Snow, Snow, Snow!

In KNOM country, it’s been a year of heavy snowfall. A certain amount of snow is needed each winter for traditional sub-Arctic activities, whether subsistence hunting or village-to-village travel. But too much snow can cause problems.

Preparing for winter

We’re at the start of our long, sub-Arctic winter. As rain and mud turn to snow and ice underfoot, we, like our listeners, are taking all the steps you’d expect to prepare for the colder months to come.

The first hints of winter

The snow is starting to accumulate on the mountains, hills, and the tundra. At night, if the sky is clear, you can sometimes see wispy, colorful auroras dancing in the expansive darkness. During the day, the weather ranges from snowy to mostly sunny and cold. As the seasons change and the thermometer heads towards zero, […]

In the wind

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 […]

Engineer’s corner: “Shake, shake, shake”

As promised in last month’s edition of the Static, we’re happy to present the latest on KNOM’s equipment and technical issues with a new segment – the Engineer’s Corner – courtesy of volunteer engineer Rolland Trowbridge: On one morning in early May, the transmitter-to-studio data link, or TSL, quit working. This link allows volunteers at […]

Breakup, mail delays, and Communicator Awards

All across Western Alaska, it’s the season known as “breakup”: the slow, on-again/off-again period of melting that signals the gradual approach of summer. Some days are bright and sunny, and others are cloudy and snowy. The sun melts ice on rooftops as the tundra gives up its blanket of white snow, little by little. Spring […]

Transitions

Although our daylight hours are increasing, the final throes of winter are long in Western Alaska. With temperatures just below freezing, small pellets of ice and snow still fall from the sky. Cooler-than-normal temperatures are slowing the retreat of the ice and snow, the air is brisk, and you can hear the occasional crackling of sea […]

Spring’s slow arrival, and a special nod from the Alaska Legislature

In rural Alaska, spring is arriving in stops and starts. As our daylight hours rapidly increase – by more than six minutes each day – our skies alternate between sunshine, clouds, and heavy fog. Temperatures hover near the freezing point during the day, and the snow and ice are beginning to recede. Perhaps most noticeably, […]

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.

April ice, and a prestigious award

The winter weather continues: temperatures hover near zero as more ice forms on the Bering Sea. The frigid temperatures bring dazzling, clear, sunlit days and awe-inspiring nights – with the moon and stars shining brightly in the night sky. We gladly share the congratulations of the entire radio broadcasting community for KNOM’s 2013 Crystal Heritage Award […]