14 March 2007 shrinking winter

The clear skies and bright sun say "spring" but the cold north wind reminds that winter doesn't end early at these latitudes. We haven't received much snow in weeks. The snow is decreasing through settlement and sublimation. The last snowfall, about 4" ten days ago, slowly disappeared from the front deck where we didn't shovel.

This is the "wintriest" winter we've experienced in Anchorage. Not the coldest temperatures, but the most days of single digits and below zero. And more winds from the north than before. In winters past we've dreaded the warm southeast winds that raised temperatures just enough to cover all walkable and driveable surfaces in ice and ruin the skiing (see 27 Jan 2007) These north winds create such wind chills that even the blazing sun can't lure us outside in the evening. The record snowfalls of December and January, coupled with the extended cold, make this only the second year when I predict that I'll have to shovel snow off my garden beds in mid-May to ensure they'll be warmed and ready to plant by Memorial Day.