A series of three strong low pressure centers moved northward through the Bearing with the last one pushing a strong cold front into the interior. These storms resulted in heavy snowfall across western and northern Alaska with a mix of snow a freezing rain throughout the interior.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 AFG wrote it up.
A series of three strong low pressure centers moved northward through the Bearing with the last one pushing a strong cold front into the interior. These storms resulted in heavy snowfall across western and northern Alaska with a mix of snow a freezing rain throughout the interior. Strong winds also occurred creating blizzard conditions across several communities over the course of five days.
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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 23, 6:19 AM AKST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
619 AM AKST Thu Jan 23 2025
.SYNOPSIS...A high impact weather pattern continues to evolve
across northern Alaska as a parade of storms moves up the West
Coast. The most impactful storm arrives late today, bringing high
winds, heavy snow above 1000 ft elevation, blowing snow, and low
elevation rain to the West Coast and Western Interior before
pushing into the Central and Eastern Interior Friday through the
weekend. Very heavy wet snow is expected from McGrath to Tanana
to Bettles, with snow mixing with rain at times especially east of
this line. Very cold temperatures, possibly the coldest thus far
this winter, will follow this system and settle across the area by
the middle of next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Key Weather Messages:
Central and Eastern Interior...
- Much warmer than normal temperatures continue with highs mostly
in the 20s before most areas reach the 30s to near 40 on Friday
and over the weekend.
- Heavy wet snow begins late Thursday night and continues through
Friday, mainly north and west of Fairbanks. By Friday evening,
over a foot of snow is expected at higher terrain along the
Dalton Highway between the Yukon River and Atigun Pass.
- Heavy snow is also expected across the south slopes of the
Alaska Range from Cantwell to Trims Camp and across the Denali
Highway. Snow amounts of 12-20 inches are expected through
Sunday morning.
- Ahead of the cold front, southerly gap winds may reach 75 mph
through Alaska Range passes Friday and Saturday.
- Southerly winds may gust to 60 mph over Twelvemile and Eagle Summits
Thursday night into Friday.
- A NE to SW oriented cold front stalls across the interior this
weekend with heavy snowfall west of the front likely. Confidence
is the position of the front is increasing, with it likely
setting up just east of Tanana. Light rain is expected to mix
with snow along and east of the cold front.
- Behind the cold front, very cold temperatures -possibly the
coldest of the winter so far- are expected by the middle to end
of next week. Lows may reach the -40 to -50 F range across much
of the area with only a weak inversion due to a very cold
airmass.
West Coast and Western Interior...
- A potentially high-impact storm brings strong winds, heavy snow,
and heavy low-elevation rain Thursday into Friday as the storm
quickly lifts northeast. Southerly gusts over 60 mph are
possible, but temperatures near to above 32F should temper
blowing snow impacts. Another foot of snow is possible along the
Nulato Hills, Seward Peninsula and Kobuk Valley. Numerous
warnings and advisories have been issued.
- Water is expected to come up through cracks in the sea ice and make
travel over the sea ice very difficult for much of the West
Coast.
- More seasonable temperatures return Sunday.
North Slope and Brooks Range...
- Well above normal temperatures continue through Saturday.
- Very strong south winds gusting 50 to 60 mph are expected
through Brooks Range Passes on Friday and Saturday, with winds
likely extending north to Toolik Field Station. Expect
significant blowing snow.
- Strong winds and snow will begin to develop over the western
north slope and Brooks Range on Friday as a strong low pressure
system and tight gradient swiftly moves across the area.
Southwest winds gusting as high as 75 mph are possible Friday
evening when blizzard conditions are possible from Point Hope to
Wainwright.
- More seasonable temperatures return to the area Sunday through early
next week when a wave of light snow is possible across the
eastern North Slope.
