Alaska, 2025Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, January 15, 2025
January 15, 2025 · NWS AJK · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
A shift in the steering pattern opened the path for a low to track across the southern panhandle, bringing with it high winds. Just north of the high winds, increased precipitation rates caused a change to heavy snow for the Kake area.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
A shift in the steering pattern opened the path for a low to track across the southern panhandle, bringing with it high winds. Just north of the high winds, increased precipitation rates caused a change to heavy snow for the Kake area.
Heavy Snow, Western Kupreanof Island and Kuiu Island
- When
- January 15, 9:40 AM AKST to 4:40 PM AKST
- Where
- Western Kupreanof Island and Kuiu Island forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 55.597, -132.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A trained spotter in Kake reported that rain changed to snow at about 940am on the 15th with visibility falling to a half mile. The spotter measured 4.5 inches by 249pm with heavy rates continuing. Another spotter SW of Kake in Security Bay reported similar conditions with a measurement of 8 inches and reported it had changed back to rain at 335pm. The change over to rain in Kake happened about an hour later with precipitation ending shortly after.
High Wind, Annette Island
- When
- January 15, 10:15 AM AKST to 12:32 PM AKST
- Where
- Annette Island forecast zone
- Measured
- 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 55.597, -132.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Mesonet stations across Annette Island measured high winds for approximately two hours on the 15th. The Packing Company measured peak gusts of 62 mph at 1035pm and the Yellow Hill Station, at 479 ft elevation, reported a peak gust of 83 mph at 1230pm.
High Wind, Ketchikan Gateway Borough
- When
- January 15, 11:42 AM AKST to 2:12 PM AKST
- Where
- Ketchikan Gateway Borough forecast zone
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 55.501, -131.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Mesonet station at Salmon Landing in Ketchikan reported a maximum wind gust of 63 mph at 1232pm on the 15th. In addition, the State Ferry Columbia was unable to dock in Ketchikan for a period of time, and the scheduled flight from Sitka to Ketchikan was unable to land, both due to high winds.
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1245039, 1231977, 1231982.