June Twenty-Oneth

Good morning, all.

It's the summer solstice, which is a big deal up here. With some 24 hours of visible light, the mid-summer activities are in full swing. 

In Fairbanks, 300 miles farther north, the annual Solstice baseball game will throw its first pitch at midnight (go figure!). 

North of the Arctic Circle, some 500 miles from here, the sun will not set. In Fairbanks, 200 miles south of the Circle, the sun barely sets. Here in the greater Anchorage area, we'll have about 90 minutes of dusk between 2:15 and 3:45, when the sun begins rising again. The sun dips just below the horizon, but it's not very far away.

There are sports events, walks, meetings, and various other gatherings to commemorate the longest day. It's what we wait for all year: dreaming about summer's long days helps keep us going through the short (5 hrs or less) days in December. 

And wonder of wonders, it's to be sunny today. Too often, it's completely overcast when we need clear skies the most.

* * * * *

We're having one of the driest summers on record, despite how green everything looks. The heavy snows left water down deep where the tree roots drink, but the ground vegetation getting brittle. And the Department of Conservation reports that over 1,000,000 acres have burned already. I'm guessing that won't make the evening news anywhere else. 

And now for some fun: Two Alaskan pilots recently completed an old-time aviation adventure of their own. Dr. Michael McNamara and Mark Barker picked up a 1929 Travel Air in Kenosha, Wisconsin. What followed was a seven-day trip flying the open cockpit biplane back to Alaska. It sounds like a grand adventure but it had to take some courage too.

Summer Solstice 2019

The longest day of the year* is a big deal in northern climes, and Alaska is right in the midst of the celebration.

To wit:

Sun                                   Rise             Set

Actual Time                     4:18 AM     11:44 PM

Civil Twilight                   -                  -

Nautical Twilight             -                  -

Astronomical Twilight     -                  -

Length of Visible Light    24 h 0 m

Length of Day                  19 h 25 m

Tomorrow will be 0 minutes 5 seconds shorter     

And - wonder of wonders! - it will be sunny today, so we'll actually get the full benefit of "it won't get dark today".

71° F. and 24 hours of daylight. Eat your hearts out! (Or better yet, come see us next year. Just sayin'.)



* Yes, we know that the day is still only 24 hours; in actual usage, it means "the day with the most daylight hours".  :)

It's That Time Again

We're firmly in the annual six-week stretch when it never gets dark, here in southcentral Alaska. There's twilight from about 01:30 until around 03:00, but you could still go for a walk. Or even cut the grass, if you have REALLY understanding neighbors.

And for those visiting during the summer, we're fairly far south. The farther north you go, the longer the full light lasts. North of the Arctic Circle, it doesn't get dark at all during this season.

And someone usually asks if the lack of darkness interferes with sleep. Yes, for some people it does. We've always used light-blocking drapes or wooden mini-blinds. Newbies have been known to tape black plastic trash bags or aluminum foil over their bedroom windows. 

But it's usually not a problem. One merely has to keep an eye on the time, to know when to go to bed. It is easy to miss your regular bedtime when the sun is still shining in the windows. 

Post #7,000: The Opposite of Dark

It's that time of year when folks from everywhere else start wondering what the midnight sun looks like in Alaska.

On the summer solstice in June, this part of the State doesn't ever really get dark. In fact, that lasts for about six weeks. On the solstice itself, we have nearly 23 hours of daylight.

But in mid-May, we're approaching that condition already. Here are the actual times for sunrise and sunset today, along with the times of usable light.

                         Sunrise          Sunset
Actual Time     4:59 AM       10:53 PM

Civil Twilight  3:41 AM       12:11 AM

It's light when we get up, and light when we lay down. These conditions will last into August, and it's the time of year we love. Our payback, if you will, for the long dark nights of winter.

As Far As the Solstice Goes (UPDATED)

... this year, we are less-than-impressed.

While the summer solstice in Alaska is an event which draws tens of thousands of tourists annually (who wouldn't like to see a day or three when there's no night-time?), this year - like most recent years - it's cloudy.

Not heavily overcast, mind, but still not the sunshine and blue skies from which we get the joy of "hey, it's 2 am and it's still not dark".

