Downtown Juneau in the snow

Driving in the snow

This is Sunday, when a new record snowfall for 1-29-12 was set at 6.3 inches, beating the previous record of 6.0 inches in 1954.  And it continues to pile up.  I heard on the radio that Juneau has had 108 inches of snow since November 1.   The average snowfall for Nov - Jan is around 60 inches.

But today, Tuesday 1/31, it began raining and stayed above freezing.  It is supposed to stay above freezing for a few days.  Everything is melting and the "snow cakes" have flown off of my truck today.  It surprises you when you stop at a light and this rush of snow floods your windshield!  I could hear it sloshing around on the top of the truck.  :)

 

 

Taste of Texas

Well, Louisiana actually.  One thing I have not been able to find up here is Louisiana Hot Sauce.  My sweet sister Jenny sent me these bottles.  Yeehaw!!

Black and white

The other morning while I was waiting for my car to warm up, I took these pictures around the house on the black and white setting on my phone.  I like this effect for the snow.

Snow pictures in the morning



There were taken in the morning before work.  It is starting to get light between 7:30 and 8:00 am now!!

Snow on the roof



View from the front porch/doorway

The part of the driveway where the snow gets piled

Moon at sunrise

This picture was taken from downtown looking back towards Douglas at about 8 am in the morning.

Snow, Snow, Go Away

I'm afraid the novelty of being in snow is wearing off for this Texas girl.  For a lot of Alaskans too. Everyone is tired of shoveling snow.  I shoveled Monday morning, at lunch, twice Monday evening, and Tuesday morning.  It was clear Tuesday morning and now we have another winter storm warning.  8-12 inches of snow expected overnight and more during the day Wednesday and Wednesday night. 

Fortunately the forecast also calls above freezing temps and rain for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which will give the ever growing mounds of snow in my front and back yards a chance to melt down a little.  Juneau weather is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you are going to get. :)

Clear and crisp

Some shots on the few days that it was bitter cold and the sun came out.  The mountains are so pretty when you can see them! 

Taku Wind

TAKU WIND

A strong, gusty, east-northeast wind, occurring in the vicinity of Juneau, Alaska, between October and March. It sometimes attains hurricane force at the mouth of the Taku River, after which it is named. See Stikine wind.

Got my first taste of heavy Taku winds starting last night (Thursday) and supposed to continue through Saturday morning.  Winds at 77 mph were recorded overnight at South Douglas Island, which is down by Sandy Beach where I walk the dogs.  I was having dinner at a restaurant towards South Douglas, and the windows were visibly moving in and out.  The young waitress was wide-eyed.  Apparently she lives a few blocks from the restaurant and said that the wind blew her to work. 

Before falling asleep last night, I heard the small BBQ grill on the back porch topple over.  I figured that was a better place for it anyway, so that it didn't go flying over the back deck into the back yard.

Flights have been cancelled in Juneau because of the winds, and flights in Seattle have been cancelled due to freezing rain and snow.  Hopefully all the people that are going home today can catch their flights.

It is warming up and is supposed to start snowing again this afternoon.   Juneau weather is never boring!

Baby, It's Cold Outside...

5°F | °C

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Partly Cloudy

Wind: SE at 18 mph

Humidity: 39%

9°

1°

9°

1°

7°

-4°

5°

1°

Wind chills expected to be 40 below in the morning (Wednesday).  Brrrrr...

But back in the 20's on Saturday and 30's on Sunday.  Woo hoo!!

The weather in Juneau is always changing, just enjoy what the day brings.  When it is this cold outside, there are several benefits:

 - it's not raining or snowing, and the sun is out;
 - the ground is frozen solid so it is not very slippery;
 - you can see the beautiful mountains;
 - you get to wear all of your warmest clothing, scarves, gloves, sweaters, etc.;
 - it's only going to get warmer from here! 

