The Northern
Climate Observer

The big snow It has been some years since we had a big snow year. One of those when you have to shovel off the roof before the vents are covered up. Then you just jump off because so much snow has piled up. The young folks have never seen anything like it. For the older crowd it reminds us of childhood snow forts and giant snowmen. This year Anchorage is on track to have one of its snowiest winters on record, with more than 7 feet (2.1 meters) so far and more on the way. Record snow can bring record fun but also record problems, both for people and for wildlife. Problem number 1 - snow removal. The Municipality of Anchorage is under resourced this year and has been struggling to manage road clearing all winter. As a result the streets have been getting narrower and the snow berms higher. Picture having to pull out at a cross street with your view of traffic in both directions obstructed by a seven-foot berm. Similar struggles plagued the City of Whitehorse after records snow in November (see "Anchorage snowfall" related articles). Problem number 2 - roof safety. The snow accumulation has put tons of weight on every roof in the area. Most are designed for the loads so far, but there are other problems emerging including extreme icing and roof leaks. Two weeks ago, however, the roof of the public library in Palmer suddenly collapsed. Fortunately no one was inside at the time. Then last week the roof collapsed on a commercial structure in Anchorage. More than two dozen people were in the building at the time. Three were hospitalized and most tragically one person died. Problem 3 - moose strikes. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Anchorage has the highest population of moose living in an urban area in the world. A survey in 2022 found there were about 300 living in the city. As far as moose strikes, it is estimated that over 700 "animal-vehicle collisions" occur each year across Alaska, 85 percent of which involve moose and 16% occur in Anchorage. We have not seen any estimates yet for this winter, but most everyone has seen moose traveling the narrow plowed streets of the city, and many have had close encounters. See ADFG Driving in Moose Country for safety information. Make way for moose should be the city mantra this winter, along with, look out below. So how does the winter of 2023 compare so far with other winters? The LEO Network library includes 76 winter event articles for Anchorage, going back to 2005. The top three event categories are 1) Ice and Snow Change, 2) Extreme Temperatures, and 3) Landslides or Avalanches. The top human impact category for Anchorage is Transportation. This winter, however, the top event category is Extreme Precipitation and the top human impact, Safety. With all of this snow on the ground we are curious to see how our spring shapes up. It is sure to be memorable. See also extreme precipitation related articles from Norway, along with other interesting news events from Alaska, Northwest Territories Canada, and the Yamalo-Nenets region of Russia. Mike Brubaker, Editor

Just this month, more than 23 inches of snow have fallen in Anchorage, 17.5 inches above normal. A weekend storm clogged Anchorage streets, creating hazardous road conditions. The Anchorage School District closed school buildings and canceled after-school activities, calling a remote learning day.

The roof collapsed at a South Anchorage gym during a fitness competition. The Anchorage Office of Emergency Management cautioned residents that the city has had near-record snow conditions this winter, and residents should consider the snow load on their roofs. Officials also warned that property owners should exercise extreme caution if removing snow from their roofs themselves.

Kirkenes had a record warm moon and Kongsberg has had more than twice as much accumulation as they usually do in January.

The storm ravaged much of the coast. In several parts of the country, the forces of nature have done damage and loose objects have flown through in the air.

Two dogs have died from wolf attacks, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) — and community members say the number could be higher. Westwick said wolf aggression toward dogs is most likely during the breeding season between December and February, and during the denning period from April to May.

The pack killed all the black-tailed deer on the island and another established pack back on the mainland was preventing their return. Scientists assumed they would die off from starvation.

Rain began to fall on the already snow-covered Yamal Peninsula, an Arctic region of northwest Siberia, in November 2013. Rain fell for the next 24 hours.  As rain saturated the snow, the temperature dropped below freezing, turning the precipitation into a thick, icy crust. 

Reindeer stuck in local trash. Blue markings can also be seen on body. Mayor Frank M. Ingilæ and his two dogs came to the rescue for this fight Wednesday.