Tomorrow when I go to work my co-workers might very well kill me. At work, I've been making jokes about sacrificing chickens to extend winter. I also have been creating joke forecasts about snow just to hear them groan. Now what I've been praying for has happened. Here on Kodiak we've gone back to March, at least, if just for the day. And I swear - no chicken sacrifices.
Although I have to say, I can't see why everybody is so surprised. Snow in May on Kodiak is not really all that of a rare event. I remember Don Clark telling me about an excavation in Late May back in 1971 on the Afognak River where it snowed a foot. And, he tells me, that year there was still 3 feet of snow under the spruce trees even before the storm. Now that is far more extreme than what we have this year.
A few years ago in mid May we got 10 feet of snow on Pyramid over the course of 3 days - the most snow I have ever seen from one storm on the mountain. But that storm was all rain in town. Still every few years we do get a May snow storm. People should not be shocked by what has happened today.
Also, I will add that Kodiak's long winters and maritime climate is one of the main reasons I live here. If I wanted endless summer or warmth all the time I would probably live in LA or Hawaii. I like long winters and snow in May - it's why I chose to live on Kodiak. But I can also see how a person who might have chosen to live on Kodiak for different reasons might be a little tired of the snow.
All that said - I think I am going to hang a little low tomorrow at work. No need to gloat over my prayer coming true.
Compare these two photos with the ones I posted below from this morning. We got a lot more snow after it seemingly stopped this morning. Perhaps we'll get another squall and another dump of snow later on today? One can only hope! Patrick
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