Snow Closes Schools
November 15th, 2011 at 2:52 am by Bill Steffen under Bill's Blog, Weather
Snow was falling at the rate of 2″ an hour and piled up 11″ in Juneau, Alaska. (Side Note: Juneau, AK is named after Joe Juneau, who was a miner. He bought drinks for the miners who were voting on the name of the town in order to get the town named after him. He got 47 of the 72 votes cast. A local creek was named after the Native American Chief Kowee, who supposedly didn’t bribe anyone. Everyone else got shut out. Joe’s cousin Solomon Juneau was a founder of Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Schools were closed by the storm in Juneau. Bethel also set a record for daily snowfall. Here’s video of the blizzard that hit Western Alaska and video of some of the damage in Nome. This video’s pretty good, too. At Barrow, Alaska today the sunrise is at 11:55 AM and the sunset is at 2:29 PM, giving them 18 minutes less daylight than yesterday. The sun actually stays right at the horizon, climbing to only 6/10ths of one degree above the horizon. The sun will soon go below the horizon at Barrow for about 9 weeks. Since Sept. 1, Barrow has had 34.7″ of snow, which is double the average for that period of time. McGrath has 22″ of snow on the ground. The coldest temperature in Alaska Monday morning was at Arctic Village, where they dipped to -38. Siberia had that beat, with Oymyakon checking in with -45F. The first two weeks of November has been nearly nine degrees colder than average at Oymyakon. Snow cover is above average for mid-November in the Northern Hemisphere. Check out the pictures taken Monday at Mt. Baker, Washington. There’s getting another big storm in the mountains of Washington State. Saturday there could be some snow showers in Seattle. And the GFS sure looks snowy for 11/25 in Seattle. Wolf Creek, CO has already had 105″ of snow this season and you might want to check this place out if you really like heavy snow in winter. Finally, here’s some nice wind video from Natl. Geographic. (Picture from KATH in Juneau).
GOOD LUCK to the deer hunters this morning. It will be a nice warm day. I am up and ready.
Interesting post about Joe Juneau! I never knew that information. Thanks, Bill!
When do we get our first shot of the season at accumulating snow?
Thanksgiving or later?
Bill, I am sooo disappointed with such a disgusting weather outlook in store for us with another long snow filled and cold winter. For the last 20-30 years all I have heard on the news is that global warming was coming in 5 years, then it was 10 years and now it has been over 20 years and our winters are no different than before. I for one am tired of this and I certainly want that global warming to get here. I have been hoping for our weather here in Michigan to be like Florida’s. I’m sick of winter and it is just starting. I am so discouraged and dishearted and the more I think of it I am getting very angry. Angry over the promises of a warmer climate. Do you know any good ambulance chasing attorney’s who may help me sue those who keep promising this change but do not deliver?
You can thank the ‘likes’ of Al Gore et;al flaming liberals heck-bent on AGW hype/HYPERBOLE! Opposed to engaging in intellectual honesty- they prefer to fan the flames of mass hysteria and alarmism. They won’t provide a “risks/benefits” analysis; ONLY a HIGH RISK DANGER CATASTROPHIC ALERT WARNING!! Claims are made which defy science and border on the absurd….when those don’t come to pass, claims are “adjusted” as outcomes and names are re-defined/changed( a la “climate change”. Feedback mechanisms are often ignored,not well understood , or even YET to be discovered– but according to some zealots- the science is SETTLED! SHUT-UP, buy/drive your 4+ kids around in a Prius and burn gov’t approved bulbs. That is IF your children aren’t TOO FAT(at which point BIG BROTHER will be happy to provide them with a new place(statist) to live and feed them brussel sprouts and spinach as they treadmill their way BACK to Communist,er NEw World standards!!
The NOAA report on the month of October was released. We were officially above normal for the sixth month in a row…by .9 degrees. This summer was the official second hottest summer in history. Zealots or not, we’re cooking, wingnut. I’m glad Dire Floyd enjoyed your nonsensical rant, but seriously, what’s your point? …That science adjusts with new data and better models? …That technology has improved our ability to understand the long-term ramification of warming? …That buying fuel efficient cars is bad for big business? Or were you just trolling again. LOL Get a clue.
I can see why bdbc provides no links because he’s making stuff up out of thin air again. Actual satellite readings place the October global temperature at a measly .11°C above the thirty year average…
http://www.drroyspencer.com/wp-content/uploads/UAH_LT_1979_thru_October_2011.png
Don’t give me any of your ridiculous ExxonSpencer blather, either, you stuttering, bumbling son of a prostitute.
I pretty quickly found the source for BDBC’s statement.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20111108_octusstats.html
Without seeing the raw data from Mr. Spencer, it’s difficult to compare his data vs. the 30-year average to the NOAA data vs. the 100-year average.
I see Roy Spencer is now an economist, too, in addition to an expert in creationism and climatology. I’m trying to figure out if he is a savant or an opportunist who knows his audience.
