Alaska, 2023Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, December 23 to 24, 2023
December 23 to 24, 2023 · NWS AJK · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
Low pressure tracking toward south-central Alaska swept a front from south to north over the panhandle on the 23rd. This front brought heavy snow to the upper elevations of the Haines and Klondike Highways and high wind to the southern half of the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
Low pressure tracking toward south-central Alaska swept a front from south to north over the panhandle on the 23rd. This front brought heavy snow to the upper elevations of the Haines and Klondike Highways and high wind to the southern half of the region.
Heavy Snow, Haines Borough and Klukwan
- When
- December 23, 5:15 AM AKST to 10:00 PM AKST
- Where
- Haines Borough and Klukwan forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 59.251, -135.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter south of Haines on the Chilkat Peninsula reported 6 inches of snow falling between 6-9am on the 23rd and another 5.5 inches by 3pm when it was changing to rain, for a storm total of 11.5 inches. In town, 16 inches were measured shortly after 4pm. A strong wind shift to the south with gusts of 25-40mph and a change to rain occurred, possibly resulting in a rock slide reported at 730pm by the Haines Police, which made the Haines Highway impassible at 15 mile.
Heavy Snow, Municipality of Skagway
- When
- December 23, 6:20 AM AKST to December 24, 1:45 AM AKST
- Where
- Municipality of Skagway forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 59.469, -135.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snow began early on the 23rd with rates becoming heavy for several hours in the middle of the day. A social media report and call to the office noted 8-10 inches by about 9pm when it was changing to rain. The following morning, DOT reported up to 12 inches had fallen along the Klondike Highway near the border and very difficult road conditions.
High Wind, Prince of Wales Island
- When
- December 23, 9:07 AM AKST to December 24, 2:56 AM AKST
- Where
- Prince of Wales Island forecast zone
- Measured
- 74 kt (85 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS
- Coordinates
- 55.597, -132.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A high wind event from an advancing front resulted in an extended duration of high winds. The AWOS at the Hydaburg Seaplane base recorded a peak wind gust of 85 mph at 333 PM AKST December 23.
- 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.
- Winter Weather in Idaho, December 23, 20232 injured · $49,000 · 3 events
- Winter Weather in Wyoming, December 23 to 24, 20235 events
- Winter Weather in Colorado, December 23 to 24, 20234 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, December 23, 202361 kt wind · 4 events
- Dense Fog in California, December 23 to 24, 20234 events
- Winter Weather in New York, December 23, 20233 events
- Dense Fog in Colorado, December 23, 20233 events
- Winter Storm and High Wind in Wyoming, December 23 to 24, 202353 kt wind · 3 events
- Hail in Texas, December 23, 20230.75 in hail · 2 events
- Damaging Wind in Texas, December 23, 202354 kt wind · 1 event
- High Wind in South Dakota, December 23 to 24, 202355 kt wind · 1 event
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: 1153991, 1153999, 1154056.