Alaska fuel delivery: Crews primed to unload at icy journey's end 

(Los Angeles Times)

January 16, 2012 |  4:20 pm

 

6

Crews in Nome, Alaska, were hoping by Monday's end to begin pumping the first of 1.4 million gallons of fuel through an offshore hose, the final step in an arduous effort to deliver winter fuel supplies to the ice-locked town on Alaska's western coast.
More than 700 yards of hose were carefully laid across the ice from the Russian tanker that pulled outside Nome's harbor over the weekend. By early Monday, the hose was latched onto the onshore pipeline connected to the town's fuel storage tanks.
"This morning, they were making sure the hose was as straight as could be, without any kinks of any kind," said Stacey Smith, spokeswoman for Vitus Marine LLC, which is in charge of the transport.
"Laying the hose required a whole bunch of coordination between the Russia crew, some [National Guard] track vehicles, half a dozen snowmobiles and a very enthusiastic group of employees and workers,"  Smith said in an interview.
By Monday afternoon, crews were conducting air pressure tests to make sure the hose was secure and free of leaks. Pumping could commence by the end of Monday, Smith said, though she said workers might have to wait until Tuesday morning if final testing isn't completed on time.
Officials estimate that it will take about 36 hours to offload the entire shipment, a process that -- once completed -- will mark the first successful winter delivery of fuel to a northern Alaskan town.
Nome's normal autumn fuel delivery was waylaid by a major storm in the Bering Sea, leaving an unusual journey through hundreds of miles of sea ice as the only way to avoid the expense of flying in winter fuel supplies. That option could have raised gasoline prices to $9 a gallon.
The 300-mile journey through the ice was often slow going, as the tanker and an accompanying U.S. Coast Guard ice breaker battled high winds, sub-zero temperatures and, at the end, a massive ice ridge blocking access to the harbor.
Over the past two days, residents of the remote town of 3,500 have been gathering onshore to watch the final maneuvering, and posting photos of the two vessels looming outside the icy harbor.
Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow, spokesman for the Coast Guard in Nome, told the Los Angeles Times that the Coast Guard cutter Healy will remain on site until the delivery is complete, then escort the Renda, based in Vladivostok, back to open water.

January in Juneau

 I was told that there is a cold snap every year - looks like it's here!!!

by The National Weather Service
Juneau, AK

Thu, Jan 12, 2012, 8:38 PM AKST

Updated Jan 13, 2012, 12:50pm AKST

... VERY COLD AND WINDY CONDITIONS FOR THE PANHANDLE THIS WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK...
THE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS SOUTHEAST ALASKA WILL TURN VERY COLD AND WINDY STARTING LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH NEXT WEEK. A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE CENTER WILL BUILD OVER THE YUKON FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE SATURDAY. THIS HIGH PRESSURE WILL SEND VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR ACROSS THE AREA CAUSING TEMPERATURES TO FALL THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY INTO THE 20S OVER THE NORTHERN AREAS AND LOWER 30S OVER THE SOUTHERN AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS OVER THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE PANHANDLE TO THE MID 20S TO MID TEENS OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM BELOW ZERO OVER THE NORTHERN HALF TO LOW TEENS OVER THE SOUTH THIRD. THE COLD AIR WILL PERSIST INTO NEXT WEEK AND HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM SINGLE DIGITS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF AND NEAR 20 OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF. LOWS WILL REMAIN BELOW ZERO TO SINGLE DIGITS. PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO KEEP PIPES FROM FREEZING SINCE MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST ALASKA ARE SNOW FREE.
ALONG WITH THE VERY COLD TEMPERATURES THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL PRODUCE VERY STRONG WINDS FROM THE NORTHEAST. WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AND PERSIST INTO NEXT WEEK. MARINE WATERS WILL SEE WIDESPREAD GALES OVER THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS WITH GUSTS FROM 60 TO 70 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES OVER THE INNER CHANNELS AND OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF. THE STRONG WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES WILL PRODUCE HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THERE WILL ALSO BE VERY STRONG WIND GUSTS IN EXPOSED AREAS AND NEAR INTERIOR PASSES OVER LAND AREAS. THE JUNEAU AREA CAN EXPECT TAKU WINDS TO DEVELOP LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND PERSIST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE VERY COLD WIND CHILLS RANGING FROM -30 OVER THE FAR NORTHERN AREAS TO -10 OVER THE CENTRAL INNER CHANNELS.

