Dave Delcourt, a handler on musher Ray Redington Jr.'s sled dog team, holds Dozer for a pre-race blood screening and heart check at Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. Low snow in the Anchorage area may cause havoc for the race's ceremonial start on March 5, 2016, and the race's board of directors will decide Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, whether the race will have to move its official start scheduled the next day in Willow, Alaska, further north to Fairbanks. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
The Associated Press
WASILLA, Alaska (AP) - Another low snow year in Alaska is playing havoc with the world's most famous sled dog race, at least for the start.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race always begins with a ceremonial, fan-friendly start through the streets and trails of Anchorage.
But this year, the race's chief executive officer says he's worried there won't be enough snow in Anchorage. Stan Hooley says the ceremonial start will be held "in some fashion" and is hoping Mother Nature will cooperate in the next few weeks.
Anchorage has a normal seasonal snowfall of 74.5 inches. This year, so far, only 25.8 inches of snow have fallen.
Meteorologist Luis Ingram says there's no snow in the seven-day forecast.
The Iditarod board will decide Friday whether the official start will be 75 miles north of Anchorage as normal, or whether to move the start to Fairbanks, like the board did last year.
Dave Delcourt, a handler on musher Ray Redington Jr.'s sled dog team, holds Dozer for a pre-race blood screening and heart check at Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016.Low snow in the Anchorage area may cause havoc for the race's ceremonial start on March 5, 2016, and the race's board of directors will decide Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, whether the race will have to move its official start scheduled the next day in Willow, Alaska, further north to Fairbanks. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
The Associated Press
Dave Delcourt, right, a handler on musher Ray Redington Jr.'s sled dog team, holds Dozer for a pre-race blood screening and heart check at Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. Vet techs helping with the procedure are, from left, Shannan Hunter of Seattle, Lucia Chacon of College Station, Texas, and standing in the middle is the Iditarod's vet tech coordinator, Tabitha Jones. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
The Associated Press