Anchorage experienced an unusually low-snow December in 2024, with only 1.9 inches recorded, contrasting sharply with the heavy snowfall of the previous year and creating ideal conditions for ice skating but challenging ones for skiing.

Orcas are starting to show new feeding behaviors around large trawler nets. They’re trying to steal fish caught in nets that are typically being hauled back. Scientists aren’t sure why orcas are doing this, but it’s dangerous for them because it increases their chances of getting caught in the net and dying.The problem is so bad that some fishermen have decided to skip fishing for black cod this year.

The areas that could see particularly severe rainfall as the large plume of moisture heads toward land will likely stretch from the south of Portland, Oregon, to the north of the San Francisco area.

A human skull found in Kotzebue in October is ancient, with officials confirming it is not contemporary. The skull was discovered in an area formerly used as a burial site. Since the recent flooding, police said they received three reports of remains washing up on shore in the Kotzebue area.

Alaskans are taking advantage of rare ice skating conditions on alpine lakes in Chugach State Park, with hundreds of people hiking into the backcountry to skate on smooth ice in the shadow of iconic peaks.

UAF Geophysical Institute space physicist Peter Delamere recently rode his fat-tire bike over frozen vegetation south of the Alaska Range until his tires finally bit snow a bit farther north.

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.

Schools in Susitna Valley were closed due to icy roads after high winds caused power outages in Anchorage and Mat-Su. Winds reached over 40 mph, with higher gusts reported in some areas.

For the first time ever recorded, orca washes ashore in Florida.

Organizers say they will determine by Feb. 3 whether it’s feasible to run the traditional southern route.

In Anchorage and Mat-Su, schools shifted to remote learning due to dangerous icy road conditions caused by freezing rain, leading to transportation disruptions and multiple accidents.

A black bear was fatally shot by federal officials after attempting to break into an occupied tent near Portage campgrounds in Alaska, following a recent similar incident that injured a woman.

A storm that started Sunday and largely tailed off by Monday afternoon had dropped nearly 17 inches on the city by evening to establish the new seasonal snowfall total, according to the National Weather Service. The storm closed schools in Anchorage and Mat-Su on Monday, and contributed to a fatal collision on the Parks Highway.

A commercial building's roof in South Anchorage collapsed due to heavy snow loads and potential design flaws in older wooden truss systems, prompting officials to advise building owners to clear roofs and assess structural safety.

While Northwest Arctic residents encounter bears year-round, such sightings are not common in Kotzebue this time of year, Cantine said. Charlie Henry Jr., an Elder from Kotzebue, agreed: “That is so strange — brown bear in the middle part of the coldest months.”

A pilot rescued with two young family members after they survived a night on the wing of an airplane partially submerged in a Kenai Peninsula lake is a student pilot who was not authorized to fly with passengers, according to a U.S. official and federal aviation records.

Two people were swept under the ice on the Big Susitna River on Thursday morning while three others were able to reach safety, Alaska State Troopers said.

Earlier on Monday, Maniilaq Association notified Kotzebue residents about the musk ox in a Facebook post, saying that the animal was “roaming around the Kotzebue area, last sighted near ‘old’ teacher housing on the lagoon.” Health officials asked residents to not approach or agitate the animal and to keep their dogs under control.

Merrill Field Airport reached 47 degrees on Monday and temperatures Tuesday remained in the high 30s and low 40s throughout Anchorage.

Oil from a nearby fuel container leaked through the water system in the lake most likely due to heavy rains of the past month. Cleanup efforts were ongoing this week. It’s not clear when the park will reopen.