Ice Storm in Alaska, December 4 to 7, 2013

Name: Ice Storm in Alaska, December 4 to 7, 2013
Start: 2013-12-04T23:53
End: 2013-12-07T23:00
Location: Alaska

December 4 to 7, 2013 · NWS AFG · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

A 988 mb low pressure center moved into the western Bering Sea on the 5th of December. then continued north over interior Alaska on the 6th and 7th before weakening.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 AFG wrote it up.

A 988 mb low pressure center moved into the western Bering Sea on the 5th of December. An associated warm front and warm air moved across the Bering strait on the 5th and over the west coast of Alaska on the 6th...then continued north over interior Alaska on the 6th and 7th before weakening. This warm front spread rain or freezing rain to the west coast and many locations across the northern interior.

Zone 207: Rain fell at Kivalina (0.12 inches accumulation) on the 6th of December. Though mostly rain, ground surfaces remained frozen, so the effect was the same as Freezing rain on ground surfaces.

Zone 209: Rain fell at Kotzebue (0.34 inches accumulation) and at Norvik (.24 inches accumulation) on the 6th of December. Though mostly rain, ground surfaces remained frozen, so the effect was the same as Freezing rain on ground surfaces.

Zone 210: Rain likely fell at several locations such as the Haycok RAWS (0.21 inch), Quartz Creek RAWS (0.24 inch), Serpentine RAWS (0.11 inch) and the Hoodoo RAWS (0.48 inch). Though mostly rain, ground surfaces remained frozen, so the effect was the same as Freezing rain on ground surfaces.

Zone 211: Nome received 0.27 inch of rain. White Mountain likely received 0.13 inch of rain; at both locations precipitation likely froze to the ground.

Zone 217: Rain likely fell at Ambler (0.43 inches accumulation) and at Shungnak (0.15 inches). Though mostly rain, ground surfaces remained frozen, so the effect was the same as Freezing rain on ground surfaces.

Zone 218: An estimated 0.30 inch of freezing rain fell at Wiseman, based on the total liquid amount reported by the Co-operative Observer.

Zone 219: The weather observer at Bettles reported 0.27 inch of freezing fain.

Zone 220: An estimated 0.20 inch of rain and freezing rain was likely received by some locations across this zone, based on reports from locations in nearby zones (Bettles, Wiseman, and Eagle). At Circle City, an unknown amount of rain was reported, though it was likely several tenths of an inch based on pictures sent.

Zone 224: Eagle received about 0.20 of an inch of freezing rain, based on the ASOS and Co-operative Observer reports.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 4, 5:15 PM AKST, 6 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 4, 5:15 PM AKST, 6 hours 38 minutes before

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
515 PM AKST WED DEC 4 2013

.SYNOPSIS...
ALOFT...
A VERY STRONG RIDGE ALOFT OVER MAINLAND ALASKA WILL PERSIST INTO
THE WEEKEND. SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS MAKING THEIR WAY NORTH
OVER THE BERING SEA THIS WEEK WILL CAUSE THE RIDGE TO FLATTEN
SLIGHTLY AND PUSH PRECIPITATION INLAND. GIVEN THE VERY HIGH
HEIGHTS WITH THIS RIDGE MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN THE
FORM OF RAIN ALONG THE WEST COAST AND FREEZING RAIN IN THE
INTERIOR.

SURFACE...
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN INTERIOR WILL WEAKEN THU
NIGHT. THIS WILL CAUSE SOME DOWN VALLEY WINDS IN THE EASTERN
INTERIOR.

A WARM FRONT FROM GAMBELL TO BETHEL WILL MOVE THE BERING
STRAIT TO MCGRATH BY 3AM THU...TO KOTZEBUE TO DENALI BY 3PM
THU...TO POINT LAY TO FAIRBANKS BY 3AM FRI AND TO WAINWRIGHT TO
EAGLE BY 3PM FRI. THERE IS 1-2 INCHES OF SNOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT
CHANGING TO FREEZING RAIN ALONG THE FRONT. COULD SEE UP TO .10 OF
AN INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION FROM THE FREEZING RAIN OVER THE WEST
COAST...WITH .10-.25 INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION IN THE INTERIOR.
AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OF ICE WILL BE
NORTH OF FAIRBANKS. FREEZING RAIN WILL CHANGE TO RAIN SOUTH OF
THE FRONT ALONG THE WEST COAST WHERE THE COLD SURFACE AIR MIXES
OUT WITH UP TO .25 INCH OF LIQUID RAIN. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
DECREASES AS THE FRONT MOVES EAST DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THE
SUBSIDENCE FROM THE STRONG RIDGE ALOFT. HAVE ISSUED WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORIES WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR THE FREEZING RAIN.

