Latest news with #IditarodTrailSledDogRace
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Climate
- Miami Herald
Alaska Severe Winter Storm to Hit with up to 13 Inches of Snow
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Alaska's central Brooks Range, warning of heavy snow later this week that could significantly disrupt travel through Atigun and Anaktuvuk Passes. The advisory, released Monday by NWS Fairbanks, covers the area south of Toolik Lake and remains in effect from Thursday evening through late Friday night. Forecasts call for snow totals ranging from 7 to 13 inches. Interactive maps from showed the areas expected to be hit by the extreme weather. June marks the thaw and breakup season for most of Alaska. Though unusual, June snowfall is not unprecedented in the Brooks Range, which features elevations exceeding 4,000 feet. Snowstorms this time of year can occur when lingering Arctic air masses meet unusual atmospheric patterns, funneling colder air south into interior Alaska. The impacted region includes Atigun Pass, a critical segment of the Dalton Highway-a major supply and transportation route for Alaska's Arctic. According to NWS, it will start to snow later on Wednesday. The heaviest accumulation is expected between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. The forecast notes the storm could result in "difficult travel conditions," especially through high-altitude mountain passes. Earlier this year, Alaska experienced a lack of snow during winter months. The 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race faced significant challenges due to unseasonably warm temperatures and a lack of snow across Alaska. Organizers were compelled to relocate the official start from Anchorage to Fairbanks, marking the fourth such move in the race's history. This decision was driven by unsafe trail conditions, particularly near Nikolai, where no snowfall had occurred since late January. The absence of snow and permafrost posed serious risks to the sled dogs, including potential injuries from mud and exposed terrain. The NWS bulletin emphasized the storm's potential to create hazardous travel: "Plan on difficult travel conditions," the agency advised. Local emergency planners and transportation agencies are monitoring the forecast closely. The Winter Storm Watch could be upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning as confidence in the snowfall totals and impacts increases. Residents, truck drivers, and other travelers along the Dalton Highway are advised to monitor forecasts and plan accordingly for potentially treacherous conditions. Though Alaska's summer daylight is nearly at its peak, the return of heavy snow to mountain routes underscores the climate extremes that persist in the state's northern interior. The projected 7 to 13 inches of accumulation marks one of the higher June snowfall forecasts in recent years for this region-notable, but not outside the range of historical norms. Related Articles Alaska Governor: Why the Alaska LNG Pipeline Matters for South Korea's Energy Security | OpinionSome Americans to Receive $1,702 Direct Payment in June: Are You Eligible?Man, 87, on 'Bucket List' Trip Not Prepared for Note He Gets From Flight AttendantUS Shutting Nursing Facilities Despite Ageing Population 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Alaska Severe Winter Storm to Hit with up to 13 Inches of Snow
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Alaska's central Brooks Range, warning of heavy snow later this week that could significantly disrupt travel through Atigun and Anaktuvuk Passes. The advisory, released Monday by NWS Fairbanks, covers the area south of Toolik Lake and remains in effect from Thursday evening through late Friday night. Forecasts call for snow totals ranging from 7 to 13 inches. Interactive maps from showed the areas expected to be hit by the extreme weather. Why It Matters June marks the thaw and breakup season for most of Alaska. Though unusual, June snowfall is not unprecedented in the Brooks Range, which features elevations exceeding 4,000 feet. Snowstorms this time of year can occur when lingering Arctic air masses meet unusual atmospheric patterns, funneling colder air south into interior Alaska. What to Know The impacted region includes Atigun Pass, a critical segment of the Dalton Highway—a major supply and transportation route for Alaska's Arctic. According to NWS, it will start to snow later on Wednesday. The heaviest accumulation is expected between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. The forecast notes the storm could result in "difficult travel conditions," especially through high-altitude mountain passes. Earlier this year, Alaska experienced a lack of snow during winter months. The 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race faced significant challenges due to unseasonably warm temperatures and a lack of snow across Alaska. Organizers were compelled to relocate the official start from Anchorage to Fairbanks, marking the fourth such move in the race's history. This decision was driven by unsafe trail conditions, particularly near Nikolai, where no snowfall had occurred since late January. The absence of snow and permafrost posed serious risks to the sled dogs, including potential injuries from mud and exposed terrain. What People Are Saying The NWS bulletin emphasized the storm's potential to create hazardous travel: "Plan on difficult travel conditions," the agency advised. Local emergency planners and transportation agencies are monitoring the forecast closely. What's Next The Winter Storm Watch could be upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning as confidence in the snowfall totals and impacts increases. Residents, truck drivers, and other travelers along the Dalton Highway are advised to monitor forecasts and plan accordingly for potentially treacherous conditions. Though Alaska's summer daylight is nearly at its peak, the return of heavy snow to mountain routes underscores the climate extremes that persist in the state's northern interior. The projected 7 to 13 inches of accumulation marks one of the higher June snowfall forecasts in recent years for this region—notable, but not outside the range of historical norms.