I'm speaking of our part of Alaska, of course; it is sunny elsewhere. In Fairbanks, they're playing Midnight Sun baseball: a series of games which will run continuously for 24 hours.

And there are of course celebrations locally, including the Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage, as well as some other footraces and charity events. Many stayed up all night to observe the gloomy - but not darkened - skies overnight.

For our part, we enjoy this six-week period where it never gets completely dark, but it's not worth staying up for unless the sun is out.

But still, it's a novel experience for folks from parts more southerly to see it stay light all the time, and is something everyone should experience at least once.

But sunny weather would be a nice touch.


UPDATE: shortly after I posted this, the sun started peeking through the clouds, and eventually stayed out for a couple of hours. We sat out on the deck from 7 until 9 pm, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Sunday: a Bit o' This and That

I only have a few days between my last midnight shift and the next one, so I'm staying on the stay up and night and sleep all day routine. Makes it a bit harder to contribute anything at all, blog-wise, but perhaps this will remedy that, a little.

Looking at Navy pictures, and talking about shipboard memories with shipmates who were contemporaries on the Wood, has brought back a couple of things.

USS William M. Wood (DD715)

Forgive me for my lazyness, but I haven't gone back through all 16 "Navy Memories" posts; does anyone recall whether I mentioned us recovering a couple of downed helicopter pilots one night? I'll be happy to write about that, if I missed it the first time 'round.

* * * * *

Yesterday was warm (for here), hitting 67° for awhile, and sunny with a mild breeze. We were able to sit out on the deck for awhile. I even had my shoes off, for a bit. It was glorious, for about an hour.

We're in the midst of the six-week period during which it never gets completely dark. I noticed this morning that it was still light enough to go for a walk at 0030. By 0200 it was gloomy, but the light returned well before 0300. The sun does set in the wee hours, but it doesn't go too far away.

Or to put it another way, you could mow the grass at midnight ... if you had VERY understanding neighbors. :)

Long Days

It's the time of year we Alaskans live for: long days with almost no darkness.

Nearly 22 hours of visible light, and the summer solstice is still over three weeks away. 

We're lovin' this. :)

Well On The Way to Summer Solstice

Around the end of May, we enter a six-week stretch when it doesn't ever get dark, with 22+ hour days.

Springtime milestone: Anchorage hits 15 hours of sunlight

ANCHORAGE (KTUU) -

Sunny skies, calm winds and long days are back, prompting more summer-oriented residents to return to parks and trails across Anchorage.

On Tuesday, Southcentral Alaska witnessed the first day of the spring season with more than 15 hours of daylight. The last date the area saw that much light was Aug. 23. 

... The light is returning to Alaska at a rate of about five minutes per day. The sun now rises before 6:30 a.m., and on Tuesday, it set at 9:30 p.m, giving residents plenty of time to get off work and enjoy the sunlight.

In June, we get about 90 minutes of dusky weather, but it never gets dark. The sun merely dips below the horizon for a few minutes, and pops right back up.

There are those who can't sleep when it's light outside, but room-darkening shades or curtains go a long way. Some even put aluminum foil or black plastic trash bags on their bedroom windows. We're grateful we never had to do that. 

It's glorious to have daylight whenever you want it. :)

Summer Solstice

A friend in Anchorage took this picture at midnight, last night.

Summer Solstice

Yes, I know the solstice isn't until Monday, but clouds and rain will obscure much of the sun that day, so let's talk about the sun while it can be seen.

It has been clear and sunny for several days. And nights too, for that matter. We don't have much in the way of "dark", this time of year.

It was hot yesterday; too hot for some. It hit 83 in Anchorage, but only 75 at home. That was plenty warm, as there was practically no breeze. But we did what all good Alaskans do when the temp gets above 70: we turned on every fan we own, and then hung out on the deck.

And ice; we consumed a LOT of icy drinks. The crushed-ice-maker on the fridge got a real workout, yesterday.

But it's all good, and we have lots of shade. The header on this page is our front yard, looking north from the living room.