A COLD FRONT IN THE BERING SEA WILL MOVE TO THE EASTERN BERING SEA
FRI AND ALONG THE WEST COAST OF ALASKA SAT. RAIN WILL CHANGE BACK
TO SNOW ALONG AND WEST OF THIS FRONT.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS SHOWED SIMILAR SOLUTIONS AT 500 MB. THE NAM MOVES
PRECIPITATION EAST INTO THE INTERIOR QUICKER THAN THE GFS BUT
AMOUNTS AND PRECIPITATION TYPES WERE SIMILAR. FOR TIMING WENT
WITH A BLEND BETWEEN THE NAM AND GFS.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ICE STORM WARNING FOR AKZ210-AKZ216.

WINTER STORM WATCH FOR AKZ207-AKZ208-AKZ209-AKZ217-AKZ218-AKZ219-
AKZ220-AKZ221-AKZ222.

FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FOR AKZ211-AKZ212-AKZ213-AKZ214-AKZ215.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ201-AKZ205-AKZ227.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.
&&

JB DEC 13

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 4, 5:56 PM AKST, 5 hours 57 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
556 PM AKST WED DEC 4 2013

AKZ222-051800-
MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY-
INCLUDING...FAIRBANKS...FORT WAINWRIGHT...EIELSON AFB...ESTER...
NORTH POLE...MOOSE CREEK...TWO RIVERS...FOX...CHATANIKA...
CHENA HOT SPRINGS...SOURDOUGH CAMP
556 PM AKST WED DEC 4 2013

...FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY IN THE
FAIRBANKS AREA...

A VERY WARM AIR MASS MOVING NORTH FROM THE SUBTROPICS WILL PUSH
ACROSS INTERIOR ALASKA THIS WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE ABOVE
FREEZING ON THURSDAY INITIALLY AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS WHILE
COLDER...DENSER AIR WILL LIKELY REMAIN TRAPPED IN THE VALLEYS
THROUGH FRIDAY.

A WEATHER FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE INTERIOR MAY SPREAD SOME LIGHT
FREEZING RAIN INTO THE FAIRBANKS AREA THURSDAY EVENING WITH A
BETTER CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY OF HOW MUCH RAIN MAY FALL...BUT
THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED NORTH OF FAIRBANKS. FAIRBANKS
MAY RECEIVE UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION...WHILE
UP TO ONE QUARTER INCH IS POSSIBLE NORTH OF TOWN.

EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE FREEZING AT HIGHER
ELEVATIONS...ROAD SURFACES WILL REMAIN BELOW FREEZING AND IF RAIN
DOES FALL IT WILL FREEZE ON CONTACT.

EWP

Event by event

9 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Srn Seward Peninsula Coast

When: December 4, 11:53 PM AKST to December 5, 12:53 PM AKST
Where: Srn Seward Peninsula Coast forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Ice Storm, Nrn & Intr. Seward Peninsula

When: December 5, 6:38 AM AKST to December 6, 1:00 AM AKST
Where: Nrn & Intr. Seward Peninsula forecast zone
Reported by: AWSS

Ice Storm, Upper Koyukuk Valley

When: December 6, 5:06 AM AKST to December 7, 5:41 PM AKST
Where: Upper Koyukuk Valley forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Ice Storm, Yukon Flats Nearby Uplands

When: December 6, 10:00 AM AKST to December 7, 11:00 PM AKST
Where: Yukon Flats Nearby Uplands forecast zone
Reported by: Unknown

Ice Storm, Chukchi Sea Coast

When: December 6, 11:53 AM AKST to 11:00 PM AKST
Where: Chukchi Sea Coast forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Ice Storm, Baldwin Pen. & Selawik Valley

When: December 6, 12:00 PM AKST to 7:00 PM AKST
Where: Baldwin Pen. & Selawik Valley forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Ice Storm, S. Slopes of Ern Brooks Range

When: December 6, 2:00 PM AKST to December 7, 9:00 PM AKST
Where: S. Slopes of Ern Brooks Range forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Ice Storm, Upper Kobuk and Noatak Vlys

When: December 6, 4:00 PM AKST to December 7, 6:30 PM AKST
Where: Upper Kobuk and Noatak Vlys forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS

Ice Storm, Upr Tanana Vly Fortymile

When: December 6, 9:53 PM AKST to December 7, 6:00 AM AKST
Where: Upr Tanana Vly Fortymile forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, December 2013

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 490905, 490013, 491087, 491088, 490016, 490012, 491086, 490021, 491089.