Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, January 28 to 29, 2020

Name: Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, January 28 to 29, 2020
Start: 2020-01-28T10:30
End: 2020-01-29T16:04
Location: Alaska

January 28 to 29, 2020 · NWS AJK · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Rapidly deepening low pressure system with an occluding front caused high winds with damage over the southern inner channels and outer coast. As it moved northward overrunning heavy snow fell over the northern panhandle.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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.

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 Jan 28, 6:41 AM AKST, 3 hours 49 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 28, 6:41 AM AKST, 3 hours 49 minutes before

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Event by event

4 high wind, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Cape Fairweather to Cape Suckling Coastal Area

When: January 28, 10:30 AM AKST to January 29, 8:35 AM AKST
Where: Cape Fairweather to Cape Suckling Coastal Area forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Light snow showers fell over the Yakutat area on the 28th, then heavy rates began at 3pm with 3 inches falling by 6pm. Wind backed to the NE due to a strong low in the gulf, keeping colder air in place. Heavy rates aided in snow continuing overnight, despite gradual warming. A wind shift to the S-SW Wednesday morning changed precip to all rain. Yakutat COOP measured 5.7 inches of snow at 9am, but it had already changed to heavy rain and likely compacted the snow.

High Wind, Southern Inner Channels

When: January 28, 3:42 PM AKST to January 29, 5:22 AM AKST
Where: Southern Inner Channels forecast zone
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Thorne Bay had damage to their dock ramp, trees down on houses, and tree branches of 1 inch in diameter blown down. Thorne River RAWS had a peak gusts of 69mph. Numerous gusts over 60mph were measured by Marine Exchange stations in the Ketchikan area for over 12 hours, including a peak gust of 79mph at the Ketchikan Harbor. Kasaan FAA webcam observation measured a sustained wind of 48kt.

High Wind, Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision Coastal Area

When: January 28, 3:42 PM AKST to January 29, 5:22 AM AKST
Where: Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision Coastal Area forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Social Media

Post with photo of two roofs being blown off in Hydaburg. Nearby weather stations were down, peak gust measured at Cape Decision of 58kt at 1022pm.

Heavy Snow, Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway

When: January 28, 8:00 PM AKST to January 29, 4:04 PM AKST
Where: Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

Skagway DOT reported 7 inches of snow on the Klondike Highway between 12 mile and White Pass and 6 inches between 3-8 mile. The road was closed due to snow.

Heavy Snow, Haines Borough and Lynn Canal

When: January 28, 8:00 PM AKST to January 29, 10:25 AM AKST
Where: Haines Borough and Lynn Canal forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Haines Customs measured 22.3 inches of snow falling primarily between midnight and 7am, then estimated another 6 inches before it changed to rain at 1025am. Approximately a 12 hour event with 28.3 inches of snow. Snow changed to rain near town much earlier.

High Wind, Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area

When: January 28, 9:22 PM AKST to January 29, 6:30 AM AKST
Where: Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Marine Exchange stations at the Sitka AML Dock and Harbor measured peak gusts of 60 to 65mph. These were SELY ahead of the front, then again with the wind shift to the SW.

High Wind, Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island

When: January 29, 2:00 AM AKST to 6:00 AM AKST
Where: Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Utility Company

AEL&P power company reported wind caused a tree to blow down, partially blocking Glacier Highway and taking out a power line. Around the time the Juneau Airport had gusts of up to 53mph and another mesonet station had a peak gust of 56mph.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
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 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, January 2020

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 871957, 871951, 871953, 871955, 871956, 871952, 871954.