It'll be cooler today, as the front which will bring us rain on Sunday/Monday begins pushing slowly into the area. I'm okay with cooler. :)

But it's all good, and the weekend is nearly upon us. Most of the chores are already done; the shopping will be finished tonight, leaving tomorrow free for other things. Nearly all the boxes and totes in the garage have been unpacked, and - un milagro! - we could park two cars in our two-car garage. It's nice to see all that floor space open again.

Now Older Daughter and I will have the time and space to begin arranging the tools and workbenches into some semblance of order. We're rather looking forward to that.

A Slow Start

I was so thoroughly convinced that yesterday was Friday, that I turned off the alarm clock when I arose. So today ... yep. Overslept by more than an hour.

But by having a PB&J for breakfast, along with only one cup of coffee, I was at work an hour later. And I could swear my truck was moving in slow motion all the way here, no matter what the speedometer said.

20 years ago, I used to get passed every morning by an expensive car with personalized plates which read IMSOL8. Today, I achieved a new level of sympathy for whoever that was.

* * * * *

We're squarely in the middle of the annual six-week period when it doesn't get dark. But we've noticed that it doesn't seem so bright at our new house, because we're completely surrounded by forest. A half-mile or so down the road, when we reach an area of cleared lots, it suddenly gets brighter.

But sitting out on the deck in the evenings has become our new favorite pastime. Sure, we can hear sounds of human activity, and distant traffic from time to time. But all we can see is trees, and that's okay with us.

Conversation, rather than television, is the center of activity. We've banned gripes about work, co-workers, and all things of that nature, focusing instead on our new home, plans and dreams, and how this is the nicest "resort" we've found in Alaska. I think we'll stay. :)

Sooner or later, though, the air gets too cool, and we have to go back inside.

Monday Morning: Lots of News Today

First, a quick update: there's no news (yet) concerning our friend's missing brother-in-law. I will keep you posted.

* * * * *

Second, yesterday was the longest day of the year, in terms of daylight. Naturally enough, the skies clouded up overnight on Friday, and we've been socked in almost continuously, ever since. But what the heck ... at least it's not snowing, right?

* * * * *

Third: the wildfires are still burning to the north and south of us, but the northern fire is about 80% contained. The southern (Kenai) fire is only at about 20% containment, but far fewer homes are threatened, as the fire is burning in an unpopulated forest/wildlife refuge. Well, unpopulated by humans, anyway.

The Card Street Fire near Sterling is roughly one-fifth contained as a turn in weather conditions aids hundreds of firefighters on the ground and in the air, officials with the management team coordinating efforts against the blaze said Sunday.

There are over 2,000 firefighters now working around the clock to battle the flames. Over 1,100 of them are from the Lower 48, and we're grateful for their help.

* * * * *

Fourth: three more health insurers have pulled out of Alaska, leaving only two in the market. Thanks, Obamacare!

And oh yes, at least one of the remaining two companies has already announced a significant rate hike for this year.

* * * * *

And finally, do you recall that I recently mentioned how fake the various Alaska-based "reality" shows are?

The tip that launched an investigation into an Alaska reality TV family came from outside the state, Department of Revenue officials said Thursday.

Scott Stair, chief investigator for the department's criminal investigation unit, would not discuss in detail accusations that six members of the Brown family lied on Permanent Fund dividend applications.

Asked what application requirements the stars of "Alaskan Bush People" violated, Stair replied in an email. "They (the Browns) didn't meet the physical requirements for the PFD application between October 2009 and August 2012. That lead to false statements on the application."

I'd say, "Color me surprised." But why waste a crayon?

Friday: Midnight Sun & Wildfires Edition

Friday seemed a long time in coming, this week.


Wildfire update: the Mat-Su fire (called the Sockeye fire, if you're trying to look it up) is still at about 7,000 acres in size, but fire crews seem to have a handle on it. There's still plenty of drama ... 26 homes destroyed, including a captain with the Willow Fire Department lost his home and everything he owned, while battling fire elsewhere. His neighbors we able to save his 28 sled dogs, though.

