Winter Storm and High Wind in Alaska, November 29 to 30, 2016

Name: Winter Storm and High Wind in Alaska, November 29 to 30, 2016
Start: 2016-11-29T03:00
End: 2016-11-30T23:59
Location: Alaska

November 29 to 30, 2016 · NWS AJK · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

An arctic front had become established over the Panhandle on 11/27 & 11/28. At the same time a storm force low developed well southwest of the Panhandle and moved rapidly toward the out coast while developing. The result was a radical pattern shift with a 964 MB storm off the coast con 11/29 that brought warm moist air over the arctic front while also causing high wind. Trees came down and snow was hard to remove, but no significant damage was reported.

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 Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 28, 3:35 PM AKST, 11 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 28, 3:35 PM AKST, 11 hours 25 minutes before

Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
335 PM AKST Mon Nov 28 2016

.SHORT TERM...Forecast looks to be on track with upcoming system
moving into the gulf. Low pressure will track NE toward Yakutat
Bay with warm front moving N across the area late tonight, and
cold front moving E through the area Tue afternoon. Models still
having issues with smaller scale details around the main low
center. But with current forecast within the envelope of
solutions, decided not to make any significant changes to it
including WWA times. Did add in some strong wind headlines for
much of the central and part of the N for Tue. Did tweak temps
around the Juneau area for Tue afternoon, raising them a few
degrees given winds helping to mix in warmer air. Otherwise, will
keep the snowfall and winds as is especially for the WWA/strong
wind areas.

.LONG TERM...Period begins with the tail end of one storm moving
across the region. Improving conditions with diminishing showers
with easing winds Wed as short wave ridge moves across the region.
Another strong storm system and associated fronts impacts the
region Thu into Fri. Models solutions diverge with this system
with EC further SE and GFS NW. Inherited forecast was between
these two positions, so kept track as was. Main change was to
deepen the low closer to the modeled 960-970mb low. Although
spread remains in models, this second storm will have similar
impacts as the Tue system bringing strong winds and heavy precip
to SE with the rain/snow line likely over the northern panhandle
again. Model spread increases behind this storm, but the general
trend is towards a pattern change for SE with cooler and drier
weather heading into next week. NAEFS SA table indicates temps 2-3
standard deviations below normal with 850mb temps progged -10 to
-20C. Little change to inherited forecast other than to add local
effect details for Thu-Fri storm and lower temps/pops heading into
next week.

&&

.AJK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
PUBLIC...High Wind Warning from 9 AM to 6 PM AKST Tuesday for AKZ026-028.
     High Wind Warning from 6 AM to 3 PM AKST Tuesday for AKZ023-027.
     Strong Wind from Tuesday morning through Tuesday afternoon for
     AKZ017-021-024-025.
     Strong Wind from Tuesday morning through Tuesday afternoon for
     AKZ022.
     Strong Wind Tuesday afternoon for AKZ020.
     Winter Storm Warning from 3 AM to 6 PM AKST Tuesday for AKZ018-
     019.
MARINE...Storm Warning for PKZ036-041>043-051-052.
     Gale Warning for PKZ013-021-022-031>035-053.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011-012.
&&

RWT/BC

Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau

Event by event

4 high wind, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway

When: November 29, 3:00 AM AKST to November 30, 11:59 PM AKST
Where: Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

Skagway Customs measured 6 inches new snow in 12 hours ending at 1515L 11/29 with the snow still coming down. Skagway town got 4 to 6 inches new. Alaska DOT measured 18 inches new in White Pass. Impact was snow removal. On 12/1 AK DOT measured 8 to 14 inches storm total depending on where - most at White Pass. Impact was tons of snow removal and poor driving conditions for a few days.

Winter Storm, Haines Borough and Lynn Canal

When: November 29, 3:00 AM AKST to November 30, 11:59 PM AKST
Where: Haines Borough and Lynn Canal forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Haines Customs measured 16 inches new snow in 12 hours ending at 1730L 11/29 with the snow still coming down. Spotter along the Haines Highway had 10 inches new at mp 38 between 0400 and 1100L. Impact was snow removal.

High Wind, Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision Coastal Area

When: November 29, 6:00 AM AKST to 3:00 PM AKST
Where: Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision Coastal Area forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: AWOS

Hydaburg AWOS 72 mph. Damage to siding on a house there.

High Wind, Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island

When: November 29, 9:00 AM AKST to 6:00 PM AKST
Where: Inner Channels From Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer

Petersburg ASOS 58 mph. Coffman Cove COOP 60 mph. Zarembo Island 60 mph. No damage reported.

High Wind, Southern Inner Channels

When: November 29, 9:00 AM AKST to 6:00 PM AKST
Where: Southern Inner Channels forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS

Annette ASOS 55 mph. Estimated Gusts toward Meyers Chuck 65 mph. No damage reported. Lincoln Island had gusts to 72 MPH.

High Wind, Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island

When: November 29, 10:00 AM AKST to 3:00 PM AKST
Where: Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Juneau Federal Building had 64 mph at 1230L. Spotter observed 56 mph gusts downtown. 6 inch diameter tree blown down near the Mendenhall River bridge.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, November 2016

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: 664807, 664808, 664784, 664782, 664783, 664815.