Actually - it is not uncommon for temps to get into the 90's in the interior of AK in June and Jul (clouds and stormier WX tend to eliminate those high temps by AUG).
Two years ago, the following article in DKOS (
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/07/992246/-eSci-Epic-Arctic-Meltdown) noted:
The beach like boundary with open water at 89° north shows the thinness of the ice. Polar sea ice melt ponds are common in July but open water is not. Source: NOAA PMELAccompanying WEBCAM image in the article shows either a lot of ponding (or as the author believed 'open water') taken on JUL 7, 2011. I highly doubt we will see anything close to that in 2 weeks this year. The real POINT I was trying to make is that this open water/deep ponding has been going on quite a bit over the last 6 years - and seeing cracks in the ice near the NP is not that big a deal - anymore...
Steve