Low pressure tracking northward over the panhandle collided with cold northerly outflow, resulting in rounds of heavy snow lasting over a two day timeframe for some locations. As warming occurred, there was an extended period of sleet and freezing rain, followed by impacts from moderate rain on the fresh snowpack.
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The episode as NWS AJK wrote it up.
Low pressure tracking northward over the panhandle collided with cold northerly outflow, resulting in rounds of heavy snow lasting over a two day timeframe for some locations. As warming occurred, there was an extended period of sleet and freezing rain, followed by impacts from moderate rain on the fresh snowpack.
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 Nov 30, 3:27 PM AKST, 8 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
327 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024
.SHORT TERM...
Light snow showers in the far southern Panhandle this morning
gently foreshadows the complex approaching storm; currently in the
southern gulf and moving north. Regarding precip, expect a few
inches of snow in PoW and Ketchikan tonight; however, the threat
down south is now shifting to sleet/freezing rain before post-
frontal southerly winds scrubs out the cold air, switching to
moderate to heavy rainfall. Regarding rainfall, expect 2-4 inches
in 24 hours at sea level for the southern region into Monday
evening.
Snow will continue to march north overnight Saturday into Sunday,
impacting the central region just shy of midnight, and reaching
the Icy Strait corridor sometime near 3am to 9am, depending on how
fast we can saturate the very dry surface layer. Model guidance
continues to downplay snowfall accumulation, likely a result of
failing to effectively resolve the maintenance of cold air at the
surface from outflow conditions, transitioning to rainfall too
quickly.
As snow transitions to sleet/rain and then rain Sunday morning
for the central region including Tenakee Springs, expect snow to
stack up along the Icy Strait corridor, with Haines and Skagway
picking up on the action. Snow continues through the evening
hours before we begin the transition to rain for Gustavus, Hoonah,
and Juneau by Monday morning. Most of the Panhandle will see
rainfall by Monday afternoon with temperatures shooting up to
above freezing. We approach with trepidation and continue to
highlight the message of impactful snow Sunday, with total
snowfall expectations for the Icy Strait corridor somewhere
between 8 and 14 inches by Monday morning.
See published Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories for further
information.
.LONG TERM...
As onshore flow continues over the region through the week it
will help moderate temperatures, with periods of heavy rain
continuing as southwest flow steers moisture into the Panhandle.
At the surface a series of shortwave troughs will drive additional
gale force fronts and wind across the gulf, helping to increase
winds in the inner channels; certainly, an active pattern. Snow
levels look to remain well above 2,000ft for most of the region
until the end of the week.
&&
.AVIATION...VFR gradually headed down to MVFR to IFR overnight as
a front moves in from the south and snow gradually develops
northward across the Panhandle through Sunday morning. Some
potential for LLWS advertised for Juneau, Ketchikan and Klawock
after 09Z as we see winds in the 2-5kft levels come up to between
35 and 45 kts. Snow will change to rain quickly for Klawock and
Ketchikan before daybreak, with Klawock seeing the higher
potential for freezing rain before all of the colder air is
scoured out. IFR most likely for Juneau and Haines for much of
the day on Sunday.
&&
.MARINE...Gale force northerlies and freezing spray over Lynn
Canal and near Taku Inlet end by Sunday afternoon. Farther south
strong outflow winds out of the Stikine River Delta will also
ease. Pre-frontal southeasterly gales over Clarence Strait will
develop late tonight, but then ease to 25 kts by Sunday
afternoon. Elsewhere on the inside, small craft conditions at
various times through Sunday afternoon. On the outside, gale force
winds associated with the approaching front will sweep north over
the eastern Gulf of Alaska. A WSW swell with a 14 second period
will be opposing the prevailing winds and result in a steeper wave
train that what would normally be expected from such a long
period swell.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
While snow has been the main focus over the week, moderate to
heavy rainfall will envelope the central and southern Panhandle
Sunday into the start of the week. Expecting 2 to 4 inches of 24
hour rainfall totals at sea level. After coordination with the
River Forecast Center, there is the potential for Montana Creek
and Jordan Creek to reach Action Stage. Stay tuned.
