:
  4. ^ "Data of Meteorological Station Puntilla Lake, Alaska". geographic.org. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  5. ^ "Puntilla, Alaska 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  6. ^ "xmACIS". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 29, 2024.