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.

Research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks indicates that early snowmelt, driven by climate change, could lead to more extreme wildfire seasons in Alaska, with the southern regions experiencing earlier fire starts than usual.