So with a record-setting heat wave scorching the state, residents are sweltering amidst temperatures soaring past 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).

Southcentral Alaska hit four all-time highs yesterday (June 17), ranging between 88 F (31 C) in Seward to 94 F (34 C) in Talkeetna, according to the National Weather Service's Alaska forecast office. In the southeastern portion of the state, Skagway, a popular cruise ship port-of-call, reached 83 F (28 C), almost as warm as St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Just about every part of the state was warmer than average yesterday, the NWS said.