Forecast Analysis and Confidence...A 976 mb low has moved into the
Gulf of Anadyr with a long occluded front stretching from eastern
Siberia to Eastern Norton Sound. Snow is falling along this front
and it will continue north to the Western Arctic Coast through the
day today. This is the middle system sandwiched between 3 storm
systems to move into the Bering Strait region. The third system
will be the strongest storm as a strong gradient will form with
high pressure building to 1048 mb in the Gulf of Alaska by Friday
morning. The third storm will move to St. Paul Island at 987 mb
this afternoon with a moisture laden leading front bringing high
winds, heavy rain and snow to the West Coast and Western Interior
this evening and overnight into Friday. This storm is a quick
mover, and will bring short periods of very high winds from the
Yukon Delta all the way to Utqiagvik through Friday evening. A
storm south of the Aleutians will then form an inverted trough
over southwest Alaska, allowing an Atmospheric River/Pineapple
Express to moved abundant moisture and warm air into the Interior
from as far south as Hawaii. This front will become nearly
stationary through Sunday, with very heavy precipitation expected
along the front, which will form along a boundary between the
Arctic Front and the strong building ridge over the Gulf of
Alaska. The heaviest precipitation is expected from McGrath to
Tanana to Bettles, with 14 to 24 inches possible through Saturday
night. Rain may mix in at times Friday night and Saturday. Further
east of the Arctic Front near Fairbanks, expect more rain than
snow Friday night through Saturday, though precip amounts will be
substancially less due to south winds through Alaska Range Passes
creating a dry slot. The Arctic Front then pushes east Monday and
Tuesday, with more snow expected as it comes through the Eastern
Interior. Very cold temperatures, possibly the coldest of the
year, will set in by the middle of next week behind the Arctic
Front. Also within this system, strong gradients will form across
Brooks and Alaska Range Passes, causing very strong gap winds as
high as 75 mph through Alaska Range Passes late Thursday night
through Saturday and as high as 60 mph through Brooks Range Passes
on Friday.
Models have come into much better agreement on the positioning of
the heaviest precipitation from the Pineapple Express with 1.5 to
3 inches of liquid equivalent expected from Chandalar Shelf to
Bettles to Tanana to McGrath through Tuesday. That said, it is
likely that the heaviest precipitation will be west of Fairbanks.
For areas beneath the area of heaviest precipitation,
precipitatable water anomalies will be 4 to 5 standard deviations
above normal for this time of year. Ensembles are still showing
the potential for wind gusts up to 75 mph, particularly from
Point Lay to Utqiagvik.
Extended Forecast For Days 4 Through 7...Heavy precipitation
continues Sunday and Monday across a large swath of the Interior
as well as the Brooks Range and Arctic Coast. A deep upper level
low will swing southeast from northern Russia on Monday, bringing
a very cold airmass that will persist across the area through next
week and into the weekend. The coldest temperatures of the year
thus far are certainly possible, with deterministic models
consistently hinting at lows in the -40 to -50 F range across the
Interior from the middle of next week through next weekend. Expect
breezy north/northwest winds across the West Coast to create very
cold wind chills.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None. With water expected
to push through cracks in the ice with the upcoming storm later
today and tomorrow, expect travel on sea ice to be difficult
across most of the area.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Storm Warning for AKZ801>803-806-807.
High Wind Warning for AKZ847-849.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ850.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ851.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ830-852.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ812-831-832.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ813-819.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ814.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ822-824.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ823.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ825.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ826.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ829-846.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ804-805.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ834.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ838-841>845.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ848.
High Wind Warning for AKZ809.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ801-850.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ801.
Gale Warning for PKZ802.
Gale Warning for PKZ803.
Gale Warning for PKZ804-805-852.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ806.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ807>810-817-851-854>856.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ811-812-857.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ813.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ816.
Gale Warning for PKZ853.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ858.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ859.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ860.
