'Our best snow year for like 10 years:' Iditarod plowing through Alaska wilderness ahead of weekend storm
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Mar 10, 2020 5:32 PM EST
The 48th running of the Iditarod is underway. Mushers are facing more snow than they’ve experienced in recent years.
The 48th running of the Iditarod is underway, and this year’s race is bringing a challenge that mushers haven’t faced in recent years as they traverse the harsh and snowy terrain across the remote Alaskan landscape.
The annual sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome is nearly 1,000 miles long and takes a little over a week to complete, but in recent years a lack of snow has been an issue for contenders.
In 2016, there was so little snow in Anchorage that snow had to be imported into the city for the ceremonial start of the race. The race’s route was also altered for just the third time in history due to the lack of snow. A lack of snow also forced the starting line for the race to be moved from Anchorage to Fairbanks in 2015 and 2017.
This year will be quite the opposite of 2016 as the winter has featured plenty of storms that have blanketed the Iditarod course with an abundance of snow.
“This year we’ve had a lot of snow. I won’t ever say too much snow. But it’s been a challenge to get the trail put in,” race director Mark Nordman said, according to The Associated Press.
“We’ve actually had better snow — our best snow year for like 10 years now," defending Iditarod champion Pete Kaiser told Alaska Public Media. When asked about if the snow will affect the way he races, he responded, “My strategy will definitely change."
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The ceremonial start of the 2020 Iditarod took place in Anchorage on Saturday before the race officially began on Sunday in the town of Willow, located just north of Anchorage.
Fabio Berlusconi of Lomazzo, Italy, leaves the start line during the ceremonial start of this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Anchorage, Alaska. The real race starts March 8 about 50 miles north of Anchorage, with the winner expected in the Bering Sea coastal town of Nome about 10 or 11 days later. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
This winter has been the snowiest for Anchorage since the winter of 2011-12 with the city sitting at 83.9 inches of accumulation as of March 9. This amount is more than its average annual snowfall of 74.5 inches. Areas farther inland have picked up even more snow than Anchorage.
Workers have been busy carving out a trail for the teams to follow, winding through the Alaskan wilderness from Willow to Nome. In some sections, there are walls of snow 6 feet tall on each side of the trail.
This cleared trail for the teams will make it easier to run, but it will bring an added danger.
“There is a bit of a concern for moose on the trail near McGrath. This indeed is a legitimate fear,” the Anchorage Daily News explained. “Moose like to hold the trail, fearing that they are vulnerable to wolves in soft snow.”
The added challenges that this year’s course brings could help draw in the attention of new fans at a time when overall interest in the event is dwindling.
“Like many sports, we are in a race for relevance,” Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach said.
Mushers and their teams of dogs will be battling the elements all the way to the finish line, ranging from subzero temperatures to the potential for more snow.
“Temperatures look to be below average over the next few days with high pressure moving across the region,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins said Monday. “Generally clear conditions are expected through the midweek period.”
However, as the race progresses, weather conditions will gradually deteriorate.
“Late this week into the weekend, a weak storm system will approach from the southwest,” Adkins said. “Precipitation looks to be light with the probability of snow (or a wintry mix) increasing the closer one gets to Nome.”
Adkins added that there is the potential for a bigger storm early next week around Nome, which could really slow down the race with windy weather and blowing snow.
The first-place finisher is likely to cross the finish line in Nome sometime between Monday, March 16, and Wednesday, March 18.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Winter Weather
'Our best snow year for like 10 years:' Iditarod plowing through Alaska wilderness ahead of weekend storm
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Mar 10, 2020 5:32 PM EST
The 48th running of the Iditarod is underway. Mushers are facing more snow than they’ve experienced in recent years.
The 48th running of the Iditarod is underway, and this year’s race is bringing a challenge that mushers haven’t faced in recent years as they traverse the harsh and snowy terrain across the remote Alaskan landscape.
The annual sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome is nearly 1,000 miles long and takes a little over a week to complete, but in recent years a lack of snow has been an issue for contenders.
In 2016, there was so little snow in Anchorage that snow had to be imported into the city for the ceremonial start of the race. The race’s route was also altered for just the third time in history due to the lack of snow. A lack of snow also forced the starting line for the race to be moved from Anchorage to Fairbanks in 2015 and 2017.
This year will be quite the opposite of 2016 as the winter has featured plenty of storms that have blanketed the Iditarod course with an abundance of snow.
“This year we’ve had a lot of snow. I won’t ever say too much snow. But it’s been a challenge to get the trail put in,” race director Mark Nordman said, according to The Associated Press.
“We’ve actually had better snow — our best snow year for like 10 years now," defending Iditarod champion Pete Kaiser told Alaska Public Media. When asked about if the snow will affect the way he races, he responded, “My strategy will definitely change."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The ceremonial start of the 2020 Iditarod took place in Anchorage on Saturday before the race officially began on Sunday in the town of Willow, located just north of Anchorage.
Fabio Berlusconi of Lomazzo, Italy, leaves the start line during the ceremonial start of this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Anchorage, Alaska. The real race starts March 8 about 50 miles north of Anchorage, with the winner expected in the Bering Sea coastal town of Nome about 10 or 11 days later. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
This winter has been the snowiest for Anchorage since the winter of 2011-12 with the city sitting at 83.9 inches of accumulation as of March 9. This amount is more than its average annual snowfall of 74.5 inches. Areas farther inland have picked up even more snow than Anchorage.
Workers have been busy carving out a trail for the teams to follow, winding through the Alaskan wilderness from Willow to Nome. In some sections, there are walls of snow 6 feet tall on each side of the trail.
This cleared trail for the teams will make it easier to run, but it will bring an added danger.
“There is a bit of a concern for moose on the trail near McGrath. This indeed is a legitimate fear,” the Anchorage Daily News explained. “Moose like to hold the trail, fearing that they are vulnerable to wolves in soft snow.”
The added challenges that this year’s course brings could help draw in the attention of new fans at a time when overall interest in the event is dwindling.
“Like many sports, we are in a race for relevance,” Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach said.
Related:
Mushers and their teams of dogs will be battling the elements all the way to the finish line, ranging from subzero temperatures to the potential for more snow.
“Temperatures look to be below average over the next few days with high pressure moving across the region,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins said Monday. “Generally clear conditions are expected through the midweek period.”
However, as the race progresses, weather conditions will gradually deteriorate.
“Late this week into the weekend, a weak storm system will approach from the southwest,” Adkins said. “Precipitation looks to be light with the probability of snow (or a wintry mix) increasing the closer one gets to Nome.”
Adkins added that there is the potential for a bigger storm early next week around Nome, which could really slow down the race with windy weather and blowing snow.
The first-place finisher is likely to cross the finish line in Nome sometime between Monday, March 16, and Wednesday, March 18.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo