Henry,
I am in Anchorage and it is jokingly called Los Anchorage because we have mild temps.
This cold snap happens once or twice a year.
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/mesonet.phpThe link below is from Fairbanks where I cannot see how they can even function.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ222I commuted to Fairbanks for work last winter for 3 months and the coldest I experienced was -25F.
I just called a friend who lives just outsaid of Fairbanks and he has -47 on his back.
I guess it all in mindset.