Heavy Snow in Alaska, January 24 to 25, 2006

Name: Heavy Snow in Alaska, January 24 to 25, 2006
Start: 2006-01-24T01:00
End: 2006-01-25T08:00
Location: Alaska

January 24 to 25, 2006 · NWS AJK · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

With an arctic airmass in place, widespread heavy overrunning snowfall developed throughout Southeast Alaska. Sitka reported as much as a foot of snowfall.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $60,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS AJK wrote it up.

With an arctic airmass in place, widespread heavy overrunning snowfall developed throughout Southeast Alaska. Sitka reported as much as a foot of snowfall. According to NWS records this was the first time they had received that much snow in one day since December 17, 1961. In the central and southern Panhandle, heavy snow changed to heavy rain, then back to heavy snow on the morning of the 25th. Storm totals included: Snettisham Power Plant (about 25 miles southeast of Juneau) 45"...Petersburg 21"...Canyon Island 20"...Annex Creek 19"...Hyder 16"...North Douglas 14"...Juneau Airport, Angoon, Hoonah and Hidden Falls 13"...NWS Juneau Forecast Office, Tenakee Springs and Sitka 12"...Auke Bay 7"...Lena Point and Wrangell 6 inches. Numerous vehicle accidents were reported. The City and Borough of Juneau provided these estimated costs: one hour of snow removal costs the city: $2,500...and the state spends about $5,000 in overtime and equipment costs during one day of heavy snow in Juneau.

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Misty Fjords

When: January 24, 1:00 AM AST to 6:00 AM AST
Where: Misty Fjords forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island

When: January 24, 2:00 AM AST to 6:00 AM AST
Where: Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Eastern Chichagof Island

When: January 24, 11:00 AM AST to 6:00 PM AST
Where: Eastern Chichagof Island forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area

When: January 24, 11:00 AM AST to 6:00 PM AST
Where: Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Astern Baranof Island and Southern Admiralty Island

When: January 24, 11:00 AM AST to 6:00 PM AST
Where: Astern Baranof Island and Southern Admiralty Island forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island

When: January 24, 4:00 PM AST to 11:30 PM AST
Where: Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island forecast zone
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Heavy Snow, Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island

When: January 25, 6:00 AM AST to 8:00 AM AST
Where: Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, January 2006

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5487091, 5487089, 5486972, 5487086, 5487087, 5487088, 5487090.