Alaska, 2025Winter Storm in Alaska, February 28, 2025
February 28, 2025 · NWS AJK · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Strong low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska brough winds, heavy precipitation rates, and rising snow levels. This lead to heavy snow for the White Pass area.
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- 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.
Strong low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska brough winds, heavy precipitation rates, and rising snow levels. This lead to heavy snow for the White Pass area.
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 27, 2:24 PM AKST, 13 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 27, 2:24 PM AKST, 13 hours before
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
224 PM AKST Thu Feb 27 2025
.SHORT TERM...A storm force low currently near 46N 158W will
continue to move north and east into the gulf over the next 24
hours. Satellite indicates full maturity of this extratropical
cyclone, reinforced with the 500mb temperature isotherms on the
downstream side of the main trough axis. Weakening will occur as
this feature moves into our area but winds will still be threat;
see marine section for further elaboration on impacts to vessels.
For land dwelling folks, breezy conditions are expected Friday,
especially along the coast. We are not seeing any signal for the
hurricane force gusts we saw Wednesday in the south.
Moving on to precipitation type and amounts, the stout low in the
gulf will carry with it plenty of warm air, with snow levels
remaining well above sea level for the majority of the region.
Scripps CW3E Atmospheric River Guidance continues to feature a
weak AR conditions, as defined by IVT duration and magnitude, with
major ensembles falling in-line with the WRF. For Friday into
Saturday, expecting 1 to 2 inches of total rain for the region;
White Pass expect an additional 6 to 12 inches of snow, with snow
cranking on by Friday morning, persisting into Saturday morning. 1
to 2 inch per hour rates at times.
Haines out the road, per norm, continues to be the main challenge
for snow, for now highlighting snow potential given precip rates
and adiabatic cooling dropping snow levels to surface. If this
occurs, expect 2 to 4 inches of snow prompting an Special Weather
Statement.
.LONG TERM...Weather front finishes moving through the SEAK
panhandle. The old parent low will track into the northeast gulf
by Saturday which will increase shower activity for the northern
panhandle as the flow pattern about the low has more of direct
flow into the panhandle. Showers for the southern panhandle
Saturday will be less as they are further from the old low in the
gulf.
Models suggesting that a ridge builds over the eastern gulf
northward to the Yukon territory which will mean the onshore flow
will be centered west of our areas and into the west-central gulf
coast. Dry weather is anticipated for the panhandle early Tuesday
with precipitation, spreading in to the southern panhandle
Wednesday to Wednesday night. Longer range forecast has a
indication of a stronger front moving into the eastern half of
the gulf and panhandle late Thursday and Friday.
&&
.AVIATION...Lingering showers will continue to bring occasional
MVFR conditions primarily to coastal communities through Thursday
afternoon. Conditions to deteriorate late Thursday night with
LLWS, lowering CIGs and precipitation bringing down VIS in heavier
showers as a strong gale force front approaches the panhandle.
Widespread MVFR late Thursday night with drops to IFR possible in
heavier showers and along NE gulf coast.
&&
.MARINE...Gulf: The impressive low near 46N 158W continues to
inspire, with OPC charts indicating 40ft seas associated with a
large dynamic fetch. Storm force SW winds through early this
morning are allowing these seas to flourish, which will transition
to swell as the low weakens and supporting winds diminish. Severe
gale force, to gale force, east-southeast winds will increase
across our coastal zones Thursday night, driving fresh 20ft seas
from the southeast. Later Friday the aforementioned swell group
arrives; southwest 18 to 22 ft at 20 to 22 seconds by Friday
afternoon into Saturday. Caution is advised for any travel near
ocean entrances or along coastal zones for substantial breaking
waves, especially on ebb tide cycles. Southwest swell diminishes
through Sunday.
Inner Channels: Thursday was the relatively lull in between
storms, with Lynn Canal reaching gales. Expect winds to diminish
slightly in the north this evening for a few hours before ramping
back up again by early Friday morning. Overall, expect strong
breezes, with some areas like Peril Strait and Frederick reaching
near gales. Expect southeast winds by-and-large with easterly
winds in Icy Strait.
&&
.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...Strong Wind Friday morning for AKZ317.
Strong Wind until 3 PM AKST this afternoon for AKZ318.
Winter Storm Warning from 9 PM this evening to 2 PM AKST Friday
for AKZ318.
MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ012-641>644-651-652-661>664-671-672.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ013-021-022-031>036-053.
&&
SHORT TERM...AP
LONG TERM....Bezenek
AVIATION...STJ
MARINE...AP
Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/JuneauWinter Storm, City and Borough of Yakutat
- When
- February 28, 3:24 AM AKST to 3:00 PM AKST
- Where
- City and Borough of Yakutat forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 59.667, -139.133 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Due to an areawide internet outage, timing of snowfall is estimated based on automated snow depth sensors. The morning Klondike Highway report from DOT at 807am on the 28th noted difficult travel conditions and a range of 1 to 8 inches of snow between 12 mile and the border, and up to 6 inches between mile markers 8 to 12. This range of speeds may imply drifting snow and snow continued until later that afternoon. Another observation was not available, and total accumulation is unknown. Before observations dropped off at around 9pm on the 27th, the White Pass RWIS was gusting to 37mph.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Avalanche in Washington, February 28, 20251 death · $9,000 · 1 event
- High Wind and Strong Wind in South Dakota, February 28, 202554 kt wind · 23 events
- High Wind in Iowa, February 28, 202557 kt wind · 16 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Iowa, February 28, 202554 kt wind · 11 events
- Blizzard and Winter Weather in Michigan, February 28, 202510 events
- High Wind in Minnesota, February 28, 202555 kt wind · 8 events
- High Wind in Minnesota, February 28, 202556 kt wind · 8 events
- High Wind in North Dakota, February 28, 202554 kt wind · 7 events
- High Wind in Minnesota, February 28, 202555 kt wind · 5 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maine, February 28, 20254 events
- High Wind in South Dakota, February 28, 202557 kt wind · 3 events
- Winter Storm in Michigan, February 28, 20252 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: 1257875.