We are now above 12 hours of sunlight and, as you can see in the diagram, solar noon is now almost two hours late courtesy of DST on top of the skew put in place by the state of AK to be one time zone instead or four or five. As you may notice, I'm annoyed by both of these things. The weather services were reporting that the temperature this morning was +5°F but after I started my commute, it was obviously much warmer. No heated anything needed. My OAT (outside air temperature) gauge was reporting +25°F upon arrival at the university. Quite a difference. (And I believe the weather services were the ones that were wrong.)
In our absence, Spring has arrived in the interior. Evidence of this are the clear blue skies and way too much sun. By that I don't mean that there was too much daylight but it was just too bright. You can see that most of the snow has melted from the south-facing slopes. March is definitely one of the nicest months in Alaska as long as you don't mind a little snow.
I can understand the bright. I remember the customers who would come out of their dark winter houses and into the spring light of the greenhouse. Oh how they squinted and sweat.
ReplyDeleteCan I place a request for a video? Do you ever ride into town? I'd like to see some of Fairbanks sometime.
I rarely ever go into downtown Fairbanks as there is little reason. Lots of one way streets, tons of signal lights and occasional drunks staggering through the streets looking for a fight.
DeleteI was just down there a couple of weeks ago as I was told to find some "art" that I liked. Most of the art galleries are downtown. I will try and get a video once the ice is gone.
Oh dear. Doesn't sound too nice. All I have seen is the city webcam.
DeleteSo, though some folks were blaming you for taking late winter to Pennsylvania, it sounds like you should actually be credited with bringing spring back to Alaska...
ReplyDeleteCan't take any credit for that. I was told that it was getting well into the mid-40s (°F) while I was gone.
DeleteTo much sunshine? I never thought there could be such a thing. However, with spring sprung and being out and about without a hat my bald noggin is tenderly red and my ears are burned as well. A yearly lesson in the power of sun screen.
ReplyDeleteAfter a few months with less sun, when it gets high enough above the horizon to actually provide heat, it seems like it's way too bright.
DeleteBright, but still so pretty. I imagine sunglasses are a must for glare.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of glare from the snow. Sunglasses, hmmmm, haven't had a pair for years.
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