Weary Alaskans today woke up to another heavy snowfall as Anchorage experiences its snowiest period since records began, causing more headaches in coastal areas already struggling to dig out. The snow started falling shortly before midnight last night and meteorologists warned Anchorage residents that the heaviest snowfall - up to 16 inches - could come later on Thursday. About 150 miles to the southeast, the Prince William Sound community of Cordova, which has already been buried under 172 inches of snow since November, could get another 7 inches today. Assistance: Alaska National Guardsmen clear a building roof in Cordova as they help shovel what has been the biggest snowfall in decades in the area . Digging out: The Prince William Sound community of Cordova, which has already been buried under 172 inches of snow since November, could get another 7 inches today . Moving slowly: Russian-flagged tanker Renda transits through the Bering Sea with U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy's assistance, on its way to Nome, Alaska . The picturesque fishing community has had so much snow that National Guard troops helping clear roads are running out of shovels. ‘The scary part is, we (have) still three more months to go,’ said Kathryn Hawkins, a veterinarian who lives in nearby coastal community Valdez, which has seen 318 inches, or 27ft, of snow. It has been difficult to keep up with the shovelling - and 8ft walls of snow line either side of her driveway. After snow fell off her roof she cannot see out either the front or back of her house. ‘I look out and go: “Oh my gosh, where can it all go?”’ she said. In the ice-choked frozen waters of the Bering Sea, a Russian tanker loaded with 1.3million gallons of fuel is inching toward the iced-in community of Nome. It is following in the path being painstakingly ploughed by a Coast Guard icebreaker. Thick ice, wind and unfavourable ocean currents had the vessels making little progress. Covered: Snow envelopes the high school in the fishing town of Cordova, Alaska. Dozens of National Guard troops are helping Cordova dig out from massive snows . Big effort: The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore are seen, left, as they shovel snow in Cordova, and the Coast Guard Cutter Healy is seen, right, as it breaks ice around the tanker Renda south of Nome, Alaska . Pathway: A planned fuel transfer safety zone, identified by stakes in the Nome Harbor, left, and an Aeryon Scout unmanned aerial vehicle at the Nome causeway, right, used to help guide a Nome-bound Russian fuel tanker . Map: Alaska has seen huge amounts of snowfall in Anchorage and areas around 150 miles away . But conditions improved on Wednesday and a Coast Guard spokesman said the tanker and the icebreaker were 78 miles from Nome. The city missed its final pre-winter delivery of fuel by barge. That was because a big storm swept the region last autumn. Without the delivery, Nome could run short of fuel before a barge delivery becomes possible in late spring. The weather has put a strain on the state, which deployed the National Guard to Cordova this week. If it keeps up, Anchorage is on track to have the snowiest winter ever, surpassing the previous record of 132.8 inches in 1954-55, meteorologist Shaun Baines said. The weather service counts a snow year from July to June. From July 1 through to Tuesday, Anchorage has received 81.3 inches of snow. That makes it the snowiest period for Anchorage ever. Anchorage schools were open on Thursday, but some school bus routes were cancelled because of whiteout driving conditions. ‘I think people were girding their loins . for a long winter,’ said local police Lieutenant Dave Park. He hasn't . seen a crime upsurge, but ‘by the end of March, there might be a few . frustrated people.’ Expert: Greg Walker, with the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, prepares an unmanned drone to gather aerial photos and video of daily ice conditions in preparation for the planned Nome fuel transfer . Getting through: The crew of the Sycamore are seen, left, as they shovel several feet of snow from piers in the Cordova harbour, and a snow machine is inspected at the Air National Guard Armory in Nome . Tricky drive: Vehicles attempt to move down snow-covered streets in the fishing town of Cordova . In Cordova, shovel-makers were making . emergency shipments to help. There are plenty of standard shovels, but . they're lacking a version with a scoop that can push a cubic foot of . snow at a time. 