First Big Storm in November

The area looks pretty neat and clean when the first snows come.

 The storm begins. A large weather system hit western Alaska causing damage throughout several communities. Flooding on the coast was common with high tides and storm surge. Some villages went to the school to wait out the worst of it. Loss of electricity was common, but fortunately for us, it was only two hours. Our heating system depends on electricity, there is no secondary source. Some homes in the community have a wood stove and go upriver to collect wood, or head to the coast to get the driftwood.
    The winds are gusting up to 40 mph in the photo. Having everything frozen helps, so trash is not flying around to hit anyone. Windstorms in the fall throw plywood, empty oil drums, etc. into the air. Russian Orthodox church is in the background. This would be considered just a ground storm, with blowing snow. Still, it's easy to lose a trail when you're out and about.

This boy is needing to get home quick. One fellow was lost in the night and Search and Rescue held out until the winds and cold were too much. He walked into Kasigluk on his own in the middle of the night, after his snowmachine ran out of gas. He figured he'd been walking for about 3 hours. It had to have been about 30 below, at least.

 Eventually, we had white outs which don't make for good photos, kind of like the polar bear on the white page....After a storm, like most areas, the landscape reveals beautiful sculptures. The snow blows about like a desert sand. Since they have been wind driven, the flakes pack together and the whole thing sets up like concrete. Slipping and falling hurt!