LAND OF CHANGING SEASONS
Our midnight sun has gone and the moon is coming out.
It is so nice in May,
June and July as it never gets dark. Visitors often
find themselves up at midnight, not realizing the time.
It is common to be asked, "How do you sleep?" Well, you
get used to it. A set of dark colored drapes also helps.
In the summer we are often active until late as if to
make up for our inactive, hibernation type states in the
winter.
Winter is such an exciting time for people of the bush.
Everything freezes up and travel is then possible over
the tundra and along the rivers by snow moblie. The rivers
become the highways of the north. It is now possible to
visit relatives and friends in neighboring villages which
are anywhere from 20 to 80 miles, or more, apart up and
down the rivers or out on the tundra.
September 15, 1997:
September marks fall time. It now gets dark about 10pm
and light about 7am. We are loosing more than five
minutes of light a day. I have noticed some of the birch
trees starting to turn yellow. There isn't any frost
yet but it could come any time now. We have had snow as
early as the third week of September in the past.
Mornings have been cool, it was 48F a couple of mornings
ago. By the first of October it could be well below
freezing and faces will be turned toward the sky in
anticipation of the first snow.
Journal entry for October 10, 1987:
"The official weather
bureau says that the coldest place in the state is minus 20F
in Aniak. Outside our cabin, along side of the Yukon
River, the thermometer reads minus 50F.
Brrrrr! I'm glad we
finished installing our new Monitor oil stove today. Between
that and the wood stove we are toasty inside and the log
walls seem to hold the heat. When we
opened the door, steam rolled in as the cold air hit our
warm interior. The sled dogs seem to like it though,
they are all laying on top of their dog houses. I think
they are anticipating the coming of snow also and
another season of running the trails."
October 19, 1997:
Zero degrees F. this morning, Brrrrrr!. The Kuskokwim
River is beginnig to freeze now. There is
ice all the way across in some spots. It won't be safe
to walk on for about another month or two yet. It has been
beautifully clear with sunny skies and northern lights
at night. A touch of snow a couple of days ago, just a
dusting, we should be getting more snow than in the last
few years due to El Nino moving so far north. It's also
supposed to be a little warmer, perhaps only -30 instead
of -50. For the most part, the cold doesn't bother me,
we just dress warm and go around outside looking like
the marshmellow man.
October 27, 1997:
Woke up to about two inches of snow all over everything
last Saturday morning. It was a surprise because it was
clear when I went to bed and clear when I got up. Temps
are hanging around zero to five above, I think that's
around -15 celcious. A little chilly although I must be
getting used to it as I find I am not zipping my jacket
up as much these days.
I flew by small plane to Akiachak and back today. The
Kuskokwim is frozen now with only a few open spots. In
Akiachak they said people have been going to Bethel now
by snow machine so it seems that the river is now safe
to travel on. The ice is already about six to ten inches
thick.
November 23, 1997:
It's been snowing off and on for the last few days. We
now have about six inches of snow. I have seen much more
in other years. The temperature has stayed in the twenties
which is about 30 degrees warmer than usual for this
time of year. The Kuskowim River is now safe to travel
on. It gets light about 9:30 in the morning now and dark
about 5:15pm. The days are getting shorter. Barrow has
entered its eternal night as the sun won't come up again
there for about three months.
Come on back as the seasons change. Every season has a
surprise waiting to be discovered and they will be
covered right here. If there are things you would like
to know just email me and I may include it in my next
update.
For up to date Alaskan weather information go to the
ALASKAN LINKS page and click on the Current Alaska
Weather link.
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