'We have the National Guard right now using the standard shovel, and they're getting pretty trashed everyday - not the shovels but the Guardsmen themselves' Tim Joyce, Cordova city spokesman . The new shovels cost about $50 each - and the city is paying for them with its emergency funds. The Yukon ergo sleigh shovels, with a 26-inch scoop, have a huge advantage over regular shovels. ‘Trying to lift snow all day with those is pretty backbreaking,’ city spokesman Tim Joyce said. ‘We have the National Guard right now using the standard shovel, and they're getting pretty trashed everyday - not the shovels but the Guardsmen themselves,’ he added. The warmer temperatures - about 35F midday on Wednesday - brought another hazard to the Prince William Sound community of 2,200 people - avalanche danger. Getting ready: U.S. Coast Guard Lt. William Albright and Lt. Nicole Auth, right, prepare to mark the planned fuel transfer safety zone in the Nome harbour . Slippage: A man stands on a house buried in snow in Cordova. Some people have been trapped in homes . Christmas card scene: A house is buried in snow and icicles are seen hanging in the fishing town of Cordova . Elsewhere: An American Airlines jet is de-iced while waiting to depart O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday, as wind, rain and snow blanketed much of the Midwest and Northeast . There is one road leading out - and it was closed though it could be opened for emergency vehicles. 'The scary part is, we have still three more months to go' Kathryn Hawkins, Valdez resident . The city also is warning people not . to stand under the eaves of their houses to clear snow off the roof for . fear the snow will come down on them. ‘There's a real high potential that if it does slide, they'd be buried,’ Mr Joyce said. So far, four commercial buildings and two homes have been damaged from snow accumulation on roofs. A 24-unit apartment complex also had to be evacuated. The current storm system is expected to be gone by Friday, but then colder temperatures will arrive. High temperatures this weekend should top out from 0 to 5F, with lows about 10F below.
Prince William Sound community of Cordova has had 172 inches of snow .
Nearby coastal community of Valdez has seen an astonishing 318 inches .
Russian tanker with 1.3m gallons of fuel moves towards iced-in Nome .
Anchorage has experienced snowiest-ever period, with 81.3 inches .
Weary Alaskans today woke up to another heavy snowfall as Anchorage experiences its snowiest period since records began, causing more headaches in coastal areas already struggling to dig out. The snow started falling shortly before midnight last night and meteorologists warned Anchorage residents that the heaviest snowfall - up to 16 inches - could come later on Thursday. About 150 miles to the southeast, the Prince William Sound community of Cordova, which has already been buried under 172 inches of snow since November, could get another 7 inches today. Assistance: Alaska National Guardsmen clear a building roof in Cordova as they help shovel what has been the biggest snowfall in decades in the area . Digging out: The Prince William Sound community of Cordova, which has already been buried under 172 inches of snow since November, could get another 7 inches today . Moving slowly: Russian-flagged tanker Renda transits through the Bering Sea with U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy's assistance, on its way to Nome, Alaska . The picturesque fishing community has had so much snow that National Guard troops helping clear roads are running out of shovels. ‘The scary part is, we (have) still three more months to go,’ said Kathryn Hawkins, a veterinarian who lives in nearby coastal community Valdez, which has seen 318 inches, or 27ft, of snow. It has been difficult to keep up with the shovelling - and 8ft walls of snow line either side of her driveway. After snow fell off her roof she cannot see out either the front or back of her house. ‘I look out and go: “Oh my gosh, where can it all go?”’ she said. In the ice-choked frozen waters of the Bering Sea, a Russian tanker loaded with 1.3million gallons of fuel is inching toward the iced-in community of Nome. It is following in the path being painstakingly ploughed by a Coast Guard icebreaker. Thick ice, wind and unfavourable ocean currents had the vessels making little progress. Covered: Snow envelopes the high school in the fishing town of Cordova, Alaska. Dozens of National Guard troops are helping Cordova dig out from massive snows . Big effort: The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore are seen, left, as they shovel snow in Cordova, and the Coast Guard Cutter Healy is seen, right, as it breaks ice around