&&
.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...Cold Weather Advisory until noon AKST Sunday for AKZ318-325.
Strong Wind through Sunday morning for AKZ318-325.
Small Craft Advisory from 6 AM to 9 AM AKST Sunday for AKZ318.
Winter Weather Advisory from 3 PM Sunday to 6 AM AKST Monday for
AKZ318.
Winter Storm Warning from 3 AM Sunday to 3 AM AKST Monday for
AKZ319.
Winter Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 3 AM AKST Monday
for AKZ320>322-325.
Strong Wind from late tonight through Sunday morning for AKZ322.
Strong Wind from 9 PM AKST this evening through late tonight for
AKZ323.
Winter Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 3 PM AKST Sunday
for AKZ324.
Winter Storm Warning from 9 PM this evening to 9 AM AKST Sunday
for AKZ326-327-329.
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 3 AM AKST
Sunday for AKZ328.
Winter Storm Warning from 9 PM this evening to 3 AM AKST Monday
for AKZ331.
MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ012-013-022-036-641>644-651-652-661>664-671-
672.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011-021-031-032-034-035.
&&
SHORT TERM...AP
LONG TERM....AP
AVIATION...JG
MARINE...Fritsch
HYDROLOGY...AP
Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/JuneauThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow is estimated to have begun around midnight with the Gustavus COOP measuring 5.5 inches by 5am. A trained spotter measured 6.5 inches by 945am that morning. Storm total of 16 to 18 inches of snow was observed before changing over to freezing rain between 7 and 8am on the 2nd.
Snow began just before midnight on December 1st at the Juneau airport and quickly became heavy. A social media report noted that 6 inches of snow had already fallen by 6am near the airport and another report of up to 10 inches on Douglas Island by 1245pm. Snow continued through Sunday evening, then saw several hours of sleet then several hours of freezing rain through the following morning. Rain continued to fall on the snowpack, causing localized flooding and icy conditions. Schools were closed on Monday the 2nd and city offices had a delay. Storm totals from the event ranged from 10 to 17.5 inches of snow with an eighth inch glaze of ice.
Snow is estimated to have begun around midnight on the 1st with the Hoonah COOP measuring 5.5 inches by 8am. The COOP measured another 12.2 inches by 7am on the 2nd when moderate rain at 32 degrees was observed.
Snow began shortly before midnight on the 1st. A Hyder resident called that afternoon to report that 7 inches had fallen so far and was continuing to snow. Snow changed to rain the following morning and the nearby town of Stewart B.C. measured 13.4 inches overnight.
Light snow began during the early morning hours of the 1st, picking up after 830am in town, with a social media report of 5.5 inches measured by 230pm that day. Snow continued to stack up through the 2nd with several trained spotters between Haines and Mud Bay recording 22 to 26 inches when it changed to freezing rain on the evening of the 2nd. Haines Customs measured 8 inches of snow during that same time period. There was a break in precipitation until about 450am on the 3rd when steady freezing rain began again. The freezing rain lasted until about 1230pm when temperatures warmed above freezing at the Haines Airport, but remained below freezing out the Haines Highway until about 5pm. Ice accumulations were measured at 0.15 to 0.5 inch.
Light snow began during the morning hours of the 1st, with DOT reporting up to 5 inches near White Pass by around 8am picking in the afternoon and evening with northerly wind gusts exceeding 40 mph at times with visibility at 1 mile. A resident of Dyea estimated 10 to 12 inches of snow had accumulated by the following morning and was continuing to fall.
There was a break in precipitation until during the night of the 2nd followed freezing rain, mixed with snow at times after 2am on the 3rd until precipitation ended that evening.
At around 730am on the 2nd, DOT in Skagway reported an avalanche had crossed the Klondike Highway at 14.3 mile and closed the road. The road was reopened before noon, but was closed again then next day due to increased avalanche concerns.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, December 2024
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: 1226467, 1228365, 1228371, 1229503, 1221651, 1229247.