Snowiest January On Record In Anchorage; Record Snow Buries Japan, Paralyzes Transport; Deep Accumulations Across Northern India; U.S. Breaks 2,000+ Cold Records, And Counting; + Antarctic Transition
In just the past eight days, Northern Hemisphere snow cover expanded by 4.34 million km2 — the largest short-term increase in the modern record.
Snowiest January On Record In Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska was hammered by another major snowstorm Jan 27, pushing the city to its snowiest January on record in books dating back to 1952.
7+ inches fell in less than 24 hours, driving January’s total to nearly 40 inches and breaking the previous monthly record of 34.4 inches set in 2000. Tuesday’s snow also smashed the daily January record, surpassing the old mark of 3.6 inches from 1992.
Police reported more than 100 crashes and nearly as many additional vehicles in distress by late afternoon. Parts of the Glenn Highway were closed for hours as vehicles slid off the roadway and traffic was diverted through Eagle River.
The National Weather Service upgraded its forecast from a winter weather advisory to a winter storm warning as totals surged well-beyond expectations, with up to a foot reported in parts of the Anchorage area by Tuesday night.
Forecasters noted that the system proved difficult for models to resolve, contributing to the initial underestimation.
Record Snow Buries Japan, Paralyzes Transport
Relentless snowfall has overwhelmed northern Japan, with record accumulations shutting down transport networks and stranding thousands.
In Hokkaido, more than 7,000 people were forced to spend the night at New Chitose Airport after heavy snow and strong winds triggered widespread flight cancellations.
Over 90 flights were scrubbed, while rail disruption rippled across the island, with more than 170 train services suspended, including routes to Hakodate and Asahikawa.
Snowfall totals have been exceptional, even by Japan standards.
