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.
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
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.”
Pingback: What I’m working on: Emergency Response Plan | TheDenaliGirls