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Tag Archives | blizzard

In the wind

Eva and Margaret

You’ll often find KNOM’s dedicated news team – including volunteers Eva DeLappe and Margaret DeMaioribus, pictured – reporting on location in Nome, despite our region’s often-inclement weather. Last month, however, the news was the weather.

As Margaret reported, a shifting wind pattern called Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) has been at least partly to blame for this year’s exceptionally cold spring weather – cold even by Alaskan standards. Margaret’s report came on the heels of a mid-May blizzard that left inches of new snow in its wake.

Through your support, listeners throughout the Alaskan Bush not only received their much-needed weather report – they also learned why the weather wasn’t quite as warm as they expected.

 

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April 1998: Fighting a spring blizzard

April 24, 1998

The last week of the month brings multiple days of a rip-roaring blizzard to Nome, and KNOMers run outside every hour to clear the station’s satellite dish of snow, which blocks signals.

In the dead of winter, snow does not cause this problem, as it is too dry to stick to the antennas.

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April 1999: A stormy Easter

April 4 (Easter Sunday), 1999

The weather is fine for Easter egg hunting today, but at nightfall, a blizzard suddenly kicks up.

The wind blows so hard at KNOM’s transmitter site that it holds the shutters for the exhaust fan closed.

By the time Les Brown and volunteer Michael Warren make it to the building in the maelstrom, waste heat has driven its temperature to ninety-eight degrees. Les jams the louvers open, and the site cools down with no ill effects.

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Snow, sled dogs, and therapy

From swirling snow and whiteout blizzards to clearing skies and rapid temperature drops, the winter weather in Western Alaska changes quickly, creating many challenges for traveling and, at times, for survival. KNOM broadcasts hourly weather information to enhance and save lives.

This week, the 1,000-mile 2013 Iditarod Sled Dog Race finishes in Nome. KNOM is broadcasting trail interviews and frequent updates to this world-class event. The race brings many benefits to the people in bush communities along the race route – some quite unexpected.

Several years ago, a young autistic boy who rarely, if ever, uttered a word met Iditarod veteran DeeDee Jonrowe. Seeing one of her dogs, he immediately began to speak, repeating the dog’s name over and over again. With help from the KNOM family, the boy received a therapy dog, spurring incredible benefits in this young man’s life. This miracle brought tears of joy not only to the family, but to everyone who helped. We thank everyone who helps to make these miracles happen!

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January 2000: Blizzard!

January 16, 2000

A blizzard packing hurricane-force winds drops power lines at the KNOM transmitter site. The station’s emergency generator keeps it on the air for 16 hours before electricity is restored.

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November 1970: Waiting for the weather for tower construction

November 22, 1970

After three weeks of blizzards and winds, the weather has briefly cleared.

Volunteers John Pfeifer and Tom Busch are belted to the AM tower at the 95-foot level, and eight others on the ground hoist the microwave receive antenna, which the pair install.  Weather closes in again, and work can’t resume for two more days.

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Halloween, 1970: The AM tower is complete

October 31, 1970

The AM tower construction is complete. Nome Joint Utilities runs a power line across the tundra to the tower, and it is lighted. It’s finished just in time. Two days later, blizzards shut down Nome for almost three weeks.

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