Midweek storm expected to follow weekend accumulation

MAT-SU — It’s November in Alaska, so cold air and heavy snowfall shouldn’t surprise anyone. But somehow, it does.

While snowfall over the weekend varied from light snow out Knik-Goose Bay way to a foot and a half toward Sutton, according to Frontiersman Facebook fans, it was enough to dampen anyone’s lingering thoughts of fall.

Sam Albanese, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Anchorage, said the weekend snowfall was a bigger-than-average dump for the region, but not particularly significant, except perhaps “for those who were kind of hoping it would never come.”

Albanese said a 5-to-6-inch snowfall event in a 24-hour period is at the high end of a moderate snowfall here. One to 3 inches is normal.

So far in November, Anchorage had tallied 7 to 8 inches of snow. Normal for the month is 12.5 inches. With another storm system blowing in Wednesday night, area residents might see winter’s white blessings piling up.

“If the system does on Thursday what this one did, we’ll have our monthly snowfall,” Albanese said.

That’s “if,” Albanese pointed out Monday morning. “It’s looking like we’re going to get snow out of it,” the meteorologist said of the system, which he called a “pretty vigorous storm.”

“It’s a little early to know how much,” Albanese added.

Snowplow drivers like Dillon Shear, whose business, GrassHopper Lawn Maintenance & Snow Removal, is in its first season welcomed the season’s first significant snowfall.

He was busy on Monday, and answering calls from new customers.

“Everyone is out plowing, for sure,” Shear said. “It’s good business right now.”

An earlier snowfall at the end of October sent many procrastinators scrambling to get their studded tires mounted, but there were still plenty of folks who needed another reminder. Lines were long at Diversified Tire on Halloween, but business was brisk again yesterday, according to service writer Jason Borgman.

“Last Monday we got hit really good,” Borgman said of the Halloween scare. “For the most part, it’s been steady for the last six weeks. We’ve been doing a lot of cars but it’s not hectic, by any means.”

It would seem young Alaskans are not immune from the ability to ignore winter’s icy breath on their necks, either.

About half of Big Lake Elementary students went out to recess to play in the snow without their boots on Monday. Plenty of them were also without hats and gloves, said Shari Mason, secretary at the school.

“They were definitely not as prepared as they should have been,” Mason said.

Mason said she expected there would be a run on boots at stores Monday evening.

“It’s not just them,” Mason said. “It’s us.”

According to Mat-Su Borough School District policy, if the temperature is warmer than minus 10 degrees, and the wind isn’t a factor, students go outside for recess.

Catherine Esary, MSBSD public information officer, said the district sends out lots of reminders, but there are always some students scrounging through the lost-and-found box to ward off the weather.

One problem the latest snowfall didn’t cause was power outages.

Wes Lindsey, communications manager for Matanuska Electric Association (MEA), said MEA did not experience any significant outages during the weekend snowstorm, which spilled into Monday.

“However, we would like to remind our members to be prepared in the event that they are affected by a power outage this winter,” Lindsey said in a statement Monday. “Winter power outages can be caused by natural problems such as ice/snow build-up and trees falling onto the line (often from outside our right-of-way), mechanical problems such as equipment failures, and ‘acts of mankind,’ such as cars hitting power poles.”

In the event of an extended power outage, MEA posts updates at MEA.coop, Facebook and Twitter, and on 100.9 or 99.7 FM.

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center says Southcentral Alaska can expect below normal temperatures and normal precipitation this winter in the second year of La Niña. The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” has the region experiencing alternating periods of snowy and cold weather for the rest of November, and cold to very cold temperatures and some snow for early to mid December, with temperatures moderating at the end of the month.

For meteorologist Albanese, being ready for winter is all about attitude.

“I couldn’t wait for it to come,” said Albanese, a skijorer.

As for those still digging for their boots Monday morning?

“We’re in Alaska; you shouldn’t be surprised to have snow in November,” Albanese pointed out.

According to the Frontiersman’s Facebook friends, as of Monday afternoon there was about a foot of snow out Pittman Road north of Wasilla and on the northern reaches of Palmer Fishhook Road; 5 inches near Mat-Su Borough Animal Control; a foot or more in the Willow area and 6 to 8 inches in the Springer System near Palmer.