Monday and A Rough Start

NOTE to squeamish readers: you might want to avoid this one if dental work weirds you out.

So there I was ... two weeks ago with a molar broke in two, and the filling fell out. That turned into  a toothache turned an abscess, which engendered a script for an antibiotic. Now, six days later, out the little bugger came. 

Which required the assistance of a drill, and removal by the numbers: first piece, second piece, and so on.

The process didn't take a long time, which is a very good thing.

But now I'm on 800 mg of Ibuprofen and Vicodin for the next few days (if it goes that long). I'm fortunate to have a fairly high pain threshold. 

sigh ...

The weather continues its strange ups-and-downs. It was warm two weeks ago, with highs in the 40s which melted a great deal of the snow. Then last week it got cold, but still no snow. Yesterday the low was 14°, rising to a blistering high of 15° with a half-inch of snow. Oh, and a heavy fog for the second time in the last few days.

This morning it's 18, and AccuHunch insists that we might get a bit of the white stuff. Time will tell. 

So the day will be a quiet one. That's a good thing.

Just a Little More Snow

We were supposed to get 3" to 6" of new snow a couple of days ago. We got 8", which is fairly typical for snowfall this year, i.e., more arrives than was predicted.

That puts us at somewhat over 115" of snow so far this winter. The Anchorage area set a record for getting to the 100" mark quicker than ever before. Please note that "more than 100 inches" isn't a record; not even close. We routinely go over that amount.

So the snow fell on Saturday night and Sunday morning, then redeveloped Sunday afternoon. I was planning to run the snowblower Sunday evening, but a friend offered to bring his company's snowplow over and do it for me on Monday.

Well, sure! Why not? Except he didn't show up yesterday, as promised. I don't know what's happened, but suspect that perhaps the owner of the plow had other ideas.  

So I ran the snowblower tonight after work, and got it done in fairly short order. Ah well, people are fallible and stuff happens.

Anyway, the driveway is cleared, and the berms are gone. Also, the three weeks of subzero weather is  past, and we approach normal winter temps. Kind of nice when the heat output matches the setting on the thermostats, instead of lagging well below them.

Life is good here at the ol' homestead. :)

Apparently, it's Going to be Snowy This Winter

In an average winter, so the Weather Service says, the Anchorage area receives roughly 72" of snow. That's "late October through late April or sometimes early May", in a given year.

Okay, then. We've had 75" of snow so far, and it's only mid-December. This includes the 6" we got overnight.

Last year, we received 148" of snow here at the ol' homestead, so I guess we'll see what happens. One point in favor of lots of snow: pushing/steering/turning that 30" snowblower is better exercise than I'm getting on our treadmill. 

And one other thing: the little SUV is gonna have to go. I need a bigger 4x4 with more ground clearance, so I can get out of the driveway/neighborhood in a heavy snowfall. That's going to happen fairly soon, too.

The Long Dark Tunnel Has Begun

That sounds ominous, doesn't it?

I refer to "the long, dark tunnel" of winter here, when we drive to and from work, and do after-work activities in the dark. Sunrise today is 9:43, sunset is at 3:54, and the winter solstice is still 22 days away.

So for the next six weeks we revert to mole people, learning to function mostly in the dark. We've had about four feet of snow already, and proper winter is just beginning. 

A lot of the snow melted or compacted over the last 10 days, with moderating temps, but the icebox seems to be returning. Of course, many of you live in areas where temps are also falling, so it's hardly a news flash. 

On another note, we've all but stopped watching anything resembling the news. It's depressing, maddening, and quite predictable. Kind of like a soap opera: watch it once a month only to find that nothing has changed. 

Only the faces of which dancing monkeys are currently chasing the cameras.

Sigh ...

2022 Iditarod Sled Dog Race - Day 2

Good morning! It's Day 2 of the 50th Iditarod.

The top six mushers out of the checkpoint at Finger Lake, with the next four out of Skwentna and well on the way.

Standings may be found here, along with vlogs, blogs, pics, and lots of other information.

* * * * *

Saturday's snowstorm, some 16"+ in all, didn't do too much damage. The roads are in reasonable shape, except patches of black ice. Once the sun comes up, much of the slick spots will melt. But for now, we have 13° F. and the Monday morning commute.

March Lives Down to its Reputation

 We received 16" of snow yesterday. This morning's activity will be limited to clearing our 270' driveway. For those keeping track, that puts us at some 137" of snow for the winter.

The tall stack o' snow on the handrails begins to lean over. Then it folds itself in two,
and the top slides down alongside the bottom. Kinda like a Slinky going down the stairs in very slow motion.

Also: this year's Iditarod kicked off its ceremonial start yesterday. Doggies and fans alike were happy with the falling snow. The official restart at Willow, Alaska is in an hour or so. Should be a good race.

How Do You Move Heavy Snow?

These folks found some novel ideas:

Monday Again?

