Winter Storm in Alaska, December 7 to 8, 2022

Name: Winter Storm in Alaska, December 7 to 8, 2022
Start: 2022-12-07T01:16
End: 2022-12-08T08:32
Location: Alaska

December 7 to 8, 2022 · NWS AJK · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

An area of low pressure over the NE Gulf of Alaska brought a front through the panhandle December 7th through the 8th. This resulted in accumulating snow, with the greatest snow totals being over the northern half of the panhandle.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 Dec 6, 2:21 PM AKST, 10 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 6, 2:21 PM AKST, 10 hours 55 minutes before

Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
221 PM AKST Tue Dec 6 2022

.SHORT TERM.../Through Wed night/

Somewhat complex weather pattern across the panhandle today. We
had one weak front come inland this morning that brought mostly
rain. Some snow and even freezing rain was observed in some areas
(mostly Icy Straight corridor, Juneau, Haines, Skagway,
Petersburg, Wrangell, and Hyder). Accumulations were very light
with only an inch or two reported.

Front number two is poised offshore and will be coming inland
early Wed. This front has several short waves embedded in the
frontal structure which will make timing of wind and precip maximum
rather tricky over the next 36 hours. The general trend has not
changed much from the previous forecast however. Winds and precip
are still expected to increase in intensity late tonight and
continue through most of Wed night. Highest winds will be in the
southern panhandle where gusts to 40 mph are possible in the
Hydaburg area. As for precip most areas should be warm enough that
they stay rain but the Highways and Hyder will likely stay cold
enough for snow. The winter storm watch that was up for Haines has
been changed to a winter weather advisory for 3 to 6 inches of
snow. Hyder also will likely see snow with upwards of 12 inches
through Wed night. A winter weather advisory has also been issued
for that area as well. Main uncertainty on the snow is if areas
get warm enough to mix Wed afternoon. This is mostly a concern at
Haines though.

.LONG TERM.../Thursday through Monday/

Models and ensembles are in fair agreement with a 984 MB low to
the southwest of Yakutat early Thursday morning with the associated
frontal boundary across the Panhandle starting to fill (weaken)
as it moves slowly southeast through Friday. Dynamic focus for
widespread precipitation (rain in most areas except highest
elevations and some light snow north) gradually tapers off from
north through south through the day Thursday.

By Saturday, the low sits south of Haida Gwaii with strong
ridging building south across the Yukon and northern British
Columbia. This pattern sets us up for colder/drier/windier
conditions Satuday and Sunday. Main forecast changes for the
extended range was to lower temperatures this weekend with most
locations Saturday not climbing above 20 degrees in the central
and northern Panhandle. Next consideration is the strength of the
outlfow winds over the inner channels and along the outer coastal
waters Friday through Sunday as high pressure builds over the
interior of NW Canada. We didn't make big changes to the current
forecasted winds this weekend with some outflow represented in the
forecast, especially across the northern inner channels and along
the coast, but as guidance starts to lock in a bit better some
increase in wind speeds are possible for the weekend.

As we head into Monday, ensemble guidance is pointing to
increased chances of snow across the northern Panhandle (Yakutat
area and west) as a strong low pressure system deepens over the
northern Gulf. Main change this forecast cycle was to bring snow
chances up into the likely category for Monday for those areas.

&&

.AVIATION.../Through 00Z Thursday/

CIG and VIS conditions will primarily hover somewhere around the
MVFR and IFR categories through the period. The lower conditions
will occur along with heavier precipitation and fog. Centered at
around 2 kft, LLWS magnitudes of up to around 45 knots out of a
general southerly/southeasterly direction look to occur over the
Panhandle as a new frontal system approaches. Those look to begin
revving up late tonight through the end of the 24-hour period. The
highest magnitudes look to be over the southern half of the
Panhandle.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM Wednesday to midnight AKST
     Wednesday night for AKZ319.
     Strong Wind from Wednesday morning through Wednesday afternoon
     for AKZ328.
     Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 6 AM AKST
     Thursday for AKZ331.
MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ036-041.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ022-031-033>035-042-043-051-052.

&&

SHORT TERM...EAL
LONG TERM....JFG
AVIATION...JLC

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

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Haines Borough and Klukwan

When: December 7, 1:16 AM AKST to December 8, 4:00 AM AKST
Where: Haines Borough and Klukwan forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 59.251, -135.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A storm total of 12.5 inches of snow fell at Haines Customs by the time snow came to an end at Haines Customs during the morning of December 8th. One inch of snow had fallen as of 7 AM AKST December 7th, with an additional 5.5 inches of snow by 130 PM, and an additional 2.5 inches by 7 PM, and the remainder falling prior to the snow letting up the following morning (December 8th). Meanwhile freezing rain was reported at the airport closer to town the morning of the 7th and likely further up the Haines Highway at the transition from rain to snow.

Winter Storm, Municipality of Skagway

When: December 7, 7:00 AM AKST to December 8, 8:32 AM AKST
Where: Municipality of Skagway forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 59.469, -135.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow began falling during the morning of December 7th and continued falling through the overnight period before snowfall ended during the morning of December 8th. The DOT Klondike Highway report included 9-12 inches of snow had fallen between 12 mile and White Pass. Meanwhile, near sea level, Skagway was getting snow, rain, and periods of freezing rain. The Skagway Police sent out a NIXEL message at 1054am on the 7th cautioning the public of slick roads for the Klondike Highway and Dyea road. The Skagway COOP reported freezing rain on the morning of the 8th.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, December 2022

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: 1072402, 1072403.