Parts of Alaska have experienced considerable snowfall this autumn, with the state’s largest city on track to surpass its November record by some margin.
The city of Anchorage, which typically receives about 5 inches (12cm) of snow during the first two weeks of November, has so far had an impressive 37.9 inches. Several daily records have been broken, most starkly on 8 November, with 9 inches of snow within 24 hours. That was part of a larger three-day snowstorm that brought more than 20 inches in total. A state of emergency was declared in the city during this event, prompting the closure of schools, suspension of public transport, and increased efforts to find shelter for the homeless population, with four deaths reported among people living outdoors.
With half the month still to go and another large snowfall event forecast for early next week, Anchorage’s record for November – 38.8 inches in 1994 – is expected to topple. November 2023 will end as one of Anchorage’s snowiest months of all time, with the top spot held by February 1996, which saw 52.1 inches. Anchorage typically receives about 77 inches for winter as a whole, with the all-time record of 134.5 inches set during the winter season of 2011-12.
In the South Pacific, Fiji was affected by Severe Tropical Cyclone Mal this week, which passed to the south-west of the islands on Wednesday and Thursday. The cyclone was equivalent in strength to a category 1 hurricane, with gusts of almost 100mph near the centre of the storm. Fiji closed many schools, and some homes were evacuated, but despite strong winds and heavy rainfall, the storm passed by with enough distance to prevent significant damage. Mal then continued southward, weakening to an extra tropical cyclone.
Another tropical cyclone is expected to develop on Friday, this time in the Bay of Bengal. At the time of writing, the tropical depression was moving northwards towards Bangladesh, and was expected to intensify into a tropical cyclone before making landfall on Friday. If the storm does reach cyclone status, it will be called Midhili, a name proposed by the Maldives. The expected cyclone is forecast to produce 50-60mph gusts, with 100-150mm of rainfall possible for south-western parts of Bangladesh.
