- They've started cleaning the snow off the side streets - did our street last night. This means that if you haven't cleaned your driveway regularly, you now have a 2 foot drop to street level.
- The light has returned! It's now light until nearly 10 pm, and it's light in the morning when we wake up. We're gaining about 6 minutes a day; the sun rose at 6:48 this morning and will set at 20:33.
- We're in the middle of midterm exams and reporting at school (a definite sign of spring).
- The stores have started stocking up in preparation for the ice bridge going out, when we only have air access for 3-6 weeks. Large semi trailers are being parked outside most stores for additional storage.
- The ice road north to the mines has closed. This year it didn't close because of warmer weather and deteriorating conditions, however; it closed because they got everything up there that they needed to.
- The ice roads to some of the more remote communities (like Wekweeti) have opened, so those communities are virtually deserted while the residents drive out to get a year's worth of supplies. They'll pass lots of fuel tankers, driving into those communities to supply them with a year's supply of heating fuel, gasoline, av gas, etc.
Some signs of spring that I'm still waiting for:
- The temperature to get above freezing for the first time since November.
- The "arctic tulips" to reappear through the snow. For those of you not in the know, arctic tulips are a winter's supply of doggy doo, left by inconsiderate people and their dogs. It's really disgusting.
- The snow to start melting.
- The birds to return.
- Open water on the lakes.
No comments:
Post a Comment