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.
With a Coast Guard icebreaker leading the way, it's a slow slog but the Russian fuel tanker is approaching. The harbor is frozen so they're going to try and string a mile long hose from the tanker to Nome. If they succeed, it will be Nome's first offshore fuel transfer in winter.
Sounds like tricky stuff from reading
this article. Actually, at -34 below zero (Fahrenheit, Celsius, it's all the same at that temp) pretty much
any activity outdoors must be difficult.
From the article:
A fall storm prevented Nome from getting a fuel delivery by barge in November. Without the tanker delivery, supplies of diesel fuel, gasoline and home heating fuel Nome are expected to run out in March and April, well before a barge delivery again in late May or June.
So, sounds like even missing their November shipment, they still had a significant stockpile of fuel. Of course, they burn through it faster with this record cold.
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