Roofs collapsed and schools were closed after Alaska received record snowfall of more than 100 inches (2.54 meters). According to USA Today on the 30th (local time), there will be heavy snowfall this year as well as last year, and Alaska is expected to break the all-time record of snow accumulation of 3.4 meters.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 30th (local time), this year marked the 9th winter in Alaska with snowfall exceeding 100 inches. After exceeding 100 inches last year, this is the second time in history that it has exceeded 100 inches in a row.
The roofs of three commercial buildings have collapsed so far due to heavy snowfall. Anchorage, with a population of less than 300,000, is accustomed to cold winters, but this year the city has already been covered in 2.5 meters of snow, earlier than ever before in history. As everything was covered with snow, schools returned to remote learning for 6 days like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anchorage’s lowest temperature this week is expected to reach minus 29 degrees. The National Weather Service said, “Even if there is less snow for the rest of the winter, this winter will still be in the top five for the most snowfall.” The snowiest winter on record was 2011-2012 with 134.5 inches, and given the pace so far, it looks like this year could break that record.
Anchorage recorded 16.6 inches of snow from the 27th to the 28th, for a total of 104.3 inches of snow this winter. This is more than 1 foot (30 cm) more than the previous record.
City officials said 500 to 1,000 buildings were at risk of collapse and encouraged residents to clear snow from their roofs. The weight of the snow reached more than 13.6 kilograms per square foot (1 foot is about 30 centimeters), which is equivalent to a 1,500-square-foot roof carrying the load of “eight large compact pickup trucks,” according to a city notice. it means.
Except for Anchorage, other parts of Alaska are showing the highest temperatures on record. However, on a weekly average, the 28th and 29th became the coldest days in the entire state in four years.
However, Alaska residents who enjoy snow also enjoyed this heavy snowfall. An Anchorage resident built a giant 6-meter-tall snowman and named it ‘Snowzilla.’ Originally, Snowzilla is a compound word of ‘snow’ and ‘Godzilla’ and refers to the worst heavy snowfall.
“This winter has certainly been harsh, but we Alaskans have definitely done it differently,” he said. “We can handle 100 inches of snow on time. “We can tolerate a lot,” he said.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.