DD2's former home in Alaska, Cordova, has gotten hammered this winter. This town has no stoplights, one gas station and access only by boat or plane. Most winters are mild compared to places such as Nome or even Anchorage. This is extreme.

Story on MSNBC,com.

A video shot by one her friends last week. It's snowed even more over the weekend.

Cordova AK

DD2's reaction? She wishes she was there to take in the experience.

Oy!

Great video. I'm passing it on.

ABC Evening news ran part of the video this evening and talked briefly with Rochelle who is originally from Australia.

Several avalanches had closed the road to the airport which was closed anyway. The NG showed up via ferry today.

Cordova is located at the East side of Prince William Sound. It has a heavily marine influced climate. It generally has milder temperatures than Anchorage, but it typically gets a LOT more precipitaion, both rain and snow. While this winter has been exceptional, big snows are not uncommon. In late January of 2000, a big avalanche hit the town, destroyed several houses, and left one person dead and one injured.

We have also had a rather heavy snow year in Anchorage, but nothing like Cordova.

Interesting, I was wondering who got the snow. I live on the prairies where it is 20*C warmer than usual for January and less than a centimetre of snow!

Sounds like Nome is locked in a deep, deep freeze. I was just reading this article about isolated towns running out of heating oil and gasoline. People are resorting to burning their own possessions to keep warm until more supplies can get in. Yikes!

Wow, looks like those frontier towns have become completely dependent on just-in-time fuel shipments. I would've thought having 6 months extra supplies (food, fuel) would be the norm.

I understand the local ski area at Cordova is closed - too much snow....

Agree, in remote places it would seem sensible for TPTB to keep at least a 6 month reserve of fuel and basic foodstuffs.
Prudent persons should keep their own at least 6 month reserve IN ADDITION to any emergency stocks held by the authorities.

Cordova's harbor is normally open year round and they do not have a food/fuel issue at present from what I've heard. In fact the NG troops came in on the ferry on Monday. Nome was to receive it's winter fuel delivery some months ago but a massive storm prevented the fuel barge from arriving while the ocean passage was open to barge traffic.

Many Alaskans in small towns also count on subsistance fishing and hunting to provide food for their families for the winter. Cordova sits on the Copper River Watershed which is an important salmon fishing and hatchery area. Putting up smoked salmon is something nearly all the residents do. And it is tasty!