So what happens when 18 feet of snow turns into slush?  Can you imagine?  We don’t really want to think about that, but unfortunately we’re not blind.  So if we have to see it, so do you!  Here’s a video I shot this morning, January 11th 2012.

The first part of that was filmed on 2-story tall ramp of snow resembling a run-away ramp, a ramp composed entirely of snow and used for the sole purposing of pushing & storing snow.  This video does not do it justice.  It’s big!  Kind of scary, the thought of meeting a snowplow that’s pushing snow up that ramp and getting pushed off the edge with it, like so much slush.  Maybe I’ll stay off that thing next time I decide to play Ken Burns.

My co-worker, Amy Langebartel, was able to snap these photos today, too.  The heavier, wetter snow is definitely taking a toll here.  Besides the fact that it is getting harder and harder to move it around, it’s also becoming too much for some buidlings to handle.

The Copper River Seafoods Fisherman’s Camp building began to collapse on Friday, Jan 6th and the roof completely fell in last night.  It housed nets, boats, cars and hundreds of thousand of dollars worth of equipment for Cordovan fishermen.  If you’re not familiar, Cordova’s entire economy is based on fishing (we are the home of Copper River Salmon) and some fishermen may have lost their livelihoods in this collapse.  The last picture is of a car that was in the building when it collapsed.  Huge fishing boats were also inside, and some were so crushed they were in 2-3 pieces.   It’s a big loss for some.   If you’d like to help those in Cordova, call 907-424-6212 to find out where your support is needed most.  There the City personnel at the Emergency Operations Center are managing donations.

The mountains are having a hard time with this heavy snow too.  More avalanches expected tonight and tomorrow.  Here’s an excerpt from a press release the City of Cordova put out today:

AVALANCHE UPDATE from Steve Witsoe, Avalanche expert
CURRENTLY: HIGH RISK
Yesterday we had strong east wind with steady snow. This created a blizzard with heavy drifting of dense snow. With plenty of loose snow available for transport, significant wind loading occurred on western aspects at tree line and above… Since then, east wind has decreased, while precipitation rates have increased. It appears there is new debris at 5.5 mile, though it did not quite reach the highway…  Expect precipitation and temperatures to decrease today, though precipitation looks to increase again tonight through Thursday morning. East wind may increase again, but should decrease and shift to the south Thursday. Avalanche activity is expected on steep wind loaded western aspects. Powder blasts are possible…  Also be wary of road cuts and roof slides. The avalanche hazard should start to decrease Thursday. Precipitation may linger through Friday, but we should get a break after that.

Translation:  don’t get caught in an avalanche and don’t hang out under roof eaves… at least not until Friday.

One more quote: some words of wisdom my friend Corey Fischer had for me today from his buddy Vesta M. Kelly:

“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.”

Cordovans are the same way… except for the fragile part.