Longer days

Based on the chart below, we will gain 1 3/4 hours of daylight during January.  At the beginning of the month the daily increase of daytime was 1 1/2 minutes and by the end of the month it will be 4 1/2 minutes a day.  Cool.

			Length of day		Solar noon
Date	Sunrise	Sunset	This day	Difference	Time	Altitude	Distance
							(106 km)
Jan 1, 2012	8:46 AM	3:17 PM	6h 31m 30s	+ 1m 35s	12:01 PM	8.8°	147.100
Jan 2, 2012	8:45 AM	3:18 PM	6h 33m 14s	+ 1m 44s	12:02 PM	8.9°	147.098
Jan 3, 2012	8:45 AM	3:20 PM	6h 35m 07s	+ 1m 53s	12:02 PM	9.0°	147.096
Jan 4, 2012	8:44 AM	3:21 PM	6h 37m 09s	+ 2m 01s	12:03 PM	9.1°	147.096
Jan 5, 2012	8:43 AM	3:23 PM	6h 39m 19s	+ 2m 09s	12:03 PM	9.2°	147.096
Jan 6, 2012	8:43 AM	3:24 PM	6h 41m 37s	+ 2m 17s	12:03 PM	9.3°	147.097
Jan 7, 2012	8:42 AM	3:26 PM	6h 44m 02s	+ 2m 25s	12:04 PM	9.4°	147.099
Jan 8, 2012	8:41 AM	3:28 PM	6h 46m 36s	+ 2m 33s	12:04 PM	9.6°	147.103
Jan 9, 2012	8:40 AM	3:30 PM	6h 49m 16s	+ 2m 40s	12:05 PM	9.7°	147.107
Jan 10, 2012	8:39 AM	3:31 PM	6h 52m 04s	+ 2m 47s	12:05 PM	9.8°	147.112
Jan 11, 2012	8:38 AM	3:33 PM	6h 54m 59s	+ 2m 54s	12:06 PM	10.0°	147.118
Jan 12, 2012	8:37 AM	3:35 PM	6h 58m 01s	+ 3m 01s	12:06 PM	10.2°	147.125
Jan 13, 2012	8:36 AM	3:37 PM	7h 01m 09s	+ 3m 08s	12:06 PM	10.3°	147.133
Jan 14, 2012	8:35 AM	3:39 PM	7h 04m 24s	+ 3m 14s	12:07 PM	10.5°	147.141
Jan 15, 2012	8:33 AM	3:41 PM	7h 07m 44s	+ 3m 20s	12:07 PM	10.7°	147.151
Jan 16, 2012	8:32 AM	3:43 PM	7h 11m 11s	+ 3m 26s	12:07 PM	10.9°	147.161
Jan 17, 2012	8:31 AM	3:45 PM	7h 14m 43s	+ 3m 32s	12:08 PM	11.1°	147.172
Jan 18, 2012	8:29 AM	3:47 PM	7h 18m 20s	+ 3m 37s	12:08 PM	11.3°	147.184
Jan 19, 2012	8:28 AM	3:50 PM	7h 22m 03s	+ 3m 42s	12:08 PM	11.5°	147.196
Jan 20, 2012	8:26 AM	3:52 PM	7h 25m 50s	+ 3m 47s	12:09 PM	11.7°	147.209
Jan 21, 2012	8:24 AM	3:54 PM	7h 29m 43s	+ 3m 52s	12:09 PM	11.9°	147.222
Jan 22, 2012	8:23 AM	3:56 PM	7h 33m 39s	+ 3m 56s	12:09 PM	12.1°	147.236
Jan 23, 2012	8:21 AM	3:59 PM	7h 37m 41s	+ 4m 01s	12:09 PM	12.3°	147.251
Jan 24, 2012	8:19 AM	4:01 PM	7h 41m 46s	+ 4m 05s	12:10 PM	12.6°	147.266
Jan 25, 2012	8:17 AM	4:03 PM	7h 45m 55s	+ 4m 09s	12:10 PM	12.8°	147.281
Jan 26, 2012	8:15 AM	4:06 PM	7h 50m 08s	+ 4m 12s	12:10 PM	13.1°	147.297
Jan 27, 2012	8:14 AM	4:08 PM	7h 54m 24s	+ 4m 16s	12:10 PM	13.3°	147.314
Jan 28, 2012	8:12 AM	4:10 PM	7h 58m 44s	+ 4m 19s	12:11 PM	13.6°	147.331
Jan 29, 2012	8:10 AM	4:13 PM	8h 03m 06s	+ 4m 22s	12:11 PM	13.9°	147.348
Jan 30, 2012	8:08 AM	4:15 PM	8h 07m 32s	+ 4m 25s	12:11 PM	14.1°	147.367
Jan 31, 2012	8:05 AM	4:17 PM	8h 12m 01s	+ 4m 28s	12:11 PM	14.4°	147.386