And then there's this:

Alaskans menaced by what is now the nation’s top wildfire remained cautious Thursday, though the heart of the Card Street blaze had raged miles into the unpopulated Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, driven by winds from the west that quadrupled its size to 12,000 acres in the past day.  (Emphasis added - Ed.)

Meanwhile, here in Anchorage where all we've suffered is some smoke, weather guessers are predicting a temperature inversion tomorrow which could trap the smoke close to the ground. That would cause visibility and respiratory issues, so I hope they're wrong. It's certainly too warm to close the windows.

I've been interviewing vendors and soliciting bids for grounds-keeping, both summer and winter. This morning I went through the stack and narrowed it down to a single choice, and notified the losing bidders of that. But since it's early, and I don't have an e-mail address for the winner, I have to wait another half-hour before trying to call them.

We're only 2 days from the summer solstice, but the midnight sun has been with us for several weeks already (and will be around for several more). For example, we'll have 22 hours, 55 minutes of usable light today. This is the part of Alaskan summers that tourists flock here to see: it just doesn't get dark, this time of year.

Anchorage at midnight, in June

It's That Time of Year

when the sun doesn't get too far away. Lots and LOTS of daylight. According to Weather Underground, we'll have 22 hours, 55 minutes of visible light today.

Nevertheless, it's also a typical June, daytime temps varying from low 50s to the mid-70s, depending on cloud cover. Lots of scattered rain showers, but more than a few sunny days, too.

I wish everyone could visit Anchorage twice: once in June, when we're practically buried under the lush greenery of early summer - and again in January, when it's typically cold (-25°, anyone?) and snowy. The contrasts are startling, to say the least.

Winter in Alaska has a beauty all its own, as the snow smooths the mountains and the trees sparkle with frost. And one other thing: after the leaves have fallen, and the grass turns brown, we look forward to snowfall to cover it all up, and make things pretty and white.

And what can I say about summer?

The change can be startling.  At least in this part of Alaska, we don't really have "Spring": we go from snow, to melting snow/mud/flooding of streams and rivers/ice jams. Lots of mud. Everything stays gray or brown for what seems a very long time.

And then the buds appear on branches, and just hang there for several weeks. Then without warning, they open. Foliage turns green - sometimes slowly, sometimes in just two or three days - and then keeps getting thicker ... and thicker.

And thicker.

It's as if the grass and trees know that the growing season is shorter here, and they produce prodigious amounts of greenery, to compensate.

After so many months of bare branches, and the resultant wide-open lines of sight, it feels ... well, almost claustrophobic.

But after this past winter, when we got very little snow, it's nice to have color again.

You Can Always Tell When It's Friday in Alaska

because the weather starts deteriorating in preparation for the weekend.

Today - the day before the summer solstice - we have sunshine and clear skies. There will be plenty of daylight, providing well over 22 hours of usable light.

Tomorrow, on the day itself, the forecast is for rain and cold winds. 

Oh, well, at least it's nice tonight.

Summer Solstice

Today is the day on which the maximum number of tourists gather in Anchorage, and elsewhere in Alaska, to enjoy the long day. This time of year, we have 22 1/2 hours of daylight, and 90 minutes of dusk as the sun dips just below the horizon but doesn't get very far away. Farther north, there's even more light.

Here in Anchorage, there's the Mayor's Midnight Run Marathon. In Fairbanks, they begin their annual solstice baseball game with the first pitch at midnight.

Naturally, it's overcast today with a chance of rain, but we'll take it.

It hasn't rained in weeks, and the fire danger here in town is at the "very high" level. There was a truck fire along the highway north of here a couple days ago, and it set fire to the shoulder and some adjoining trees.

The Anchorage Fire Department has banned all open fires for the weekend, including barrels and fire pits. Apparently BBQ grills are still okay, but we're advised to have a hose handy - just in case.

There's a video at www.ktuu.com which provides a nice look at the mountainside above town, while discussing the fire danger. It's about halfway down the page, and doesn't appear to have a separate link (sorry), so I don't know how long you'll be able to find it.

* * * * *

There are couple of "feel good" stories in this morning's news:

Anchorage police say a woman with disabilities who walked into a school Thursday afternoon asking for assistance has been identified and safely reunited with her family, following an appeal to the public for help.

