Local residents picked up their snow shovels for the first time in months after a blizzard blew through the Lynn Canal Sunday evening. Approximately 16 inches of snow fell in Haines overnight, according to the National Weather Service with winds gusting up to 31 miles per hour. 14 inches fell in Skagway with 25 mile per hour wind gusts.
The Haines Borough Police Department advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel as the roads became icy and covered with snow drifts in some areas. Haines postmaster Genevieve Bell had to cross-country ski from her home at the end of Mud Bay Road to open the post office Monday morning. She said luckily by the time she reached Mt. Riley, a car stopped to give her a ride the rest of the way into town.
The Haines Borough School District announced it would be closed Monday, with plans to reopen on Tuesday, weather permitting.
Despite the snow, Skagway students returned to in-person classes on Monday after two weeks of distance learning due to a local COVID-19 outbreak.
