Alaska—snow, and ice, right? Well, not really. Where I lived in Thorne Bay, we received 129 inches of rain annually (close to 11 feet) and had 50 snow days. The humidity averaged 87%, making homes in the area feel cool and clammy unless a dehumidifier ran nonstop. Our dehumidifier removed more than a gallon of water from 800 square feet every single day. The outside humidity fell below 60% only ten days per year.
The fall season brings the most rain to Thorne Bay, and November is the wettest month of all, with 24 rainy days racking up 17 inches of precipitation. With that much rain, you might expect the town to be windy too. Nope. Thorne Bay is relatively calm unless a storm moves in.
When the rain turns to snow in late December, fat flakes often create near-whiteout conditions. Thick snow falling through the air on a peaceful night feels surreal at times, especially at night when I walked the dogs. The wet snow accumulation made for excellent building material the next day. My grown son played in the snow outside his home with his daughter, and they created this unique Alaska snowman—unique considering the ferns for hair and its shapely figure.
Now, for the rest of the story.
I pulled up to Ethan’s home, and this is what I discovered when I approached his apartment. He stood in the doorway grinning and asked, “Do you like it, Mom?” In the yard, Evey laughed with delight.
By 2015, we had lived in the Tongass National Forest for 17 years, and never had the boys used ferns for hair on a snowman. And I must say, that snowman is probably a snowwoman with that figure.
The long hair on Mrs. Frosty is quite fitting, considering they made her my granddaughter.
Award: The High Plains Book Award ceremony is on Saturday, October 8, 2022. My Alaska memoir (Amazon affiliate link), The Call of the Last Frontier, is a finalist, though I’ve tried not to think about it. I can’t wait.
We lived an adventurous life in remote Alaska for 20 years. I write this blog, Alaska Bush Life, to extend the story for my readers because I have so much more to say. Learn more about my story at www.MelissaCook.us.
Resources
Dwellics. Thorne Bay. https://dwellics.com/alaska/climate-in-thorne-bay. (accessed October 4, 2022).
Upcoming Appearances
October 8, 2022 – High Plains Book Awards, 12-4 p.m. Billings Public Library Community Room for panel discussions and author book signings at 510 N Broadway, Billings, MT 59101 and, 7:30 p.m. Awards Presentation at Petro Theater at 1500 University Drive, Billings, MT 59101
October 25, 2022 – Thriving Over Surviving podcast interview
October 27, 2022 – Inside the Nest podcast interview
November 1, 2022 – Dragonclaw.net guest speaker on Zoom