Winter solstice passed through and we are approaching spring, the day light getting longer and longer! it hard to believe 14 more weeks, snow will be disappear!! Ice cellar temperatures are going to interesting curve. We will more discuss this topic later, but you see seasonal temperature difference between North Slope and Bering Straight!! that different way to take care of whale meat!
Last night, we have a cold but beautiful quiet night to observe lunar eclipse. Moon appeared to disappear. I put together earth’s shade from the moon taken last night. As the Earth located between the Moon and the Sun, the Earth’s shadow fell on the moon, making it dark. As the Earth’s shadow engulfed the moon, the lunar images became less and less bright, practically disappearing during totality. At this time, the Moon, which normally shines by reflecting direct sunlight, shone only by sunlight refracted through the earth’s atmosphere. This makes beautiful orange moon!!
Shadow of the Earth!!!
Last 3 days, we visit 8 times going down to the native ice cellars. We got a lot of nice temperature data of these, will update soon!
I love first person to open the led from the cellar. It always we can see beautiful ice crystals!!!
My old friend, Richard took us to his deep ice cellar!
One of the oldest ice cellars in Barrow! Owner gave up to maintain this, because brine keep filling in the hole!
Five days for Christmas, Barrow is one of the many other cities looking forward this day!! But not only Christmas…The night getting shorter after tomorrow, Game(eskimo olympic) start next week til new years eve. A lots of fun!!
City light of entire Barrow over 5000 people live under this light! We still see open water at left side of beach!
Nuiqsut is located east of Barrow along the Colville River Delta. This village is very unique location and connected road system during winter by ice road. Ice road is not yet made this year, will open after January 15. 
The way went to the Barrow airport in this morning, We talk to Barrow Middle school then we saw beautiful moon near the horizon at Barrow Post office.
Nuiqsut is pingo country!!!! over 3000 pingos around this area!
We went Archie’s sigluaq to download loggers!
Archie’s cellar is clean and easy to find year old dataloggers. Data shows as warm as -3dC during summer months. He keep open led for keeping cold air during winter months.
We flew to the Wainwright this morning. Wainwright is located about 70 miles south west of Barrow, over 500 mostly natives are living here, and about half of populations are kids and staying in school during the day!
At the middle of the day (dark all of the day), we saw pillar!
Students are very curious (especially Japanese culture)! Kaji is busy to answer their questions!
It is good idea to operate senior’s kiosk in front of gym. They try to collect money (fund raiser) for the tournaments.
We are successfully escaping extremely cold Fairbanks!!! Here in Barrow is more than 30 degree F warmer than Interior.
This northern most town in US (71dN) had no sun rise until next year January 21st, but moon stays all day and night!
We stay nice NARL house! and Ford F250 to drive around!!
40 below (both degrees F and C) in town, start blinking by thick air, and a lot of meteor shower!!
We suppose to go to Barrow this evening flight, however, I got problem in my house. Garage radiant heat did not work after temperature drop 30F below. My garage had a heat tube in the cement that freeze and plugged in the heat line!! I had a same problem years ago, kind typical problem in Fairbanks! I do not know actual problem of the freezing point(s), so I need heat up surface by the space heater evenly. This is slow process because conduction. Space heater is great invention, the garage is getting tropical temperature in a minute (air is going to bad though…) .
3-4 hours later, luckily, I made success to thaw out and garage is ready for another 40 below!!
I am feel good now and ready to leave town tomorrow! Stay tuned on our web, we will visit Barrow, Wainwright, Nuiqsut starting tomorrow!!!
The forecast said, It will be 40 below rest of the week! We will have a strong inversion!! chimney smoke cannot climb high above staying in the basin. That makes ice fog!!
I was back to Fairbanks last Saturday. It’s almost 30 below F (-35dC) at that time. But it get warmer today on Monday! I visit Joy Elementary school. And check frost tube.
It was 135 cm frost today!
