Alaska, 2023Heavy Snow in Alaska, February 9 to 10, 2023
February 9 to 10, 2023 · NWS AJK · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Periods of light snow fell across the northern panhandle over 24 hours as a low pressure system tracked into the SE gulf from the west. Then a deformation band became more organized and set up north to south from Haines to Hoonah with a shorter period of heavy snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Periods of light snow fell across the northern panhandle over 24 hours as a low pressure system tracked into the SE gulf from the west. Then a deformation band became more organized and set up north to south from Haines to Hoonah with a shorter period of heavy snow.
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 Feb 9, 3:27 PM AKST, 3 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 9, 3:27 PM AKST, 3 hours 33 minutes before
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
327 PM AKST Thu Feb 9 2023
.SHORT TERM...A low in the southeastern gulf will continue to
bring precipitation to the panhandle Friday before diminishing and
pushing inland overnight. In the southern panhandle, the winter
weather advisory was canceled for Hyder as temperatures remained
warm enough in the boundary layer to limit accumulation and result
in mostly a rain/snow mix. Otherwise the southern panhandle will
see continued rain as temperatures climbed to the mid 40s under
the influence of southerly flow. Gale force winds in the gulf
associated with this low will diminish as it pushes eastward
tonight. Winds in Clarence Strait around Metlakatla and Ketchikan
will also remain strong with gusts to between 20 and 30 kt before
also subsiding as the low weakens and progresses inland
overnight.
For the Icy Strait corridor, temperatures along the outer coast
have risen and further snow accumulation in the areas of Pelican
and Elfin Cove will be limited. The interior channels of the Icy
Strait corridor, including Gustavus and Juneau, are still under a
winter weather advisory through tonight as another band of
enhanced precipitation pushes northward. The northernmost
movement of this enhanced precipitation, as well as temperatures
being at or just above freezing, could have an affect on snow
amounts. Snow is expected to persist overnight until the entire
system moves eastward overnight ahead of an approaching ridge.
This will offer a brief respite as another frontal wave approaches
on Saturday associated with a low approaching from the Bering Sea.
.LONG TERM.../Friday night through Tuesday/...The upper level
pattern is going through a gradual shift over the mid and long
range periods. What starts out as a long wave trough centered
over the Bering Sea with SW flow aloft over the Panhandle Friday
changes to a progressive trough/ridge pattern across the area by
early next week.
At the surface, the weekend will be plagued by a series of two
separate fronts that will be moving through the area. The first
is on Friday night followed by a second on Sunday. Both of these
systems will be coming in from the W or SW and will bring more
rain/snow and breezy conditions to the area. For winds, mid Gale
force winds for the Gulf waters and southern Inner Channels are
likely for both with a very brief break in between on Saturday.
For precip, the south can expect mostly rain while the north will
be snow changing to rain. Snow fall rates are expected to mainly
stay below advisory levels mainly due to temperatures possibly
hovering around the low to mid 30s for most of the event. This is
due to warm air advecting from the south over the area as the 2
frontal systems approach.
For early next week, another break between weather systems looks
to occur with only chances for light precipitation and potential
for breaks in the clouds over the Panhandle as relatively quick
moving weak ridging moves over the area. Additionally, cooler
temperatures look to advect into the area associated with
northerly flow behind Sunday's frontal system and the ridge that
will be poised over the area into Tuesday.
Overall, for the long term forecast period, forecast confidence is
generally average. Model agreement is generally good with mild
divergence toward the end of the period. Also, ensemble member
spread seems reasonable for this time of year for the period.
&&
.AVIATION...Marginal VFR with occasional IFR conditions over the
next 24 hours as rain and snow showers move across the area from
the current front over the Southeast Alaska. Layered clouds up to
the flight levels with most mountain tops obscured by clouds. Some
VIS will be reduced as the band of heavier showers mover over the
northern panhandle tonight. This system will move out of the area
through late tonight into tomorrow morning with much better
flying conditions on Friday.
&&
.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM AKST Friday for AKZ319>321-
325.
MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ041>043-052.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ022-033-035-036-051.
&&
SHORT TERM...CC/STJ
LONG TERM....JLC
AVIATION...ABJ
Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/JuneauHeavy Snow, Haines Borough and Klukwan
- When
- February 9, 7:00 PM AKST to February 10, 5:00 AM AKST
- Where
- Haines Borough and Klukwan forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 59.251, -135.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
DOT estimated 6 to 10 inches of new snow on the Haines Highway at 424am the morning of the 10th. A trained spotter on Mud Bay, south of Haines, reported that around 2 inches of snow fell during the day on the 9th, then became heavy around 8pm with a total of 9.5 inches falling by the morning. Another trained spotter in town measured 9 inches of dense snow had fallen by 1230am, which was in addition to 2 inches he had cleared during the day, and was still falling moderately at the time.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- High Wind in Indiana, February 9, 2023$260,000 · 54 kt wind · 4 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Alabama, February 9, 2023$55,000 · 51 kt wind · 6 events
- Strong Wind in Kentucky, February 9, 2023$22,000 · 22 events
- Strong Wind in Illinois, February 9, 2023$19,000 · 19 events
- Tornado in Florida, February 9, 2023$5,000 · EF1 · 1 event
- High Wind in Indiana, February 9, 2023$25,000 · 52 kt wind · 3 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Kentucky, February 9, 202362 kt wind · 20 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Wisconsin, February 9, 202314 events
- High Wind in Ohio, February 9, 202350 kt wind · 11 events
- High Surf in Hawaii, February 9 to 11, 202310 events
- Strong Wind in Hawaii, February 9 to 10, 20239 events
- Winter Weather in Maine, February 9 to 10, 20239 events
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: 1069033.