Tag Archives: equinox
Autumnal Equinox
It’s the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, although to be perfectly honest, we are well underway up here in Interior Alaska. The colors have definitely peaked already, and over half of the leaves are now on the ground.
I had an unscheduled day off on Monday. A job cancelled on Friday, and there wasn’t enough time, or ambition, to schedule something else in its place. It’s unusual for me to get a nice day on an unscheduled day off, and Monday was an absolutely beautiful fall day up here.
So I spent the afternoon hiking the seemingly, endless system of trails that start at my deck. I saw only one other person and her dog at the start of the hike, and after that it was only the grouse, red squirrels, a couple of moose and myself.
The woods were mostly silent, with only the occasional scolding from a squirrel, or the pre-flush clucking of a grouse. Even the trail, loaded with a carpet of leaves, allowed me to pass with barely a sound: Only a faint rustling was left in my wake.
Vernal Equinox
A young moose blocks my way to the job site on Wednesday; its twin was eating willows in the slough to the right.
Winter 2019-2020 seems to have dragged on forever. We are finally turning the much anticipated corner into spring. I understand, for some of you, briar & tick season leaves you feeling itchy over the upcoming season, but up here in the Far North, I’m more than ready for spring. Without any hockey, we might as well melt the ice.
Spring officially arrives early this year. We have not seen a spring this early on the calendar for 124 years. Looking at the snow still on the ground here in Fairbanks, only the warmer temps signal any sign of spring.
Here in Fairbanks, we have finally pushed over the 12 hour mark for daylight. We gained 6 minutes, 44 seconds from yesterday. That makes both the moose and I happy.
Happy Autumnal Equinox
Autumn has officially arrived. Which for those of us in the north, means snow should be just around the corner.
Vernal Equinox
March 20 means that spring has sprung, and for Fairbanks, it actually feels like spring on the first day of spring. Alaska, the Yukon and Northwest Territories have all seen record temps the past few days, and all three have seen 70F degrees this month. It is the earliest on record for all of us to hit that mark.
The third, and final Supermoon of the year is also taking place on the first day of spring. This full moon, is also known as the Worm Moon. Not as catchy as the Super Blood Wolf Moon, but as it historically signals when worms start coming out of the frozen earth, I can get into the Worm Moon. Quite honestly, even though this has been an insanely mild winter in the far north, I am more than ready for spring. I only have three salmon fillets left in my freezer.
Goose watching season has also begun here in Fairbanks. Alaskans are easily entertained, so we have an annual bet on when the first Canadian Goose shows up at Creamer’s Field. Whoever guesses the date and time of the first goose landing, without going over, wins $500.
Fairbanks Weather Almanac for March 20:
High temp………………….. +39F
Low temp…………………… +26F
Record high………………… +56F
Record low…………………. -37F
Average high……………….. +28F
Average low………………… – 1F
Sunrise……………………. 7:52am
Sunset…………………….. 8:07pm
Length of day………………. 12 hrs 15 mins
….. For a gain of 6 mins 44 secs from yesterday
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