It's about to get real cold in Juneau...

Just when we were saying that this winter has not been too bad at all...

Weather for Juneau, AK

37°F | °C

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Light Rain

Wind: SE at 16 mph

Humidity: 93%

39°

28°

30°

19°

21°

-11°

19°

1°

The latest snowfall is on the melt and that's a good thing.  Tomorrow morning (Friday) will see the high for the day and then temperatures will fall and keep falling.  -11 on Saturday night?!  Time to drip the faucets and turn on a little more heat..  The best part?  It will be sunny!!  :)

Fuel for Nome

 Pretty fascinating...

Drone helping Russian ship to deliver fuel to Alaska town

Published January 11, 2012

| Associated Press

• 
  AP
  Jan 6, 2012: The Coast Guard Cutter Healy breaks ice around the Russian-flagged tanker Renda 250 miles south of Nome. The Healy is the Coast Guard's only currently operating polar icebreaker.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska –  As a Russian fuel tanker slowly moves through the frozen Bering Sea toward an iced-in city in western Alaska, it has been getting help from an unusual source at its destination: a drone that flies overhead and sends images of the sea ice to researchers onshore.

The camera-equipped drone looks like a smoke detector with wings and legs. It glides on 20-minute missions ranging from 10 feet to 320 feet above the ice, and its images can be instantly viewed on a tablet-type computer screen.

The tanker is bound for Nome, a town of 3,500 residents that missed its final pre-winter delivery of fuel by barge when a big storm swept the region last fall. Without the delivery of 1.3 million gallons, the city could run short of fuel before a barge delivery becomes possible in late spring.

 

Researchers were using the 2.5-pound drone to provide a large picture of the ice in hopes of guiding the tanker as close to shore as possible, said Greg Walker, unmanned aircraft program manager for the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute.

The Healy, the Coast Guard's only functioning icebreaker, has been accompanying the 370-foot tanker through the Bering Sea.

Progress was stalled by thick ice and strong ocean currents Tuesday. The vessels made nine miles but drifted with the ice while at rest for a total gain of just six miles, Coast Guard spokesman David Mosley said.

Ice conditions remained tough Wednesday. The Coast Guard said the two vessels were in densely concentrated ice about 100 miles from Nome by mid-afternoon.

"The way it's been described to me, ice breaking is a mission in patience. You take the miles as they come," Mosley said.

Meanwhile, a researcher assisting in the mission has discovered a 25-foot ice pressure ridge at the entrance to the Nome's harbor.

The pressure ridges are created when the pack ice from offshore pushes against the stationary shore ice, creating thick ridges somewhat like icebergs, scientists said.

The top of the ridge sits about 5 feet above the frozen surface but the rest extends well down into the ocean, the Geophysical Institute's Andy Mahoney said. The ridge is too big to get past, but it shouldn't prevent the tanker from offloading its fuel through its mile long hose.

