Nenana Ice Classic now past 4th latest ice breakup

Watts Up With That? ^ | 14MAY2013 | Anthony Watts

[Jack Hydrazine]

Reader Psalmon writes:

"Nenana River ice breakup nears top three latest dates in 97 years of contest."

It may have escaped notice, but this last Saturday the locals in Nanana, AK hooked up the clock to determine the breakup and winner of the annual Nenana Ice Classic. Further ice measurements were apparently suspended last Thursday with the last measurement of 40 inches (just).

If you think May 11 seems late for starting the countdown, it is.

After the fourth earliest breakup in 2012 (April 23), as of this afternoon on May 14th, the tripod still stands, making 2013 the fourth latest breakup in the 97 years of the contest. Only 1935 (May 15), 1945 (May 16), and 1964 (May 21) still rate longer.

It’s hard to forget geophysicist Martin Jeffries at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks saying in 2009,

"The Nenana Ice Classic is a pretty good proxy for climate change in the 20th century."

Sage insight.

[Spartan302]

Lakes in Wasilla still frozen over, nothing really green yet, all trees still lean and dirty brown looking, gonna be a bad fire season i suspect.
My motorcycles still have not come out of storage.
Business is so bad in the concrete circles my shop had its gas cut off for non payment, and the day temps are in the lower 50’s but the shop is actually around 45, and I think I just caught a bug as I usually keep some heat in the shop, at least 57. So I took the day off, the Accuweather extended forecast changes every day, two days ago they forecasted 70 degree days around Memorial day, now they are back peddling to a cooler forecast.

I needed a new pair of Carhartt insulated pants, Fred Meyers went seasonal and only has summer gear so I bought a pair from Amazon, even with shipping it was cheaper, gonna buy more thermal underwear as well, especially those heavyweight Moose Creek shirts, I think Alaska will have basically a year long winter.
Pisses me off the extremely limited amount of good cold weather clothing in Alaska and for only a limited time.

[Myrddin]

I've just returned home to Pocatello from San Diego. I ride my Fat Bob to/from work nearly daily in San Diego. The F150 4x4 is on standby for rainy days. Pocatello is alternating between hot days and thunderstorms right now. The roads still have lots of gravel on top of the asphalt, so extra care is required on the bike. That is always the case on the rural roads where gravel driveways meet asphalt roads. My son has dropped two bikes due to the gravel (and his inexperience).

Watch the volcanoes. They are acting up. Have a game plan if they have a major eruption.

[dirtboy]

It’s hard to forget geophysicist Martin Jeffries at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks saying in 2009, "The Nenana Ice Classic is a pretty good proxy for climate change in the 20th century."

Now the AGW pimps have changed their tune, claiming that these gyrations are proof of global warming.

[Hot Tabasco]

And if it doesn’t go?

Ice fishing in the summer.....

[Spartan302]

The two volcanos are a long ways away. But the ash cloud pattern can be heading towards me. We actually still need spring rains to wash all the silt and road salt away, the roads are terrible, many more pavement breaks than usual a lot less road repair work going on.
My main bike is a 2009 Star 1300 tourer and it has less than 2000 miles on it since I bought it new, just not enough decent riding days in Alaska, grrrr.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Warm globally, cool locally!

[HereInTheHeartland]

Al Gore weeps.

[Myrddin]

I have a 2007 Yamaha Roadliner with 1800 miles on it. I'm never home to enjoy it. The two Harleys and Kawasaki Versys racked up over 40,000 miles on San Diego freeways since August 2009 (even with a 5 month break at home in Idaho in 2010). Most of that was commuting. Only one big trip on the Fat Bob in August 2012 when I traveled home from San Diego to Pocatello. That was a rugged introduction to long distance rides. Before that departure, my longest single day ride had been just over 100 miles. The return trip from Pocatello to San Diego included an overnight stay at Barstow, CA. That was 750 miles in one day. I wasn't physically up to another 150 miles in the darkness.

[PapaBear3625]

Well, it's broken the May 16 record, thus making this the second-longest record. On to May 20! (BTW, it's May 20, not 21, per the website )

[Jack Hydrazine]

Alrighty then!

I look forward to seeing the record broken in four days.

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks.

I watched it tonight.

I cannot believe I had missed it.

They blew up the river!

[Jack Hydrazine]

Where’s the river?

There’s the river!

[Eska]

Well, here in Eagle, Ak; the Yukon has flooded. Ice dam somewheres down river, water up maybe 70 feet from where it was last night. No ice blocks crushing anything yet, lets hope she goes out in a day or so. And yesterday, the fed guys here checking out the river said it wasn’t going to flood from their estimation, ha ha.

[tpmintx]

Live Picture

If the tripod is in the picture, the clock is still running. Now up to 2nd latest ever as this is written...

[Jack Hydrazine]

Does it ever flood?

[Jack Hydrazine]

Still going like the Energizer Bunny!

[Jack Hydrazine]

Blizzard Warnings for Alaska
http://iceagenow.info/2013/05/blizzard-warnings-alaska/

Alaska – “Extremely unusual” late-season snowfall possible
http://iceagenow.info/2013/05/alaska-extremely-unusual-late-season-snowfall/

[FlingWingFlyer]

Thanks! I was looking at the Anchorage webcams. Early winter? LOL!

[Jack Hydrazine]

If the river doesn’t melt does that mean the cash prize will carry over to next year???

[Jack Hydrazine]

I might post this thread again on Monday.