the tanker Renda south of Nome, Alaska . Pathway: A planned fuel transfer safety zone, identified by stakes in the Nome Harbor, left, and an Aeryon Scout unmanned aerial vehicle at the Nome causeway, right, used to help guide a Nome-bound Russian fuel tanker . Map: Alaska has seen huge amounts of snowfall in Anchorage and areas around 150 miles away . But conditions improved on Wednesday and a Coast Guard spokesman said the tanker and the icebreaker were 78 miles from Nome. The city missed its final pre-winter delivery of fuel by barge. That was because a big storm swept the region last autumn. Without the delivery, Nome could run short of fuel before a barge delivery becomes possible in late spring. The weather has put a strain on the state, which deployed the National Guard to Cordova this week. If it keeps up, Anchorage is on track to have the snowiest winter ever, surpassing the previous record of 132.8 inches in 1954-55, meteorologist Shaun Baines said. The weather service counts a snow year from July to June. From July 1 through to Tuesday, Anchorage has received 81.3 inches of snow. That makes it the snowiest period for Anchorage ever. Anchorage schools were open on Thursday, but some school bus routes were cancelled because of whiteout driving conditions. ‘I think people were girding their loins . for a long winter,’ said local police Lieutenant Dave Park. He hasn't . seen a crime upsurge, but ‘by the end of March, there might be a few . frustrated people.’ Expert: Greg Walker, with the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, prepares an unmanned drone to gather aerial photos and video of daily ice conditions in preparation for the planned Nome fuel transfer . Getting through: The crew of the Sycamore are seen, left, as they shovel several feet of snow from piers in the Cordova harbour, and a snow machine is inspected at the Air National Guard Armory in Nome . Tricky drive: Vehicles attempt to move down snow-covered streets in the fishing town of Cordova . In Cordova, shovel-makers were making . emergency shipments to help. There are plenty of standard shovels, but . they're lacking a version with a scoop that can push a cubic foot of . snow at a time. 'We have the National Guard right now using the standard shovel, and they're getting pretty trashed everyday - not the shovels but the Guardsmen themselves' Tim Joyce, Cordova city spokesman . The new shovels cost about $50 each - and the city is paying for them with its emergency funds. The Yukon ergo sleigh shovels, with a 26-inch scoop, have a huge advantage over regular shovels. ‘Trying to lift snow all day with those is pretty backbreaking,’ city spokesman Tim Joyce said. ‘We have the National Guard right now using the standard shovel, and they're getting pretty trashed everyday - not the shovels but the Guardsmen themselves,’ he added. The warmer temperatures - about 35F midday on Wednesday - brought another hazard to the Prince William Sound community of 2,200 people - avalanche danger. Getting ready: U.S. Coast Guard Lt. William Albright and Lt. Nicole Auth, right, prepare to mark the planned fuel transfer safety zone in the Nome harbour . Slippage: A man stands on a house buried in snow in Cordova. Some people have been trapped in homes . Christmas card scene: A house is buried in snow and icicles are seen hanging in the fishing town of Cordova . Elsewhere: An American Airlines jet is de-iced while waiting to depart O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday, as wind, rain and snow blanketed much of the Midwest and Northeast . There is one road leading out - and it was closed though it could be opened for emergency vehicles. 'The scary part is, we have still three more months to go' Kathryn Hawkins, Valdez resident . The city also is warning people not . to stand under the eaves of their houses to clear snow off the roof for . fear the snow will come down on them. ‘There's a real high potential that if it does slide, they'd be buried,’ Mr Joyce said. So far, four commercial buildings and two homes have been damaged from snow accumulation on roofs. A 24-unit apartment complex also had to be evacuated. The current storm system is expected to be gone by Friday, but then colder temperatures will arrive. High temperatures this weekend should top out from 0 to 5F, with lows about 10F below.
William Sound community of Cordova, which has already been buried under 172 inches of snow nearby coastal community Valdez, which has seen of the Bering Sea, a Russian tanker loaded with 1.3million gallons of fuel is inching toward the Tuesday, Anchorage has received 81.3 inches of