Pictures from the drone will be used to figure out the best way to lay the hose.
As the tanker approaches Nome, the pressure ridges actually might come in handy as

they are natural fault lines, Walker said. If the tanker can break the ice away from the ridges, it could open up a pathway.

Cordova Snow - 18 feet!

In case you didn't hear about this in the lower 48...

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Alaska-town-tries-to-dig-out-from-huge-snow-dump-2449621.php


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu-vJzsE3nc

Earthquake

Seems there were a few earthquakes around Alaska today. I did not feel the one this morning at 7:26 am (4.3) but some did downtown and called it into the radio station.

http://juneauempire.com/state/2011-09-14/small-earthquake-strikes-near-yakutat

From NOAA about the one nearest Juneau:

TSUNAMI SEISMIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
728 AM AKST WED JAN 4 2012

...THIS IS AN INFORMATION STATEMENT...

EVALUATION
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH A MAGNITUDE SUCH THAT A TSUNAMI
WILL NOT BE GENERATED. THIS WILL BE THE ONLY WCATWC MESSAGE
ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT.

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
MAGNITUDE - 4.3
TIME      - 0726 AKST JAN 04 2012
             0826  PST JAN 04 2012
             1626  UTC JAN 04 2012
LOCATION  - 59.0 NORTH 137.9 WEST
              75 MILES/121 KM SE OF YAKUTAT ALASKA
             135 MILES/217 KM NW OF JUNEAU ALASKA
DEPTH     - 4 MILES/7 KM

THE LOCATION AND MAGNITUDE ARE BASED ON PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.
FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV - OR THE APPROPRIATE
REGIONAL SEISMIC NETWORK.

More on the avalanche

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire

An avalanche descends down Snow Gulch Creek along Thane Road on Monday during avalanche control by the Department of Transportation. Several large dust clouds reached road level during the firing of about 24 105mm howitzer shells.

Direct hits, and a safer drive along Thane Road

A clear day brought spectators a stunning view as state avalanche managers used some firepower to manage snow buildup above Thane Road. The road was closed yesterday morning and reopened around noon.

Pretty Day in Juneau

After about a week of overcast skies, snow and fog, today (1/2/12) turned out to be spectacular.  This is a shot from sandy beach looking north.  Looks like a storm brewing in the distance, but it cleared off.  After being above freezing most of the day, snow has melted and will sure to be ice in the morning.  Have to be careful driving to work!

Yesteday (New Year's Day), Maggie, Pookie, Pepper and I spent about an hour down at the beach in a near white out.  It was snowing a lot and just so beautiful.  We played ball on the snow-covered beach, walked along some trails above the beach that I had not been on before, and met some new doggy (and people) friends.  It was fabulous!!

Sandy beach, there were lots of other people enjoying the snow!

Driving on Douglas around noon.  :)

Avalanche

This morning loud booms could be heard in the Douglas/downtown area.  Once I ascertained that we were not being bombed :), I remembered someone had told me that sometimes avalanches are shot down on purpose so they will not fall by themselves.  This happens on the road south of downtown toward Thane.  I did not see the avalanche fall, but when I took the dogs to sandy beach around noon, I took a picture of what I think was the aftermath.

Looking across from Sandy Beach, avalanche snow at the bottom middle.

Here's a story from the Juneau Empire - I will keep looking to see if anyone posts a video.

http://juneauempire.com/local/2012-01-02/avalanche-control-shuts-down-thane-road

And from KINY radio:

DOT Conducting Avalanche Control on Thane Road
The Alaska Department of Transportation will be conducting avalanche control operations on Thane Road this morning.

The control activities are scheduled from 9:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.

With record breaking snowfall this past November and several passing winter storms, the threat of avalanches is a top priority for the Alaska DOT.

DOT will be on site with a road crew.

Avalanches have closed Thane road many times in years past. The ongoing avalanche control program is aimed at triggering smaller slides so large ones don't develop