I could have sworn we just did this, last week.

But I digress. 

Our temperature is more than 30 degrees warmer than it was on Friday. Then: -15°. Now: 16° above. 

It feels … strange. But we're cautioned not to get used to it, as temps will fall below zero again tomorrow. It's nice to have an actual winter with cold air and snow.

Anchorage had an officer-involved shooting in the neighborhood where we used to live. A black-clad man allegedly pointed a loaded crossbow at several passing cars, and then at the officers when they arrived. They responded with service weapons featuring somewhat faster projectiles. ("He brought a bolt to a bullet fight"? Naw, too clumsy.)

Speaking of cold air, our two-week stretch of subzero temps pales in comparison to Fairbanks, which is nearly always colder than we ever get. While not anywhere near a record, they've had temps in the -30 or colder range. Interested? Read about what it's like, right here.

Maxine on Winter

Not Exactly News

So ... temps in the single digits above, today. And AccuHunch guesses we'll be in double-digits below, tomorrow and Friday. 

In other words, it's January in Alaska.

I Almost Forgot to Tell You

... it snowed last night, and there's more where that came from.

AccuHunch guesses we'll get at least that much more, over the next few days. It's okay with us. But no more earthquakes. Please.

Well, Drat!

We got a bit o' snow overnight. Not a lot, but enough to make everything white again. Then, around lunchtime, the temps went up into the mid-30s and rain showers moved it.

The rain is expected to stick with us for a couple of days, darn it. Apparently, the weather wonks at AccuHunch are concerned that with temps fluctuating from 28 to 32 overnight, and mid- to upper-30s in the daytime, freezing rain and icy streets are a real possibility.

And no, Virginia, we don't like them any more than you do. :)

I'm very, very glad that I only drive a bit over three miles to work ... when I work, which isn't every day. I do pray for the safety of my wife and both daughters, who all commute into Anchorage daily.

But, as winter storms go, this one hasn't been anything to worry about. So far.

Winter Weather, Part 2

The NBC affiliate in Anchorage is reporting that they received perhaps 1/10" of snow overnight.

Us? I'm glad you asked:

Six inches, so far. The Severe Weather Advisory remains in place until 18:00. The Weather Service thinks the storm will start to trend easterly, then reverse course and come back.

The snow isn't early, as we almost always have permanent ground cover by Halloween. But it's a bit heavier than usual.

48 Degrees

It's 21° above this morning, which is 48 degrees warmer than it was last Thursday. The weatherman predicts we're in a warm spell for the next few days, with rain and/or a freezing mix before it turns colder again.

 

Freezing rain on this frozen ground will turn instantly to ice, and I'm seriously considering whether we'll even be able to get safely off of the mountain ridge where we live. Any morning which includes an ice warning might just become a Ferris Bueller day. :)

 

* * * * *

 

We had to install padlocks on our dumpsters, at work, because a couple of homeless guys - who started out trying to sleep in them, trash and all - have started rooting through the bags. They literally throw the bags into the parking lot, rip them open, and search for ... whatever they're searching for. Probably medical waste like drugs or syringes. I'm pretty certain they're unaware that those things are prohibited by Federal law from going into the trash in the first place. But the padlocks should help keep the mess (and the homeless) away.

 

Speaking of homeless, one of their number had already burrowed under the collapsed Dome (see yesterday's post) and insulation, and made quite a nest for himself. This, despite almost constant surveillance of the area. He was discovered after watchers noticed that someone had damaged a couple of the remaining vending machines. Now the church has had to hire 24-hour security guards.

 

* * * * *

 

Regarding the recent snows, the weekend storm which dropped a foot of snow on Anchorage left 30 inches in Seward, 100 miles to the south.

On the Kenai Peninsula, Seward issued a local emergency declaration over the weekend, and the city council unanimously voted in favor of a resolution during a special city council meeting Monday that requests help from the state with the extreme weather affecting the town, according to Seward city clerk Johanna Kinney.

They received all 30" on Saturday morning. When the expected rainfall moves ashore in a couple of days, that could be quite a mess.

* * * * *

That's about all I have this morning. Thanks for stopping by, my friends.

Digging Out

Between Thursday overnight and yesterday afternoon, we got another foot of snow. Doesn't sound like a lot until you remember that it's on top of the 18" we already had.

A fierce storm that walloped Southcentral Alaska over the weekend dumped a foot of snow on Anchorage in 24 hours, causing havoc on the roads and even leading to the collapse of a sports dome in Alaska's most populated city.

The Dome?

The massive inflatable roof of Anchorage's indoor sports venue The Dome collapsed just before midnight on Saturday under the weight of heavy snow, canceling athletic events for thousands of users and leaving the future of the heavily used facility in question.

No one was hurt in the collapse of the structure off Raspberry Road, which is roughly 600 feet long and 300 feet wide. The building had been evacuated eight hours before the collapse. 