&&
CHRIESTSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 618 AM AKST Thu Jan 23 2025 AKZ811-833-240100- South Slopes Of The Eastern Brooks Range-Yukon Flats- Including Arctic Village, Fort Yukon, Venetie, Circle, Central, Stevens Village, Beaver, and The Steese Highway north of MP 124 618 AM AKST Thu Jan 23 2025 ...Heavy Snowfall and Rain Likely for the Yukon Flats... There is increasing likelihood that a winter storm moving into the area will impact the Central Interior and eastern Interior, including the Yukon Flats, Thursday into Friday, and lasting through the weekend. Potential impacts from this storm include southerly winds of 25 to 35+ mph and blowing snow, moisture-laden snowfall transitioning to rain, and then a changeover back to more snowfall along a strong arctic front Sunday into Monday. Given the warmth of the airmass and the amount of liquid precipitation, travel will become quite difficult late week into the weekend. There is still some uncertainty regarding the strength and positioning of the storm. Stay tuned for future updates as details are ironed out in future forecasts. Information on the latest forecast can be found by visiting our website, www.weather.gov/afg.|
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 621 AM AKST Thu Jan 23 2025 AKZ815>818-820>822-824-825-240100- Kivalina and Red Dog Dock-Lower Kobuk Valley-Baldwin Peninsula- Northern Seward Peninsula-Shishmaref-Bering Strait Coast- Southern Seward Peninsula Coast- Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills-Yukon Delta Coast- Including Kivalina, Red Dog Dock, Noorvik, Selawik, Kiana, Kotzebue, Deering, Buckland, Candle, Shishmaref, Diomede, Wales, Brevig Mission, Teller, Nome, White Mountain, Golovin, Unalakleet, Stebbins, St Michael, Elim, Koyuk, Shaktoolik, Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, Kotlik, Scammon Bay, Hooper Bay, Nunam Iqua, and Chevak 621 AM AKST Thu Jan 23 2025 ...Possible Water Over Ice Along Beaches Thursday Night through Friday For Coastal Regions... A strong storm with south to southwest winds of 40 to 55 mph will impact the West Coast and Western Interior Thursday night and Friday. For coastal locations, water is likely to come through cracks in the sea ice and make travel very difficult. Given the extent of the ice and thickness, impacts to land areas are expected to be minimal, so no coastal flood products will be issued at this time. The potential for coastal impacts remains south of Hooper Bay and Nunivak Island. Given the warmth of the airmass and the amount of liquid precipitation, travel will become quite difficult late week into the weekend. Stay tuned for future updates as details are ironed out in future forecasts. Information on the latest forecast can be found by visiting our website, www.weather.gov/afg.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow, 2 blizzard, 2 avalanche, 2 high wind, 1 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The Wiseman COOP observer reported 13.2 inches of new snow for the 24 hours ending at 8am on January 24th.
The Upper Nome Creek SNOWTEL reported warning level snowfall on both the 24th and 25th. Over the course of the event 33 inches of snow was recorded. Alaska DOT closed the Elliott Highway at Eagle Summit.
Blizzard conditions developed during the morning hours at Utqiagvik with the PABR AWOS reporting visibility down to .25 miles and winds gusting to 68 mph. The ASOS stopped reporting during the event, but public reports supported the blizzard continuing into the afternoon hours.
Alaska DOT reported on their 511 site that an Avalanche occurred at mile 219 of the Parks Highway and was blocking traffic in all directions. DOT estimated that at least 6 feet of snow was covering the highway as a result of the avalanche.
Alaska DOT reported on the 511 site that numerous avalanches had occurred through Atigun pass resulting in closure of the Dalton Highway. During the time of the event the Chandalar Shelf mesonet site was reporting several hours of 30 to 40 mph wind gusts leading to extra snow loading in the area.
The Texas (TEXA2) mesonet site near Fort Greely reported a wind gust of 90 mph while the Air Force Tower (AFTA2) location gusted to 91 mph.
The Atqasuk AWOW PATQ reported several hours of blizzard conditions with visibility as low as .13 mile and wind gusts as high as 55 mph.
Snow changed to freezing rain at McGrath and continued for over 30 hours. There was .94 inches of freezing rain that fell in one 24 hour period with over an inch of freezing rain total during the event. the Innoko Lodge lost power and reported ice covered trees and power lines were down.
The COOP observer in Minchumina reported an accumulation of 1 inch of freezing rain followed by 6 inches of snowfall on top of the ice in a 24 hour period.
The Bettles Field SNOTEL reported 8 inches of snow in 24 hours.
Winds gusted as high as 71 mph at Ft Greely (PABI) with other locations consistently experiencing wind gusts in excess of 50 mph for several hours. Numerous trees were downed as well as multiple power outages in and around Delta Junction. As many as 900 residents were without power as a result.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, January 2025
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: 1236938, 1237103, 1236966, 1237039, 1237095, 1237052, 1236956, 1237083, 1237073, 1236940, 1237120.