Weather Report

Anchorage averages 74.5" of snowfall over the course of the winter season. We are way behind this year with just 20.3 inches. It is a terrible year for winter sports enthusiasts. The local ski resorts opened late. The Iditarod race start was moved from Willow to Fairbanks (a major change). The Fur Rondy Sled Dog Race hasn't yet been canceled, but it will be if we don't see more snow. It rained today which made it very treacherous to be out and about.

Although we are on track to have the lowest snowfall season on record, that could still change. One of the biggest snow storms (26.7") Anchorage has had fell on St Patrick's Day in 2002. The record for seasonal low snowfall is 30.4" set in 1957-58. (The record seasonal high is 134.5" recorded just three short years ago.)

How does this affect our household? We aren't skiers or snowmachiners, so we haven't lost out there. We managed to get out sledding twice. The kids would have enjoyed more snow. They started to pile snow for a fort, but it's long gone. I don't know that the children at this point in their lives care if there is a little or a lot of snow during a winter season. We adults find it darker and drearier without good snow cover outside. And while the roads have not been snowy, they have been icy which is worse. I wish we had had more snow. 

Update: The Fur Rondy Sled Dog Race was canceled. *sigh*