An area of banded snowfall set up across Anchorage starting on the morning of 2/12 and lasting for more than 24 hours into the morning of 2/13. A very deep, saturated snow growth layer with surface temperatures down in the 10s to 20s for the duration of the event resulted in very high snowfall ratios that helped boost totals to the 12 to 16 inches observed across eastern parts of town and across…
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 AFC wrote it up.
An area of banded snowfall set up across Anchorage starting on the morning of 2/12 and lasting for more than 24 hours into the morning of 2/13. A very deep, saturated snow growth layer with surface temperatures down in the 10s to 20s for the duration of the event resulted in very high snowfall ratios that helped boost totals to the 12 to 16 inches observed across eastern parts of town and across the Anchorage Hillside and Eagle River, where west to southwest winds sloping up higher terrain likely helped contribute to the higher totals.
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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 12, 6:00 AM AKST, 9 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Anchorage AK 600 AM AKST Sun Feb 12 2023 .ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS... A broad upper-level longwave continues to stretch across much of Alaska, that has created a synoptic circulation over northern Southwest Alaska and a surface low set-up in the Central Gulf of Alaska. This pattern has also produced several small closed circulations near the surface along the southern edge of the Aleutian Chain. The presence of these disturbances has promoted unsettled conditions, with snow showers across much of Southern Alaska. A mix of rain/snow is still found along the Prince William Sound due to warmer air coming in from the Southeast. This pattern is expected to linger through Sunday morning, when the low over the Gulf will begin to shift eastward, easing the snow/rain found across Southcentral. Similarly in Southwest Alaska, snow showers will continue before easing off by Sunday evening. Precipitation in the Chain will persist, and will be reinforced by a North Pacific low by Sunday afternoon. This low will drift eastward, pushing a swinging front first into the Eastern Aleutians by Monday morning, then into Southwest Alaska by Tuesday morning. By Tuesday time, a new low will enter the Western Aleutians, maintaining the consistent disturbed pattern across Southern Alaska into the beginning of the next work week. && .MODEL DISCUSSION... Synoptic agreement amongst the deterministic models remain fair, with some slight discrepancies regarding the track and associated impacts of the surface low in the Gulf. Overall forecast confidence is moderate. Lower agreement in the short-term again is mostly linked to the lingering surface low in the North Gulf. Areas of minor convective activity also make it difficult to expect where localized snowfall maxima will be. Agreement between models improves by Monday morning as the North Pacific low approaches the Bering, with little discrepancies seen regarding its track and impact. However, model solutions then again diverge by Monday afternoon, specifically regarding timing the eastern progression of the front pushing along the Chain into Southwest Alaska. && .AVIATION... PANC...Predominant IFR vis with 1-3 SM in light snow and MVFR- VFR cigs through the TAF period. Prolonged periods of LIFR vis/cigs are possible this morning as convective bands move through. LIFR VIS and heavier snow bands are possible to return later today as systems move through the area until Sunday night/Monday morning. Steady northwest flow throughout the period with gusts possible Sunday night. && .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)... Active weather continues through the rest of the this weekend. The low over the northern Gulf is begin to move eastward today. Snow showers will taper off but could individual waves may bring periods of snowfall along the coast near the Copper River Delta. Meanwhile, a trough behind the low will swing across Southwest Alaska into the western Gulf later today. Cold air is beginning to advect from the west and will continue to usher east throughout the day. Winds will also accompany the cold air, gusting as high as 70 kts through the Barren Islands. This raises extreme freezing spray hazards along Shelikof Strait and the Barren Islands. Westerly winds are expected to push into Kachemak Bay and bring visibility in blowing snow to a quarter mile or less later this morning into tonight. A Marine Weather Statement and Blizzard Warning was issued and remains on track. Many wind gap prone locations, such as Whittier, Seward, Valdez, and Thompson Pass will also experience an increase in outflow winds Sunday into Monday. Snow has been persisting through the Anchorage area, northern Kenai Peninsula, and the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys. This will likely continue through today and taper off Monday morning. Localized heavy banding is possible for the Anchorage area late afternoon through tonight. There is some uncertainty in where the heaviest banding will set up along Anchorage and also with the spatial extent northward to Talkeetna and southward to Kenai. The next system will shift winds southeasterly Monday night and allow temperatures to briefly warm along the Gulf coast for Tuesday and Wednesday. The brief break from snow on Monday afternoon will end by Tuesday when the trough lifts northeastward. Under this highly amplified pattern, expect active weather to continue. && .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)... A shortwave trough extending across Southwest Alaska will keep the light, lingering snow showers over Bristol Bay, the Kuskokwim Valley, and portions of the Alaska Peninsula this morning. Snowfall should taper off into the late morning/early afternoon hours as the wave rotates off to the east. Cold air remains in place over the Mainland, with daytime temperatures in the single digits today, sub-zero on Monday, and overnight temperatures dropping to a frigid 20 below tonight. There will be a weak warming trend mid-week as a Bering front moves towards the Southwest Coast, as well as another round of snow showers. && .SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 and 2)... A storm force low makes its way towards the Central Aleutians today. The associated front tracks into the Bering Sea this evening, passing an area of storm force winds over the Central Aleutians, as well as a band of snow on the leading edge of the front. Snow is expected to quickly transition to rain along the Aleutian Chain as a mass of warmer air moves in immediately behind the front. By Monday morning, the front pushes towards the central Bering Sea. Gusty northerly winds and periods of heavy snowfall will create blizzard conditions for the Pribilof Islands beginning Monday morning; a Blizzard Warning has been issued for the area. Due to the track of the low as it moves eastward along the Chain, strong winds and snowfall will continue to wrap around the low, keeping the Pribilof Islands locked into blizzard conditions through Monday and into Tuesday morning. Total snow accumulations are expected to be between 7-9 inches with wind gusts to 60 mph possible. Additionally, strong winds will continue across the Central Aleutians, and cold air wrap around will allow for another round of snowfall on Monday night. There may be brief periods of blowing snow at times but should remain above advisory criteria. && .LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Wednesday through Saturday)... A highly amplified pattern is expected next week with a series of strong lows forecast to track across the region. The run to run continuity with the models is resulting in low forecast confidence this forecast period. But there are a few things to glean. The Gulf of Alaska looks active. Out west, a low near Kamchatka, potentially as deep as 944 mb, pushes a storm force front into the western and central Aleutians on Wednesday. The front sweeps to the eastern Aleutians by Thursday. Model uncertainty amplifies with time. Generally expect a series of short-waves embedded in the long-wave pattern to traverse the Bering Sea region. This will result in continued active weather from the Aleutians to southern Alaska. The overall progressive upper level flow will maintain a cold enough airmass to support primarily snow over southern Alaska. && .AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...Blizzard Warning 121, 195. MARINE...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning 121 129 130 131 132 136 137 138 139 141 150 160 165 179 180 185 412 414. Storm Warning 120 130 131 175 176 177 178 411 413 414. Gale Warning 119 121 132 136 137 138 139 141 150 155 165 170 171 172 173 174 179 351 352 412. FIRE WEATHER...NONE. && SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...CL SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...VR SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...KM LONG TERM...PS
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple public and trained spotter reports of snowfall of 12 - 16 inches were received from East Anchorage, Anchorage Hillside, Eagle River through early morning 2/13. the Anchorage International Airport also reported a record daily snowfall for 2/12 of 7.1 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, February 2023
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: 1100047.