Cold Bay, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cold Bay
Udaamagax, Pualu
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Aerial view of Cold Bay taken during the early 21st century.
Cold Bay Airport's runways are visible. |
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 Cold Bay, Alaska
Location in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Aleutians East |
| Incorporated | January 1982 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 68.06 sq mi (176.26 km2) |
| • Land | 53.41 sq mi (138.34 km2) |
| • Water | 14.64 sq mi (37.92 km2) |
| Elevation | 138 ft (42 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 50 |
| • Density | 0.94/sq mi (0.36/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99571
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| Area code | 907 (local prefix: 532) |
| FIPS code | 02-16530 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1418448 |
| Website | https://www.coldbayak.org |
Cold Bay is a small city located in Alaska, United States. Its local names are Udaamagax in the Aleut language and Pualu in the Sugpiaq language. It is part of the Aleutians East Borough.
Cold Bay is a key commercial spot on the Alaska Peninsula. This peninsula stretches west towards the Aleutian Islands. The city is also home to the Cold Bay Airport, which has a very long runway. In 2020, only 50 people lived in Cold Bay.
Contents
History of Cold Bay
Early Times and World War II
People called Aleuts lived in the Cold Bay area long ago. Later, Russian explorers also set up camps there. Cold Bay became important to American history during World War II. In 1942, Japan attacked the Aleutian Islands. To protect the area, General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. ordered the building of Fort Randall. This was an airbase right on the shores of Cold Bay.
Fort Randall helped protect Dutch Harbor, which was the only deep-water port in the Aleutians at the time. When Japan attacked Dutch Harbor, American P-40 planes from Cold Bay helped fight them off. Later in the war, about 20,000 troops were stationed in Cold Bay. You can still see some of the old military buildings, called quonset huts, around the community.
Project Hula and Later Years
In 1945, Cold Bay was part of a huge project called Project Hula. The United States gave many ships and boats to the Soviet Union there. They also trained Soviet sailors to use them. This was done to help the Soviet Union join the war against Japan.
After the war, the airfield became a civilian airport. It was used as a place for planes to refuel or land in emergencies. This was especially helpful for flights traveling long distances from the west coast of the United States to East Asia. Today, Cold Bay Airport is still used for emergency landings. It also serves as a travel hub for people going to smaller communities nearby from Anchorage and Seattle.
Geography and Climate
Where is Cold Bay?
Cold Bay is located at 55°12′33″N 162°42′51″W / 55.20917°N 162.71417°W. It is west of Hawaii. The city covers about 70.9 square miles (183.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 16.6 square miles (43 square kilometers) is water.
Cold Bay is known for being the cloudiest place in America.
Cold Bay's Weather
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Cold Bay has a cool climate, typical for southwest Alaska. Summers are cool, and it's often cloudy. In fact, Cold Bay averages about 304 days a year with heavy clouds covering most of the sky.
The temperature in Cold Bay usually stays between 78°F (26°C) and -13°F (-25°C). Even on warm summer days, the nights stay quite chilly. It's rare for the temperature to reach 68°F (20°C) during the warmest part of the day.
| Climate data for Cold Bay Airport, Alaska (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1942–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 59 (15) |
54 (12) |
56 (13) |
60 (16) |
68 (20) |
72 (22) |
77 (25) |
78 (26) |
70 (21) |
69 (21) |
59 (15) |
62 (17) |
78 (26) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 43.5 (6.4) |
43.9 (6.6) |
44.6 (7.0) |
49.7 (9.8) |
56.2 (13.4) |
61.2 (16.2) |
64.7 (18.2) |
65.8 (18.8) |
60.1 (15.6) |
54.7 (12.6) |
49.2 (9.6) |
45.2 (7.3) |
67.7 (19.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.2 (0.7) |
35.0 (1.7) |
35.4 (1.9) |
40.2 (4.6) |
46.5 (8.1) |
52.1 (11.2) |
56.2 (13.4) |
57.2 (14.0) |
53.4 (11.9) |
46.5 (8.1) |
39.9 (4.4) |
35.6 (2.0) |
44.3 (6.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.4 (−2.0) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
35.0 (1.7) |
41.0 (5.0) |
47.1 (8.4) |
51.5 (10.8) |
52.6 (11.4) |
48.4 (9.1) |
41.3 (5.2) |
35.3 (1.8) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
39.3 (4.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.7 (−4.6) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
35.5 (1.9) |
42.0 (5.6) |
46.9 (8.3) |
48.1 (8.9) |
43.4 (6.3) |
36.1 (2.3) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
34.3 (1.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 6.7 (−14.1) |
8.2 (−13.2) |
9.7 (−12.4) |
18.0 (−7.8) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
33.7 (0.9) |
40.8 (4.9) |
39.2 (4.0) |
33.2 (0.7) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
18.0 (−7.8) |
10.8 (−11.8) |
2.1 (−16.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −13 (−25) |
−9 (−23) |
