A compact low lifting out of the North Pacific pushed a front into Bristol Bay, producing a band of moderate snowfall that brought at least 6 inches of accumulation to parts of Bristol Bay. King Salmon observed the highest confirmed snowfall total for this event.
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.
A compact low lifting out of the North Pacific pushed a front into Bristol Bay, producing a band of moderate snowfall that brought at least 6 inches of accumulation to parts of Bristol Bay. King Salmon observed the highest confirmed snowfall total for this event. Snowfall moved out quickly by the afternoon of February 20th as the front swept to the east.
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 19, 5:49 AM AKST, 10 hours 28 minutes earlier.
Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Anchorage AK 549 AM AKST Mon Feb 19 2024 .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)... Key points: * Moderate to heavy rain expected in Southcentral upslope areas and along the coast through Tuesday * Strong southeasterly gap winds of at least 40 to 60 mph expected Monday into Tuesday along the Anchorage Hillside * Temperatures warming to 40+ degrees on both Monday and Tuesday across the Kenai Peninsula, Anchorage Bowl and Mat Valley. * Precipitation potentially ending as mix/snow for Kenai P., Anchorage and southern Mat-Su Tuesday evening, with rain and snow chances returning with another system late Wednesday into Thursday Discussion: South/southeasterly upslope flow continues light rain/showers across the Southcentral coast throughout the day today ahead of our next few systems, with typical downslope areas remaining mostly dry. The first shortwave feature of note over Bristol Bay will continue to swing northward around an upper level low over the Bering this afternoon. This will begin to pull up a deep plume of moisture to over the western Gulf, increasing light to moderate precipitation across Kodiak Island and through the typical upslope areas in the northern and western Susitna Valley and Prince William Sound later this morning into this evening. At the same time, a ridge begins to build in the Gulf and shifts eastward over Southeast Alaska by Tuesday morning. A strong west-to-east thermal gradient and associated pressure gradient will develop between these two features over Southwest Alaska on Monday. The first round of strong southeasterly gap winds are likely to impact Southcentral starting Monday and the higher elevations, including the Anchorage Hillside, are likely to experience winds gusting over 40 mph. The Turnagain arm winds are expected to temporarily bend into south and west Anchorage Monday evening, bringing a period of gusty winds. Similar warm winds will move through the Knik Arm and Copper Valley. Strong jet dynamics, thermal gradient, and vorticity advection associated with another shortwave will then allow a stronger low to develop and deepen along a front in the North Pacific, moving northward into Bristol Bay by Monday night. While there are still timing differences, the southeasterly gap winds are likely to become even stronger by Tuesday afternoon as the low crosses 60N, potentially peaking at 60+ mph along the Hillside. The associated southeasterly flow will also allow high temperatures to breach 40+ degrees on both Monday and Tuesday across the Kenai Peninsula, Anchorage Bowl and Mat Valley. Generally speaking, this low is weaker and slower than indicated yesterday, so the threat of 75+ mph winds on the Hillside has lessened. As the front and main shortwave axis finally push through Tuesday night, the strong gap winds will come to an end and cold air advection and up inlet flow may allow precipitation to fill in briefly and end as a mix or snow across the Western Kenai Peninsula, Anchorage Bowl and Mat Valley. As we approach the latter half of Wednesday into Thursday, a large upper low over the Bering Sea will push another system into Southcentral, likely bringing another period of widespread precipitation. This system will be notably colder, so the threat of moderate to potentially heavy snow returns. -ME && .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 through 3)... On satellite imagery (CIMSS MIMIC PW) there is a fetch of moisture that originates west of the Hawaiian Islands and extends northeast to the Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay. There is a second plume of moisture that extends from the West Pacific basin to Northern Japan and Kamchatka. These 2 plumes of moisture will bring precipitation to the state of Alaska and are actively being monitored. The models continue to project a highly progressive and dynamic pattern for the Aleutians, Bering and Southwest Alaska. Expect more unsettled weather which will include gusty winds, precipitation and enhanced seas. This morning there is at 3AM AKST or 12Z a surface low entering Bristol Bay, a surface low north of Adak, another surface low south of Adak and a low southwest of Kamchatka. The radars at King Salmon and Bethel have been active. Today and Tuesday will be wet for Southwest Alaska. It has been snowing at Dillingham early this morning but it has been raining at King Salmon. The P-type is going to continue to be tricky for the region. The chain is going to be showery. And the next stratiform event for the western Aleutians will be on Tuesday. && .LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Thursday through Sunday)... The long duration upper level Bering low weakens and begins an Easterly track through Interior Alaska, and forming a weak center over the Gulf by the end of the forecast period. Consistent forecast model positions, strengths and tracks will hold through the weekend. Tightest gradients remain along the Southern periphery, providing the axis of movement for the transient systems supported by short waves along the Aleutians and across Southern Alaska. Widespread gale force winds with storm force gusts spread along the Aleutians before diminishing. Gusty winds remain an issue across the Bering into the Gulf of Alaska through Sunday. These transient fronts and troughs bring locally heavy precipitation across the Aleutians, AKPEN and Southwest Alaska. Mostly rain on the Pacific side, mixed rain and snow or all snow on the Bering side through Friday. Colder temperatures for the weekend expands the areas for snow through Sunday. After a shortwave ridge moves over the Bering, another upper level low moves out of the Russian Far East. Longer term and locally heavy precipitation continues along the AKPEN coast into Cook Inlet and over Kodiak Island, and expands along the Southern Coast to the Canadian border through late Friday, tapering off slowly afterwards. Onshore flow will be deepest through Prince William Sound and Copper River Valley. Rain dominates the coastal areas, with lesser amounts over higher elevation inland. Mixed rain and snow at lower elevations across Southcentral Alaska progressing to all snow further inland. The above average temperatures across Southern Alaska linger before making the turn colder through the weekend. Kutz && .AVIATION... PANC...VFR conditions and light northerly winds will persist through late this morning. A light to moderate Turnagain Arm wind is expected to move over the terminal early this afternoon as a low moves into western Alaska. The Turnagain Arm wind may move out of the terminal late tonight as another low develops to the south. Meanwhile, strong southeasterly winds will persist aloft, which may result in LLWS. Should the wind stay over the terminal, no LLWS is expected. -ME &&
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
An NWS Meteorological Technician in King Salmon reported 6 inches of new snowfall over a 12 hour period between 9 PM February 19th and 9 AM February 20th. The King Salmon AWOS also recorded 0.93 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation during this timeframe, adding further support to the estimated new snowfall reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
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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: 1165520.