The Perfect Storm II
Yesterday, Anchorage was flat out buried in a huge snow storm. It was the 3rd snowiest day ever recorded in Anchorage. As Weather Service described in their recap:
THE HISTORIC STORM THAT AFFECTED THE ANCHORAGE AREA ON APRIL 25-26 2008 BEGAN AS LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. SNOW BEGAN TO MIX WITH RAIN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AND CHANGED OVER TO ALL SNOW AROUND 9AM ON THE FRIDAY THE 25TH. THE HEAVIEST SNOW FELL BETWEEN 3PM AND 6PM AT A RATE OF ALMOST 2 INCHES AN HOUR. SNOWFALL TOTALS WERE UNIFORM ACROSS ANCHORAGE AS THE HILLSIDE RECEIVED AROUND THE SAME AMOUNT AS LOWER ELEVATION LOCATIONS.
I can attest to the 2 inches per hour rate in the afternoon. Digging Henry out at 5:00 PM yesterday was a major excavation. I then had to do it all over again an hour later. I have never seen it snow that hard. Evidently, a large Gulf of Alaska cold front moved in and then stalled over Anchorage. And at the end of April for God’s sake. It was mind blowing. I know everyone thinks that Alaska is the land of snow and cold - and we are. But not on April 25th. By the date, we’re moving into what passes for Spring.
This was Perfect Storm II - a worthy follow up to Perfect Storm I - the famous St. Patrick’s Day snow storm of 2002.
THE ONE DAY SNOWFALL EVENT ON APRIL 25TH (FROM MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT)
WAS THE THIRD HIGHEST ON RECORD. THE CURRENT LIST OF ONE DAY SNOWFALL
TOTALS IS LISTED BELOW.DATE SNOWFALL
1. 03-17-2002 22.0 INCHES
2. 12-29-1955 15.6 ”
3. 04-25-2008 15.5 ”
4. 12-04-1998 15.1 ”
5. 03-18-1976 14.3 ”
More goodies from the Weather Service recap:
AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE ON SAND LAKE ROAD THE SEASONAL SNOWFALL TOTAL IS NOW 109.1 INCHES. THIS MAKES THE WINTER OF 2007-2008 THE 6TH SNOWIEST ON RECORD FOR ANCHORAGE. LISTED BELOW IS THE CURRENT LIST OF TOP 10 SNOWIEST WINTERS IN ANCHORAGE SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1915.
YEAR SNOWFALL
1. 1954 - 1955 132.8 INCHES
2. 1955 - 1956 128.8 ”
3. 1994 - 1995 121.5 ”
4. 2003 - 2004 111.5 ”
5. 1948 - 1949 111.0 ”
6. 2007 - 2008 109.1 ”
7. 1989 - 1990 102.6 ”
8. 1991 - 1992 99.5 ”
9. 1965 - 1966 94.5 ”
10. 1958 - 1959 94.5 ”
Yesterday’s 15.6 inches vaulted us high up into the top ten of all time! We had 18 inches at our house. And at Judy’s house way up on the Hillside, they had 30 inches. And it was still snowing up there this morning.
Henry II was definitely challenged by the snowfall. I’d had his studded winter tires swapped out two weeks ago - that’s what one does in mid-April. So, yesterday afternoon, we were tooling around on his summer racing slicks in 18 inches of very wet snow. Actually, the tires weren’t the real problem. Clearance was the issue. Henry II is a low slung model - high centering was a real problem. Fortunately, we didn’t get stuck until last night - in our own driveway.
Poor Tygey also had high centering issues. The snow was up and over his gunnels. I had to tramp out a path this morning in the back yard so he could attend to his business.
Below are several pics and another video!!!!
Our snowed under Salmon.
Tyge last night at the Lagoon. One thing that everyone is commenting on - it is so bizarre to have this much snow and still have it be light at 9:00 PM at night. Unheard of!
Rudy - our reindeer windsock. I’d been giving Peter a hard time earlier in the week - we’re way past Easter and our Christmas windsock is still flapping in the breeze. Well, yesterday’s weather was very appropriate for Rudy.
Henry snowed in at work. The snow on top of him had accumulated in just one hour.
I dug out a friend’s car.
Self portrait of Tyge and me last night.
A now for our feature video short. The Ski Boy in action!!!! We’d just come home from dinner at Sack’s. I tried to get Henry II into the driveway. But he got so high centered that he basically plowed up his own snow berm in front the car and we ground to halt. The Ski Boy, ever the gallant gentleman, shoveled out the berm and then after much pushing, more shoveling, getting stuck twice, more pushing and more hoveling, Henry II finally blasted through the driveway to the garage. Huzzahs all around!!!!!!
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Tyge looks like he really enjoys the snow.