I’ve started following the weather up in Alaska this week. Maybe it’s too early to be doing this but with the winter we’re having in the Cascades, I was curious what was going on up in Alaska.

I know from my travels here in the Cascades, that if you really want to know the alpine conditions, you have to follow the snow pack all year. You have to know what the layers are doing to the stability of the snow pack.  This has been easy in the Cascades this winter because there hasn’t been one.  It’s my fault, really… I bought fancy new backcountry ski boots AND I bought a season ski pass… That’s right, I jinxed it.  You can blame me.

Snow in the Cascades. Yes, I bought a season ski pass. Photo of Crystal by Deling Ren.

Here are some interesting sites about what’s going on north of us in Alaska.  Seems like they are also feeling the wrath of El Nino as well but by the looks of it, it’s not so grim up there… I hope.

Denali Zone forecast gives us a really broad view of the whole region: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ225

Mountain Forecast give us a point forecast:

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-McKinley/forecasts/6194

Forecast Discussion. I like to read this more than the forecast as it can tell you why the forecaster chose to call things one way or the other. : http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=AFG&issuedby=AFG&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1

Talkeetna forecast. Looks like they are having a warm winter to me!: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=62.323888566000505&lon=-150.10943716699973&site=all&smap=1#.VN_XOKPTn3g

National Park Webcams. What does it look like right now…: http://www.nps.gov/dena/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm

Previous weather years. Super interesting to look at dates. Our permit is for May 11 – June 6: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/current-statistics.htm

Alaska snow pack. Less than normal? : http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/ak_snow.pl?state=Alaska

And what’s up with El Nino, anyway? Interview with evil party pooper that is El Nino: http://opensnow.com/news/post/how-will-el-nino-impact-snowfall-for-the-2014-2015-ski-season

View from Granite Mountain on New Year’s Day. Not enough snow… cruse you, El Nino!

What will the weather be? We know it will be cold. We know it will be windy. Otherwise, we can only guess, really… As my father is fond of saying, “it’s all about who buys the best Ouija Boards.”

Happy days of yore when the world was white and frozen joy fell from the sky. in the mountains.