On 3/12 the arctic front was over the central Panhandle as another in a series of storms moved northward from off the Pacific Northwest. By the afternoon of 3/12 the storm center had deepened to 981 MB off Dixon Entrance forcing warm moist air over the arctic air in place.
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.
The episode as NWS AJK wrote it up.
On 3/12 the arctic front was over the central Panhandle as another in a series of storms moved northward from off the Pacific Northwest. By the afternoon of 3/12 the storm center had deepened to 981 MB off Dixon Entrance forcing warm moist air over the arctic air in place. The result was heavy snow for most of the Panhandle into 3/13 and lingering snow into 3/14. The impact was intense snow removal for storm totals up to 20 inches on top of an already deep snowpack. This was a setup for avalanches later that week.
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 Mar 12, 5:15 AM AKST, 6 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
615 AM AKDT Sun Mar 12 2017
.SHORT and LONG TERM...As the low pressure system moves
northward, low level southerly winds will develop across much of
the Panhandle starting from the south. One of the main
uncertainties is the trajectory of the low. While the NAM and
ECMWF indicate the low will move inland late Sunday night, the GFS
and Canadian models keep the low just offshore. This will have an
impact on the intensity and direction of winds in local gaps,
with the low offshore favoring a more offshore component.
The surface low as it develops will move north past Baranof and
Chichagof Islands Sunday night into Monday. Moisture and frontal
band with warm air will spread north over southeast Alaska
changing the snow to a mix as far north as Frederick sound by late
Sunday night and then should edge northward into Admiralty Island
to south of Taku Inlet. A mix of rain just north of that line
into Monday is possible but as the front move east the atmosphere
cools a little and should see the central shift back to a snow
type precipitation.
Snowfalls totals with the warning ranging from 8 to 14 inches
depending on locations. Most of the heavy snows in the northern
panhandle should be tapering during Monday especially across the
northern panhandle.
Models indicate in the long term that a broad low pressure will
remain in the Gulf of Alaska, broad southerly flow will persist
across the Panhandle over the long term. Models indicate a new low
will approach the Panhandle late Monday night. Currently it
appears that the low will favor an inland track, supporting mainly
southerly flow. For the second trailing low it is expected to be
unstable enough to have the precipitation as locally heavy
showers. Not sure if instability is sufficient for thunder but
will need to watch.
&&
.AVIATION...Moderate gusts will continue along the mountains today
in persistent offshore flow. While conditions will begin as VFR,
conditions will quickly change this morning as snow forms ahead
of a front. Expect light snow in the morning hours, with ceilings
and visibilities lowering this afternoon.
&&
.MARINE...Moderate gusts will continue out of bays and passes as a
front approaches from the south today. With temperatures warming
gradually today, freezing spray will be a lower risk. However,
Heavy freezing spray will still occur at Glacier Bay, Lynn Canal,
and Yakutat Bay today. Snow will develop from south to north
today.
&&
.AJK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
PUBLIC...Winter Storm Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 1 AM AKDT
Monday for AKZ026.
Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM this afternoon to 1 PM AKDT
Monday for AKZ021-024-025.
Strong Wind until 4 PM AKDT this afternoon for AKZ025.
Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 10 AM AKDT Monday
for AKZ020-022.
Winter Weather Advisory until 1 PM AKDT Monday for AKZ023.
Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM AKDT this afternoon for
AKZ028.
Winter Storm Warning until 1 PM AKDT Monday for AKZ029.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 1 PM AKDT Monday
for AKZ019.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 1 PM AKDT
Monday for AKZ018.
Wind Chill Advisory until 9 AM AKDT this morning for AKZ018.
MARINE...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ011>013-031-053.
Gale Warning for PKZ011>013-022-036.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ021-031>035-041>043-051.
&&
EN/Bezenek
Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau8 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total for Kake by 0000 on 3/13 was 12 inches. Impact was snow removal.
Storm total by 0815 on 3/13 was measured at 13.5 inches with continued snowfall. Impact was snow removal.
Highly variable amounts of snow fell on 3/13 for Chichagof Island. Hoonah had a storm total of 12 inches by 0745 on 3/13 with 10 inches at the Police and Fire. Tneakee got 15 to 16 inches of new snow from this storm plus 3 to 4 more inches by 3/14.
Storm total for Juneau by 1000 on 3/13 was 12.6 inches. NWS employee measured 16 inches storm total on Douglas Island. WFO got 14 inches. Impact was snow removal.
Gustavus got 5.6 inches of new snow by 0800 3/13 and by 200 the storm total was 8.6 with more light snow after that.
Pelican got 9.2 inches of new snow by 0700 on 3/13. Impact was snow removal.
Haines #2 measured 8 inches of new snow 1115 3/13. Two more inches fell through 2000 on 3/13 for a storm total of at least 10 inches.Mud Bay measured 12 inches new at 1405 on 3/13.
Another 6 inches of new snow fell on Douglas Island for a storm total of 20 plus inches by the morning of 3/15. This was due to a second wrap of showers around the storm described in this episode. Again, the impact was continuous difficult snow removal.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, March 2017
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: 681040, 681041, 681037, 681039, 681036, 681038, 681035, 681042.