The owners say it will be repaired and put back into service. It covers a quarter-mile track, football field, weight room, exercise areas, a batting cage, and numerous other facilities. My wife and I used to go walking there, until their schedule became so heavily-weighted toward team events that individual members had trouble finding a consistent time to exercise.

But life goes on, and we all have jobs. There's a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a warm place to sleep. God is good, and we are blessed. Snow? That's just white stuff on the ground, making Alaska a beautiful place to live. :)


Thanks for stopping by, friends.

The Weather & Issues Therefrom

The weather we've experienced over the last week has gotten nearly everyone's attention, here. Having had three consecutive anomalous mild, icy winters - bare "winter" at all, by our standards - the return to a normal weather pattern has caught newbies off-guard.

There is quite a difference between ice and snow pellets at 31°, and 8" of snow at -20. The avalanche danger is elevated. No, that's not a mountain joke.

And Anchorage has had a couple of deaths which are being attributed to exposure. It happens. Usually the elderly or infirm, and sometimes doing something as innocuous as going to the mailbox. One slips and falls, hits his or her head, and that's where they spend the rest of their life.

It doesn't take very long.

Today's it currently 10° above, and the weatherman predicts another few inches of snow. We'll have falling temps later, they say, and slide below zero again tonight.

One must be prepared. Snow boots, ice cleats, layered clothing ... hats, gloves, scarves. We don't "put up" with the weather; we protect ourselves from it.

Yes, it's a pain to put on snow boots and a parka to walk to the mailbox, but it sure beats the alternative.

Our daughters, bless 'em, will be clearing the driveway once it gets light. I've got a couple of recently-arrived boxes to open: new speakers for the computer, and a stool for the workbench in the garage. That latter one will aid in putting on and removing said snow boots, too.

Now that the weather has warmed back up to normal temps, the two smaller SUVs will come out of the garage, as well. My wife's has no block heater, and she greatly appreciated getting into a warm vehicle when it was so far below zero.

And there's something else: both my wife and younger daughter drive late-model Ford Escapes. We've discovered a serious flaw: because of the new design, the tailgate and rear window get completely packed with icy snow. In fact, the rear wiper becomes so encrusted with ice that it won't even make contact with the glass.

I've had to hold the blade away from the window with my hand, and firmly tap the assembly with a hammer just to get the ice off.

My previous-generation Explorer doesn't have this problem, and it's made me rethink my plan to get a newer one. As a result, I suspect my next chariot will be a pickup. Or a TARDIS.

Okay, probably a truck. :)

Here Comes the Next Round

The last snows to come through this area were about two weeks ago, and of course it's been quite cold, so that snow is still with us. It gave the streets and highway departments time to clean the roads nicely. At least, that was until the freezing fog we've had the last four days, which left a goodly deposit of frost on the pavement. This morning was fog-free, a welcome change for the daily commute.

 

But.

 

There's always a "but" in winter, isn't there?

 

But Wunderground says we'll get 5" to 8" later today/tonight, an inch tomorrow, 2" to 4" more on Sunday, 3" to 5" on Monday, and another 1" to 3" Monday night.

 

Then the bottom is to fall out of the thermometer. -13° F. Tuesday night, -18 Wednesday and Thursday nights, and so on.

 

In other words, it's January in Alaska. :)

Scene from a Parking Lot

I snapped this panorama from the Wally World parking lot yesterday morning, while we were in town.
It was about 12° at the time, and you can see it was snowing in the mountains.

A Cold Day for a Walk

My beautiful wife and I have been planning a walk today. There's a nearly-exact one-mile circuit by circling the blocks to the north of us, and it's high time we started utilizing it.

We cleaned the house last weekend, and yesterday saw us clear all the snow from the stairs, walkway and driveway.

The only fly in the ointment is the temperature. It's currently 2 degrees, and AccuHunch says it will be dropping a degree per hour for most of the day, heading for -10 tonight. So it will already be below zero by the time the sun comes up. We'll decide how many layers to put on, to protect ourselves, but are determined to begin this new routine.

Besides, if we wait for "better" weather, that could well be April or May.

Meanwhile, y'all be careful out there, stay warm and safe - and thanks for dropping by.

Update: AccuHunch underestimated the temperature change. I posted this two hours ago, and it's already -2°.  Could be an interesting day.

If You Lined Up All Our Weather Forecasters

... they'd point in all directions.

One source says "snow ending by 7:15." We haven't seen any precip at all, here on the hillside, but there was a LOT of it showing up on radar, an hour ago.

Another source says we'll have a rain/snow mix this evening between 7 and 9. Okay; if that's what we get, so be it.

Meanwhile, the radar shows the freezing and/or frozen precip moving out of the immediate area, but there's more to the southeast.

Three of our four vehicles already have the winter tires on, and the fourth will get some on Wednesday.

We're as ready as we're going to be, so ... we'll see what happens. What the forecast says, and what we get, rarely coincide.