The official name for the snowflake sweet spot is the dendritic growth zone. It happens when atmospheric temperatures are just right for producing large flakes.
Weather
Destructive storms soak, batter and bury communities around the country
Apparent tornadoes killed at least 19 people in the South, nearly 4 inches of rain caused mudslides in California and a storm is dumping snow and rain from the Mid-Atlantic through the Northeast.
Bogoslof Volcano erupts again
Bogoslof Volcano erupted again Wednesday, spewing a cloud of ash that was visible from Unalaska.
The volcano blew about 1:20 p.m., sending ash at least 31,000 feet into the air and prompting the Alaska Volcano Observatory to raise its alert level to red.
Overdue snowmachiner succumbed to hypothermia, state troopers believe
An overdue snowmachiner, who was traveling to Fairbanks from Shungnak, by way of Huslia, has been found dead near Selawik Hot Springs. Travis Loughridge, 27, left Shungnak about noon Saturday and was expected to arrive in Fairbanks by Monday evening.
Ask a Climatologist: Why is it so cold here when everywhere else is so warm?
A low pressure system that contains a lot of cold air is locked into place over much of Alaska.
2016 was the hottest year yet, scientists declare
Global temperatures soared above the 20th century average last year, as the climate continues to change. It’s the hottest it has been since scientists started tracking global temperatures in 1880.
Mushing, a tradition on the fritz in Bristol Bay
Dozens of canines howl in John Hanson Jr.’s dog yard, excited by the sound of a snow machine pulling up to the kennel.
Ask a Climatologist: 32 degrees doesn’t sound warm, but still broke records
Around the world, and in Alaska, 2016 was the warmest on record.
After New Year’s storm, Savoonga asks state for disaster relief
In the final days of 2016, a Bering Sea storm battered St. Lawrence Island, causing wind and water damage to many buildings in Savoonga. The community declared a local disaster and asked for assistance from the state in order to restore their livelihoods.
Treacherous conditions hospitalize two in separate accidents in Kodiak
Two injury accidents in two days have occurred along one stretch of often-icy road in Kodiak. A Kodiak teenager was injured Sunday evening when his car crashed near the Coast Guard Base. Devan Monkiewicz, 18, was driving Sunday on Rezanof Drive West when his car left the roadway and crashed in a ditch near Mile 9, Alaska State…