For the rest of the lower 48, fall is in full swing. Even our friends in South Korea are starting to enjoy the beautiful fall colors near Camp Humphreys. Here in Alaska though? Winter has begun! We celebrated the first snow in Fairbanks a couple days ago because, yes, this is officially the first snow of the season that has stuck. It’s funny to think that this is actually a bit of a later start to the winter season in the interior because, everywhere else, fall is still going strong. Here though? We’ve begun on descent into winter and the dark months, and I’m feeling very glass-half-full about it all.

That First Snow in Fairbanks, Alaska

There’s something about the closing of each chapter that makes more more grateful for the challenges we’ve had and the journey we’ve gone on whilst at each duty station. Fort Wainwright is no exception. It’s by far the most challenging of each of our family’s duty stations, but I think that that’s in large part because we felt like we’d found home before this. Alaska is beautiful. Fairbanks is a type of wild that we’ve never experienced before.

The first snow in Fairbanks is something worth celebrating. We stood inside and watched thick, heavy flakes fall silently for about 15 minutes, then it seemed like there was a mass exodus from the neighborhood homes, and kids descended upon the sledding hill in droves – Mieke included. Once the leaves are gone, we’re basically holding our breath for that first bit of ground cover, and it’s finally here. And today even more so…there is no more grass visible today.

When Does it Start Snowing in Fairbanks?

I know I’ve mentioned it here before, but fall is fleeting in interior Alaska. By that, I mean that the “fall” you think of, rife with colors and beauty is usually only about two weeks. This year, our fall in the interior was closer to three weeks and, dare I say, the start of this winter has felt milder? Last year, our first snow that stuck was on October 6th, and we got about eight inches of snow. We have about an inch and a half now that stuck from our snowfall two nights ago, it snowed again this morning, and it’s flurrying now.

Basically, the first snowfall is debatable, but you can usually count on it happening by mid-to-late October at the latest. In looking at the forecast over the next couple weeks, I’m fairly confident this snow will stay now, as the temps are dropping consistently by the week now.

Winter Starts Early and Ends Late

This is it though. It’s our final winter here in Fairbanks. Winter starts (in earnest, anyway) when the snow truly flies, and that’s now. We see a potential winter storm warning ahead for this weekend into Monday, and there are multiple days with snow forecast now. I’m curious to see how much snow we get this winter. Either way though, the snow is here to stay, and we’ll likely have this snow until early May, just like last year.

Tell me – what’s the weather like where you are now?