Toronto Star
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Dan Seavey, patriarch of Alaska mushing family who raced in the first Iditarod, dies
Dan Seavey, who helped organize the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and whose son and grandson have each won the famous Alaska race multiple times, has died. He was 87. The Minnesota native, who competed in the first two Iditarod races in 1973 and 1974, was out helping tend to his dogs shortly before he died last Thursday, his son Mitch Seavey said. Dan Seavey had been adamant in his later years about remaining at the south-central Alaska home in Seward he had moved his family to decades earlier, the younger Seavey said.
Fox Sports
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Dan Seavey, patriarch of Alaska mushing family who helped organize the first Iditarod, dies
Associated Press Dan Seavey, who helped organize the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and whose son and grandson have each won the famous Alaska race multiple times, has died. He was 87. The Minnesota native, who had been adamant in wanting to remain at the south-central Alaska home in Seward he had moved his family to decades earlier, was out helping tend to his dogs shortly before he died last Thursday, his son Mitch Seavey said. 'It's hard, and everybody will miss him. But he lived a great life and passed away in his own fashion,' Mitch Seavey said. The Iditarod race organization called Dan Seavey a 'true pioneer and cherished figure' in the race's 53-year history and said he was instrumental in the establishment of the Iditarod Trail as a National Historic Trail in 1978. He also wrote a book, 'The First Great Race,' which his son said drew on notes Seavey recorded during the first edition of the Iditarod. Dan Seavey ran the Iditarod five times, including the first two races in 1973 and 1974. His last, in 2012, was aimed at celebrating and drawing attention to the history of the trail. That year featured three generations of Seaveys, with Mitch's son Dallas winning the first of his record-breaking six titles. Mitch, a three-time Iditarod champ, that year finished seventh. Dan Seavey moved with his family to Alaska in 1963 to teach in Seward, a community about 125 miles (201 kilometers) south of Anchorage. In an interview for Project Jukebox, a University of Alaska Fairbanks oral history project, he recalled being inspired as a kid by a radio program centered on a character who was with a Canadian mounted police force and his trusty sled dog, Yukon King, who took on bad guys during the Gold Rush era. Seavey said finding time to train to race was difficult. 'Having to make a living, it kind of interfered with my dog mushing,' Seavey, a longtime history teacher, said. He trained on nights and weekends, and around the first two years of the Iditarod he petitioned the school board for time off, he said. Seavey didn't have competitive aspirations past those first two Iditarod races, his son said, but he continued to mush recreationally. Seavey at one point thought about letting Mitch have his dogs but couldn't bear the thought of not having dogs around, Mitch Seavey said. ___ Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska. recommended in this topic
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dan Seavey, patriarch of Alaska mushing family who helped organize the first Iditarod, dies
Dan Seavey, who helped organize the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and whose son and grandson have each won the famous Alaska race multiple times, has died. He was 87. The Minnesota native, who had been adamant in wanting to remain at the south-central Alaska home in Seward he had moved his family to decades earlier, was out helping tend to his dogs shortly before he died last Thursday, his son Mitch Seavey said. 'It's hard, and everybody will miss him. But he lived a great life and passed away in his own fashion,' Mitch Seavey said. The Iditarod race organization called Dan Seavey a 'true pioneer and cherished figure' in the race's 53-year history and said he was instrumental in the establishment of the Iditarod Trail as a National Historic Trail in 1978. He also wrote a book, 'The First Great Race,' which his son said drew on notes Seavey recorded during the first edition of the Iditarod. Dan Seavey ran the Iditarod five times, including the first two races in 1973 and 1974. His last, in 2012, was aimed at celebrating and drawing attention to the history of the trail. That year featured three generations of Seaveys, with Mitch's son Dallas winning the first of his record-breaking six titles. Mitch, a three-time Iditarod champ, that year finished seventh. Dan Seavey moved with his family to Alaska in 1963 to teach in Seward, a community about 125 miles (201 kilometers) south of Anchorage. In an interview for Project Jukebox, a University of Alaska Fairbanks oral history project, he recalled being inspired as a kid by a radio program centered on a character who was with a Canadian mounted police force and his trusty sled dog, Yukon King, who took on bad guys during the Gold Rush era. Seavey said finding time to train to race was difficult. 'Having to make a living, it kind of interfered with my dog mushing,' Seavey, a longtime history teacher, said. He trained on nights and weekends, and around the first two years of the Iditarod he petitioned the school board for time off, he said. Seavey didn't have competitive aspirations past those first two Iditarod races, his son said, but he continued to mush recreationally. Seavey at one point thought about letting Mitch have his dogs but couldn't bear the thought of not having dogs around, Mitch Seavey said. ___ Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska.
