Just Your Average Alaska Day
It’s been snowing hard in Anchorage for the past two days. This is a good thing - remnants of a tropical storm literally blew through here two weeks ago. 100 mph winds, 50 degree temperatures and pouring rain. Our snow was melted down to a thick layer of glare ice. Just hideous stuff. Fortunately, that ugly stuff is now covered up by white snow.
BUT - Mt. Redoubt, one of Cook Inlet’s most active volcanoes has really flared up over the past few days and this afternoon, its seismic activity has become quite intense. If Redoubt does erupt and the wind is blowing in the right direction, our lovely white snow will receive a top coat of volcanic ash. Which sounds kind of neat - in a junior scientist sort of way. However, once one has had significant experience with volcanic ash, one tries to avoid it at all costs. It is, in a word, a total bitch. It’s not like dust or snow. It has the staying power of super glue - it’s nasty nasty nasty stuff.
So, as I type, we’re all glued to the Alaska Volcano Observatory web site. Unfortunately the AVO web site is running on their low bandwidth version because of heavy traffic generated by extensive media coverage Outside. So, we can’t view the very nifty seismograph readings. But, the AVO is utilizing Twitter - their Twitter Stream is great. They tweet frequently and all of us Southcentral Alaska Tweeps are kept in the info loop. Extremely useful and awesomely fun.
This morning, I snuck out with Tygey and we did a skijor on the Coastal Trail. Just couldn’t resist.
I took this shot with my iPhone. Not the greatest camera in the world. But you can see Tyge’s cute red booties.
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You know your lap top, dvd player/recorder, tape machine (if you still have one) and all those other electronic goodies with moving parts? Find some of those huge ziplock bags and be ready to put those things in there if mama-mountain blows. Wait until ash stops falling, then remove. Might not be a bad idea to put the camera in there when not in use too.