Knik

On the last Sunday in April, I received a brief but exciting message. “Frogs are singing,” Barbara Carlson notified me.

A powerful April storm in Anchorage, Alaska, has triggered high avalanche danger along with heavy snowfall and strong winds, leading to travel advisories and warnings from local authorities.

A recent report highlights the unprecedented low snowfall during the 2024-2025 winter in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska, affecting not only the weather but also events like the Iditarod race.

Salmon advocates have raised concerns over declining salmon numbers, blaming an oversupply of hatchery-reared fish that overwhelms natural stocks and disrupts ocean ecosystems.

Anchorage has upgraded its emergency response to level two due to potential eruption risks from Mount Spurr, located 75 miles west of the city.

Alaska state officials have advanced the start of the official fire season to March 17 in Southcentral, Southeast, and Western Alaska due to unusually low snowpack and warmer temperatures. The change aims to mitigate increased wildfire risks in these populated regions.

The National Weather Service says the city has had no snow at this point in the season only twice before. On average, that doesn’t usually happen until halfway through April. Last year, which turned out to be the second snowiest on record, more than 2 feet blanketed the ground on March 3.

Anchorage is on track to finish February with the least snowfall on record as mild temperatures prevail without measurable snow. Chief Meteorologist Melissa Frey explains the unusual winter pattern with far less snowfall than expected.

The 90th annual Fur Rendezvous Festival kicked off Thursday around Anchorage and is expected to feature its traditional late-winter celebration, despite a winter season marred by low snowfall.

Anchorage starts the Fur Rendezvous Festival with only a trace of snow on the ground under unexpectedly mild winter conditions, although dump trucks delivered snow to the racecourse for event activities.

February fishing and a catch of an introducted species in DeLong Lake.

Residents from Anchorage to Peters Creek felt a 4.3 magnitude earthquake that struck west of Anchorage, with its epicenter about 29 miles away, although no damage or injuries have been reported.

A professional snowboarder criticized the prolonged five‐hour rescue effort after an avalanche swept a backcountry skier down a mountain, cautioning that every minute matters in life‐or‐death situations.

Multiple avalanches have closed Hatcher Pass Road in Alaska due to heavy wet snowfall, with officials forecasting several days of clearance work.

Snow-dependent businesses in Anchorage are struggling as an unusually dry winter with record low snowfall forces snow removal and outdoor gear companies to scale back operations.

Severe weather in Southcentral Alaska has forced the Alaska Railroad to cancel weekend train services between Anchorage and Fairbanks, impacting travelers.

Unusual weather conditions, including warming temperatures and increased rainfall, forced multiple Southcentral Alaska ski areas to close, while others faced high winds and heavy snow, highlighting a challenging winter for ski operations and backcountry travel.

Hatcher Pass Road is closed at mile 14 due to high avalanche danger from heavy wet snow, with closures expected to last into the weekend, affecting snowmachining trails and Hatcher Pass Lodge.

Puzzling on what happened to the songbirds this winter. Could this be attributed to food shortages, invasives species...avian illness? The decline should be giving everyone pause.

The wind storms have been rolling in off the North Pacific, one after another. It is the windest winter and conditions I can recall in my years in Anchorage.