A strong low pressure system in the Gulf of Alaska brings Taku winds to Juneau ahead of the storm, and widespread winds and snow across Southeast Alaska. Heavy snow transitioned to rain across much of the area.
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.
A strong low pressure system in the Gulf of Alaska brings Taku winds to Juneau ahead of the storm, and widespread winds and snow across Southeast Alaska. Heavy snow transitioned to rain across much of the area. This along with antecedent snowfall created roof load issues across the are with structural collapses in Juneau and Yakutat. Rain on snowpack and frozen ground created icy conditions across the area that impacted transportation for days following the event.
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 7, 7:00 AM AKST, 4 hours 51 minutes earlier.
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
700 AM AKST Fri Jan 7 2022
.SHORT TERM...Through Saturday/ An arctic airmass remains over the
region Friday morning as a broad upper trough centered over
Nunavut continues to push south and east. At the surface, high
pressure over NW Canada continues to keep SE AK frigid and dry
with persistent northerly flow. Lows Friday morning fell into the
teens and single digits region wide with wind sheltered areas
just below zero. Not as cold this morning as we were this time
yesterday as an upper wave dropping out of the Arctic has brought
high level clouds across SE Alaska. Don't expect temperatures to
rebound much this afternoon with highs only topping out in the
teens to low 20s at sea level.
Northerly winds continue through the channels and out of interior
passes today. Small craft conditions expected through the northern
Inner Channels with higher gusts likely out of interior gaps and
passes. Mountain wave guidance continues to show moderate to
favorable conditions through tomorrow, specifically for downtown
Juneau. Gusts to 50 mph have already been observed this morning at
the AML Dock in Juneau. Expect continued gust winds of 40 to 50
mph in mountain wave prone areas through tomorrow.
**Pattern Change begins Saturday**
Friday night into Saturday, leeside troughing on the south side
of the Alaska range induces a surface low in the northern and
eastern gulf. This low combined with a lifting front associated
with significant system moving into the southern gulf will
increase cloud cover through Saturday. Would not be surprised to
see pre-frontal snow showers across the Outer Coast and Southern
Panhandle through Saturday afternoon. Snow will increase in
coverage and intensity through Saturday night across the Southern
Panhandle as a front remains stretched across that region and
towards a developing low in the SW gulf. This next system will
impact the region through Monday with significant snowfall
expected across most of SE Alaska. See the Winter Storm Watches
and the discussion below for more information on the impactful
winter weather expected this weekend.
.LONG TERM...(Saturday onwards) A pattern change is expected in
the long term with a rapid warm-up, back-to-back precipitation
events, and strong coastal winds.
A very wet weekend and next week is expected with back-to-back
rounds of subtropical moisture being pushed northwards. Winter
Storm Watches are issued for the entire panhandle Saturday into
Sunday and precipitation will continue through most of the week.
This first system is a major snow to rain event with warm, moist
air coming from the central Pacific. Forecast confidence on the
timing and location of this system is low, which is why the
forecast has such a large range of snowfall accumulations. Lowest
confidence on when the warm air will arrive for the northern half
of the panhandle, especially Northern Lynn and Juneau areas due
to some models flipping winds south earlier (warming) while some
keep winds northerly, which could keep them cold enough to stay
all snow. Expect lowest temperatures to occur early Saturday
morning and to gradually increase through the weekend, resulting
in near normal temperatures for the panhandle the rest of the
week. Marine winds increase to low end storms with boundary jets
seeing the highest winds along the Gulf coast, diminishing on
Sunday. Gusty land conditions are expected across the panhandle
with the highest gusts expected near Hydaburg and Ketchikan, with
strong vertical wind shear expected elsewhere, especially Yakutat.
See the Winter Storm Watches and your local forecast for more
details.
Continued to trend precipitation and snowfall amounts upwards and
adjusted the system to move in a bit later to follow the
ECMWF/Canadian guidance, as the GFS was the outlier. Moderated
precipitation at the end of this main system to show a potential
quick break early Monday before a weaker low moves into the Gulf,
however models have big differences on timing of that break and
subsequent next surge of moisture. Some models give the most rain
of the week for the southern inner channels on Monday, so will be
monitoring that trend. Temperatures in the latter half of the
extended were cooled slightly from the widespread highs in the
upper 30s/low 40s to closer to normal values based on temperatures
aloft cooling and all models trending back closer to normal. This
also means crossing back below freezing (but not bitterly cold)
for the north during the nighttime hours, particularly during any
breaks. Overall forecast confidence in the extended forecast is
below average due to model run to run inconsistencies.
&&
.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...Winter Storm Watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday
afternoon for AKZ023-024-026>028.
Strong Wind from 3 PM AKST this afternoon through late tonight
for AKZ025.
Winter Storm Watch from Saturday evening through Sunday evening
for AKZ017>022-025-029.
MARINE...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ012-031.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ012.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ013.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ013-031.
Gale Warning for PKZ012-013-043.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011-021-022-031-032-041-042-051-052.
&&
CM/KRT
Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau13 winter storm, 3 high wind, 1 heavy snow, 1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
A Trained spotter in Rowan Bay reported 7.5 inches of snow.
Trained spotters in the Ketchikan area reported 6 to 9 inches of snowfall before changing over to rain.
Mesonet station at AML dock in Juneau reported wind gusts up to 70 mph.
Hyder COOP Observer reported 39.7 inches of snowfall from this event.
Hoonah Police estimated that roughly 18 inches of snow had fallen so far with this sytem.
COOP Observer reported that a storm total of 13.2 inches fell from this storm.
Angoon Harbormaster reported that about one foot of snow had fallen from the storm.
First report in Juneau of 6 inches of snow was at 07:15 am on 01/09/2022. Storm total snow was 8 to 12 inches of snow before changing over to rain. Widespread icy conditions caused snow loading issues including the collapse of a warehouse in Lemon Creek and a single story commercial building in downtown Juneau. Schools and Multiple business remained closed through 1/12 due to snow load concerns. Airplane service out of Juneau was canceled through 1/10.
Damage to multiple structures including the medical clinic in Yakutat due to snow loading. National Guard was mobilized to help clear roofs from vulnerable structures. New Snow from the storm was estimated to be at least an additional 2 feet leading to snow depths around 5-6 feet across the area.
Alaska Department of Transportation reported that the Klondike highway is closed due to blowing and drifting with new accumulations ranging from 3 to 20 inches due to drifting in winds as high as 30 mph.
Trained spotter in Haines reported 9 inches of very dry snow.
Hydaburg Seaplane Base measure a peak gust of 77 mph.
Ketchikan Airport measured winds of 80 miles per hour at 10:53 am.
Trained spotter in Haines reported 12 inches of snowfall with the storm at 10 am, and an additional 7 inches at 9 pm with snow still falling at a significant rate.
Alaska Department of transportation reported that the Klondike Highway is closed to blowing and drifting snow with winds as high as 50 mph.
A trained spotter in Gustavus reported 9 inches of new snowfall overnight.
Snow total from the storm is over 18.5 inches in blowing and drifting snow.
Trained spotter in the mud bay section of Haines reported snow has transition to freezing drizzle and rain.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, January 2022
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: 1005250, 1005254, 1005147, 1005256, 1005239, 1005241, 1005242, 1005247, 1005212, 1005214, 1005216, 1005257, 1005259, 1005217, 1005215, 1005232, 1005225, 1005226.