−13 (−25) |
4 (−16) |
18 (−8) |
27 (−3) |
33 (1) |
32 (0) |
26 (−3) |
6 (−14) |
1 (−17) |
−9 (−23) |
−13 (−25) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.38 (86) |
3.17 (81) |
2.98 (76) |
2.70 (69) |
2.64 (67) |
2.74 (70) |
2.51 (64) |
3.71 (94) |
4.50 (114) |
4.93 (125) |
4.99 (127) |
4.42 (112) |
42.67 (1,084) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 12.6 (32) |
10.0 (25) |
12.8 (33) |
6.4 (16) |
1.2 (3.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.0 (5.1) |
8.2 (21) |
14.1 (36) |
67.3 (171) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 20.5 | 20.1 | 19.4 | 18.9 | 17.8 | 17.4 | 19.8 | 21.3 | 22.6 | 24.8 | 24.4 | 23.4 | 250.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 13.0 | 12.7 | 13.3 | 9.1 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 3.1 | 9.7 | 14.2 | 77.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 84.3 | 83.5 | 82.8 | 82.5 | 83.5 | 86.3 | 88.3 | 89.5 | 86.4 | 82.8 | 83.5 | 86.3 | 85.0 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 25.9 (−3.4) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
34.0 (1.1) |
40.8 (4.9) |
46.6 (8.1) |
48.4 (9.1) |
44.2 (6.8) |
36.0 (2.2) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
34.5 (1.4) |
| Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Cold Bay
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 231 | — | |
| 1960 | 86 | — | |
| 1970 | 256 | 197.7% | |
| 1980 | 228 | −10.9% | |
| 1990 | 148 | −35.1% | |
| 2000 | 88 | −40.5% | |
| 2010 | 108 | 22.7% | |
| 2020 | 50 | −53.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Cold Bay first appeared on the U.S. Census in 1890. Back then, it was called "Thin Point" and had 231 residents. The population has changed a lot over the years. In 2010, there were 108 people, but by 2020, the number had gone down to 50.
Who Lives in Cold Bay?
Cold Bay is a place where people often move in and out. Many residents come for jobs related to the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, weather services, or air traffic. They usually don't stay for many years. This is different from nearby native villages, where families have lived for generations.
Religion in Cold Bay
Cold Bay has a number of Baptist residents. The only church in the city is the Cold Bay Community Chapel. It is part of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Economy and Culture
Local Businesses
Cold Bay has one main store called the Bearfoot Inn Alaska. It used to be known as the World-famous Weathered Inn. This store sells groceries, clothes, and small gifts to people in Cold Bay and other nearby communities. Many residents also order their supplies from larger cities like Anchorage and Seattle.
The Bearfoot Inn also offers places to stay, with an 8-room hotel and a 6-room bunk house. Inside the main building, there's the Bearfoot Inn Bar, which is open several days a week. It's easy to walk to the Bearfoot Inn from the airport.
The Cold Bay Lodge is the only restaurant in town. It can host about 40 people and offers wireless internet. It's less than a mile from the airport and also sells small gifts and snacks.
Community Traditions
One of the biggest events in Cold Bay is the Silver Salmon Derby. This is a fishing contest held every fall. Kids and adults can compete for cash prizes for catching the largest fish. Other fun events include a raft race and a "Polar Bear Jump." The Derby ends with a big dinner and prizes given away at the town hall.
Nature and Education
Izembek National Wildlife Refuge
The Izembek National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1960. It covers a huge area of about 498,000 acres (2,015 square kilometers). The refuge includes large lagoons, like the 30-mile (48-kilometer) long Izembek Lagoon. These lagoons provide food and shelter for many migratory birds.
Hundreds of thousands of birds stop at Izembek during their migrations. These include about 150,000 Pacific black brant, 62,000 emperor geese, and 300,000 ducks. Many Steller's eiders also spend the winter there.
Cold Bay School
The Cold Bay School was the local public school. It was run by the Aleutians East Borough School District. However, the school closed in May 2015. The school board decided to close it because fewer students were enrolling. This meant the school lost state funding.
In its last years, the school had only one teacher and between four and nine students. When the school closed, most of the remaining school-aged children left Cold Bay. By 2015, only one school-aged child was left in the city.
The school building was sometimes used to house passengers from flights that had to make emergency landings in Cold Bay.
Getting Around Cold Bay
Roads
Cold Bay has about 40 miles (64 kilometers) of gravel roads. There is also a paved highway owned by the state.
Water Travel
The Alaska Marine Highway offers ferry trips between Cold Bay and Kodiak. These trips happen twice a month from May to October. Cargo ships also visit Cold Bay monthly from Seattle, Washington. The city currently has a dock and a base for seaplanes. There are plans to build a breakwater, a boat harbor, and a boat launch in the future.
Air Travel
Cold Bay is served by Cold Bay Airport. This airport has the fifth-largest runway in Alaska, along with a second, smaller one. Regional flights come to Cold Bay six times a week.
See also
In Spanish: Cold Bay para niños
