Residents scramble to clear treacherous roof snow
Many Anchorage residents worked to clear off the potentially dangerous roof snow.
Henry Lucas volunteered to help his elderly neighbors. “They have a really wide house,” Lucas told USA TODAY. “It doesn’t have very much pitch to the roof.”
Lucas, a 33-year-old construction worker, would rather wait for help to clear his own roof. “I need to have someone here with me. I don’t want to do it by myself, just because it’s high up,” he said.
In response to the weather conditions, Anchorage schools kept children home Monday for a remote learning day.
The city was also chilled to doubledigit below-zero temperatures, and forecasts call for minus 21 degrees at night later this week.
Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson declared a public health and safety emergency that will remain in effect until at least Feb. 9 because of the frigid weather.
The low temperatures show no signs of stopping, Brettschneider said, with “temperatures that are significantly, 20, 30, 40 degrees below normal” forecast through next week.
Other Alaska areas hit record high temps
In the midst of the hefty snowfall, other parts of the state saw record high temperatures. Sitka Airport recorded a new record of 54 degrees on Sunday, and Ketchikan Airport tied a past record of 55 degrees the same day, according to the National Weather Service.
Juneau Airport also reached a record high of 46 degrees days after the capital city was hit with a winter storm warning that saw snow pile up to more than 5 feet. The snow caused route changes to the Juneau bus system and closed down in-person operations of city buildings on Wednesday.
The combination of heavy snow levels with record high temperatures threatened to trigger landslides and avalanches in the area.
City officials warned residents to avoid avalanche paths on Wednesday after two avalanches blocked a local intersection.
A crew of Juneau firefighters rescued a person Saturday who was pinned to the side of their house after a nearby creek that was dammed up by the snow suddenly released, triggering a landslide.
However, even with the record-setting highs, Sunday and Monday were the “coldest days statewide in four years, if you average for the entire state,” Brettschneider said.
Ice accumulation sinks boats in Juneau’s harbors
The accumulation of ice in Juneau’s harbors also caused at least four boats to sink as harbor officials pleaded with residents to check their vessels. Salvage efforts for the sunken boats were underway on Friday, officials reported on Facebook.
Avalanche debris caused authorities on Monday to shut down Haines Highway, which runs from the town of Haines on the southeastern peninsula to the U.S.-Canada border. Severe weather also forced the closure of Thompson Pass, a scenic pass through a 2,600-high gap in the Chugach Mountains around 270 miles east of Anchorage.
Still, the chill didn’t stop many Alaskans from enjoying the snow. In Anchorage, it paved the way for the rebirth of “Snowzilla,” a 20-foot snowman that residents have brought back to life every year for a decade.
The snowfall brought winter sports right to Lucas’ own backyard in the form of a snow-packed hill for sledding. “It’s probably 12 or 13 feet tall,” he said.
For longtime Anchorage residents such as Lucas, a heavy snowfall can be cause for celebration.
“I think it depends on how long you’ve been here and probably your age, if you have a lot of shoveling to do,” he said.
“But for most people, you live here because you enjoy the outdoors, the cold, the snow, the elements.”
He added, “I love the snow.”