... According to Myren, a Crisis Intervention Team officer spoke with the woman, but wasn’t initially able to identify where she came from. Soon after local media posted APD's request for help, however, members of the public were able to confirm her identity.

 Given the recent police-involved shootings over the last year, this one caught my eye:

Alaska State Troopers safely arrested a Homer man on assault charges Wednesday night, after a two-hour standoff that began when he allegedly threatened troopers and fired a pistol.

... “Upon arrival, Troopers were challenged by an intoxicated male individual who yelled at Troopers and made reference to a .44 caliber handgun,” troopers wrote in a Thursday dispatch on the incident. “As Troopers were establishing a perimeter the individual fired several shots from a .44 caliber handgun.”

Kudos to our troopers who were able to take the man into custody without any more shots being fired. Too many of these stories end with dead victims.

* * * * *

Tune in later for more fun & frolic from Dutch Harbor via the Unalaska Police Blotter.

Thanks for stopping by, friends; have a wonderful Friday!

Helpful Alaskan Hints

If you're visiting Alaska in the summertime, don't tell your children "Come home when it gets dark."

It hasn't been dark since May, and we won't have any appreciable "dark" until August.

Specify a time of day, parents. Ask me how I know this. :)

The Longest Day: Alaskan Summer Solstice

Alaskans get asked a lot of questions about that. Everyone's heard of the "Land of the Midnight Sun", and wants to know all about it. Myths about Alaska abound: no, we don't live in igloos. And no, it's not covered in snow year-round. But about the solstice ...

Q: "Is it true the sun never sets?"

A:  No, Anchorage isn't far enough north for that to happen. We're 500± miles south of the Arctic Circle, north of which that phenomenon occurs.

Here's what does happen:  today, it was light enough to see where you're walking at 2:33 a.m. It will not get truly dusky again until 1:28 a.m. tomorrow.  That's 23 hours of daylight, give or take.

To put it another way, we're required by law to have our headlights on from around 11:10pm until 3:50am tomorrow. But we don't really need 'em, this time of year.

Of course it's been cloudy all day, with only short breaks of sunlight. But it's not important ... this sunny spell of "almost always light" lasts for six or seven weeks. Yes, the days will start getting shorter again tomorrow, but we won't have days shorter than, say, St. Louis until late October.

Then the daylight hours will dwindle down to about 4 1/2 hours in December - but that's another post.

About The Solstice

here in Alaska, the long hours of daylight (including the midnight sun) are fascinating to us, as well as those from elsewhere.

For the record: sunset tonight is officially 11:41 p.m., but the sun barely dips below the horizon. It won't get dark (okay, dusky) until 1:29 a.m., and the pre-dawn light comes at 2:33 a.m. Official time for tomorrow's sunrise is 4:21 a.m.

It's almost too dark to go walking for about 90 minutes in the wee hours, give or take, but that's all. If you have really understanding neighbors, you could mow the grass at midnight. I'm not recommending it, mind, but it's possible.

We won't start having any actual "night-time" darkness for another few weeks. So unless you're one of those who simply cannot sleep if there's light in the room, it's an awesome time of year. The nearly-constant sunshine is great compensation for the long winter months. 

A Soggy Solstice

Today is the peak day for summer tourism in Alaska - everybody and their cousins want to be here for the midnight sun. 'Ceptin' we aren't likely to see much sun today. It's solidly overcast and misty/drizzly, and only 52 degrees. Bleah.

But ... the solstice celebrations continue, despite the weather. We tend to overlook things like rain when there's a chance for an all-nighter with barbeque parties at midnight. In Fairbanks, they'll kick off the season with the Midnight Sun baseball game that begins at midnight.

Anchorage hosts the Mayor's Midnight Run (well, it took place over the weekend, but close enough) and all sorts of other events, such as the John Bagoy Summer Solstice Cemetery Tour - at the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery, tonight, where many of our pioneers are interred, with a narrated history of who they were & what they did.

So what if it's rainy? A little rain never hurt anyone.  Sure, we'd prefer sunshine, but what the hey - at least it won't be dark.