It's -7° this morning, and the winds are calm - for now. However, the weather service predicts that
Winds will ... expand to the Matanuska Valley and Anchorage Thursday afternoon into Saturday. No warnings are expected at this time...but this will be the first significant wind event this winter for many locations. Wind chills could reach as low as 5 below to 20 below in the upper Cook Inlet region [That's us - Ed.] ...and as low as 45 below near passes along the along the Alaska Range and Thompson Pass.
We're three feet below normal on snowfall, and there's no mention of it in the local forecast. But it's hardly the first time we've been cold, nor will strong winds be a unique occurrence. Still, after the lackluster winter we've had so far, truly cold weather is a welcome change of pace.
At least it feels like winter for a change.
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Big Layoffs Looming: Because of falling oil prices, Alaska faces a severe budget shortfall. Our new Governor is actually doing something about it, though:
As Alaskans await the release of Gov. Bill Walker’s budget Thursday, he’s warning state workers the proposal will result in reductions in both services and the public employees providing those services.
Wow: no pie-in-the-sky promises, no proposals for any sort of tax (from him, anyway; the Legislature is another story), just belt-tightening.
That's refreshing, too.
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Finally, we have some reader-submitted photos from Alaska for your viewing pleasure.
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| Anchorage |
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| Hatcher Pass at the old Independence Mine, some 60 miles northeast of Anchorage |
Thanks for stopping by, friends - I hope you all have a great Thursday.
8 comments:
Rev. Paul,
No raise in taxes, now that's amazing!!!! A little belt tightening won't hurt to much.
Love the submitted pictures!
Sandy, most of us believe that the State's belt needs tightening. But don't ask the nearly 300 folks who may lose their jobs; they might not agree. :)
Glad you like the pix.
Yes, the spin-off from the drop in oil prices can be very troublesome. Sad for those affected.
And like I said . . I know a bundle of Ohioans who'd gladly help ya'll make up that 3 foot deficit in snow. If only there were a way :)
Cathy, if you could figure a way to get that snow here, we'd meet you at the border with floats & a marching band.
They really going to cut back or just scale back the growth in spending? That's the million dollar question.
I see WTI crude fell again today but gas prices here continue to rise. up to 1.99 a gallon again now.
Preppy, they're talking layoffs & project cancellations, so an actual cutback.
Our gas fell to $2.41 this a.m. That's the lowest in a very long time, here.
" . . . floats AND a marching band" !!
Ummm . . . let me see what I can do.
;)
Cathy - you'll understand if we don't hold our collective breath ...
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