I’m going to accept the data from the satellites before I accept the tortured data from the activist “scientists” at NOAA. And what part of “global temps” don’t you understand?
Of course, if the U.S. should happen to drop below normal next month you two would simply prattle on about how Upyourzistan has suffered their longest drought in its history. Or whatever straw your currently grasping.
I don’t think Big Daddy’s post was about global temperatures, but it is important to look at the global picture, so thanks for that link. I do chuckle that you are concerned about NOAA’s “activist” scientists but link to the data of a no-brainer activist, Dr. Roy Spencer.
You’re a passionate leftist, so it’s not surprising that it’s hard for you to consider a differing opinion. It’s easy just to dismiss everyone who disagrees with you as “biased”. I take time to read bigD’s links. Dr. Spencer worked at NASA for years, and they have the data sets at UAH because that’s where the NASA facilities are located. You and your kind can’t accept his data (which no one disputes by the way. You don’t see “Handcuffs” Hansen (or anyone else) saying Spencer’s data has been manipulated). It’s raw satellite data…it hasn’t been “adjusted”.
What you really don’t like about Dr Spencer is the “creationist” part. God has set some rules and requires a measure of accountability. You want no such thing…and you have lived the latter part of your life accordingly (there’s that book). Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but there can only be one truth. There are lots of Drs. and scientists who believe that the world as we see could not have come to this point by random chance, even on a scale of billions of years and that what we see about us is best explained by evolution and creative processes.
LOL! What’s my point? Are you daft? comprehension deficiency? “I-N-T-E-L-L-E-C-T-U-A-L H-O-N-E-S-T-Y”(clearly spelled out for you, lest you go clueless) IS,was,and WILL BE my point! I question the motivation wisdom and prudence(read: bias) of those making ONLY negative consequence claims.period.There are benefits(never hyped or pushed) as well as risks/costs associated w/ warming planet.IF someone presents JUST ONE side, then YES, i question the veracity and credibility of their position/agenda– be them from far left, right,middle, whatever….
Bill, as a passionate Rightist, you apparently do not see the irony in questioning my comment about Roy Spencer and completely missing Mike M’s comment about “tortured” data from “activist” scientists at NOAA. You missed my point that it is pretty silly to generalize and accuse an agency of professional scientists of being “activists” and then turn around and link to a webpage by an obvious Right-wing activist. Is Roy Spencer not an activist? I did not reject Roy Spencer’s data, by the way…you cannot simply dismiss data you do not like as “tortured” and attribute it to activists. Sorry, that’s not the way things work.
As far as creationism goes, Roy Spencer is not an evolutionary biologist, so his opinions are just that, opinions, as are his opinions on market economies. I suspect his fans also purchase books by Kevin Trudeau, listen to Glenn Beck’s rants, and coo at P.T. Barnum.
Lastly, Bill, you claim to be a Christian, but your words are full of judgment. You carry the wrong fire. Oh, and second-lastly, what’s with the weird personal stuff about rules, accountability, and lifestyle? I’m willing to match my morals and standards with yours, my man.
You know, I am still stunned how provincial so many “adults” in West Michigan are. The cultural founder effect still lingers. The intellectual free market is out there, people. Read a book, meet a new person, sample the rich diversity of life and stop holing up in your homes and cars, listening to talk radio, and regurgitating unChristian hatred and drivel on internet fora. Sheesh.
ps- bdbc, Dire F.’s response i don’t believe related to my post, but rather Mr Rozelle’s.
Finally sane recollection of the weather in Michigan…
That was my Niel Armstrong version =)
The earth’s rotational axis is still tilted, so seasons still exist. They were never supposed to go away.
The video about the winds in Alaska is just stock footage from Hurricane Iniki Hawaii/1992?
I LOVED Alaska when we visited in 2006 – but I really doubt I could handle many weeks of no sun at all
I can barely handle the Lake Effect gloom here in Michigan some weeks…LOL!!
Get Ready, Could Be A Possible Winter Storm Late Next Week or Weekend per CAN, EURO, while GFS still a bit zonal but will see if it trends to a more buckled look…
Links to maps?
Nice Alaska palm trees
Per above, will not get cute with where but the Midwest looks in line, or what and how much just yet LOL, but could be interesting talk in one week from now !!
still no snow… im digging it!
You just might be digging it soon fixxxer ??
I think he said due to his broken wrist he’s off those duties for a while.
How many people actually live in Barrow, Alaska?
4,312 in 2010
oops 4,212
That will be us within a month, I’m sure : )
Bring on the snow and cold. This is the best time of year and the more snow the better! I just checked the long range RDB model and it shows 100 inhces of snow for the GGR area!
Sounds good to me!!
Do you have a link to this long range model??? if so can you post it I want to see the models for the snowfall forecast
The RDB model is the Rockford Dart Board model and was actually fairly accurate last winter. Think cold and snow! Bring it on.