Wrn P.w. Snd & Kenai Mtns storm history

Two snowmachiners triggered an avalanche near Snug Harbor, Alaska. One person escaped and was able to locate the other person, who was already deceased. This was reported in the Alaska Dispatch News.

A mariner reported that a waterspout developed between Cheval Island and Pony Cove starting around 10:45 AM AKST that moved from west to east after developing and lasted for about 5 minutes. Photo evidence provided by this mariner showed a clear funnel cloud and surface circulati…

Two observation sites in Whittier began reporting west winds sustained at 30 to 35 mph gusting between 40 and 50 mph with 1/4 mile visibility or less between 6 am and 7 am AKST 4/9, lasting close to 24 hours until 6 am AKST 4/10 as winds began to diminish. This was also supported…

The Portage Glacier Center ASOS recorded 1/4 mile visibility in heavy snow and frequent gusts 35+ mph from 8:44 AM - 11:53 AM. While, visibility was reduced to 1/4 or 1/2 mile due to heavy snow in many locations, no other stations saw prolonged periods of 1/4 mile vis with winds …

Alaska DOT reported blizzard and whiteout conditions with snow amounts ranging from 6-24 inches. Chugach Avalanche Center Meteorologist, Wendy Wagner, reported multiple cars in the ditch, including a police vehicle, as well as, 18 inches on the road at the top of the pass. The ve…

Blizzard conditions were observed by the Whittier MAWS from the morning of March 1 through early afternoon. Visibility was 1/4 miles or less, with winds gusting in excess of 35 knots (40 mph). Visibility improved by the afternoon and evening as the intensity of snowfall decreased…

Webcam images from Whittier tunnel staging area showed widespread low visibilities with snow and blowing snow during daylight hours on 2/10. The Portage AWOS reported 1/4 mile visibility snow and blowing snow between about 10 AM and 6 PM AKST 2/10.

The Portage AWOS recorded strong easterly winds gusting to around 45 MPH with light to moderate snow and blowing snow, with visibility reduced to 1/2 mile or less between about 10 AM and 5 PM AKST 2/5. The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center also reported 1/2 mile visibility…

Low elevation mixed precipitation and areas of heavy snow across the mountains and mountain passes, impacted the Turnagain Arm and areas along the Chugach Mountain Range. Alyeska Resort staff and a Chugach Avalanche forecaster reported that the area south of Turnagain Pass at had…

Alaska 511 reported freezing rain and icy roads.

Snow Glacial Dam releases caused minor flooding along the Kenai River from near Seward to Skilak Lake. Water levels reached minor flood levels, with reports of high water closing down boat access, reaching into yards, and encroaching garages that were along the river.

Whiteout conditions with zero visibility reported via Seward Hwy Traffic Report on Facebook. Portage (ASOS) reported one quarter mile visibility with moderate snow and freezing fog on the 27th around 4:13 pm. Wind were sustained out of the east 31 mph with gusts to 55 mph. These …

A Portage Glacier webcam showed that there were intermittent periods of very low visibility. Portage ASOS recorded visibility as low as three quarter to one mile, from Feb 3 11:06 AM to 11:53 AM.

Office received reports from various backcountry organizations including the Department of Transportation of 16 inches of snow overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning at the summit of the pass. Another 10 inches was reported after that by another forecaster. Road conditions wer…

The ASOS station that is in Whittier reported light rain showers with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees the morning of the 26th of December leading to rain freezing on surfaces. One of the trained spotters in Whittier reported a little snow. If any freezing rain fell at all…

Exit Glacier SNOTEL recorded 14.0 inches. Received reports from spotter Karen Corrigan at 4PM on 12/9 of 9 inches and Dave (300 ft above Lowell Point) estimated 11 inches of snow between sunrise on 12/9 to 12/10 around 1 AM. At Moose Pass Railroad 9.6 inches were noted on 12/10 a…

Turnagain Pass SNOTEL recorded 14.1 inches. A spotter report from Lowell Point noted 8-11 inches of wet snow at 12/6/21 12PM. By 2PM, the road from Lowell Pt to Seward was closed due to an avalanche.

The storm system also brought the bad weather conditions to the Whittier, Alaska area. Whittier observations reported between one quarter mile and three quarter mile visibility consistently between 3am to 10 am on the 26th of November. Not only was there falling snow helping to r…

Observations in Whittier, AK reported moderate to heavy snow throughout the afternoon and evening hours on the 22nd of November. In combination with the falling snow, strong gusty winds were also being observed with gusts as high as 45 kts or 50 mph at times. Combining the gusty …

The police department in Seward was called not long after the event ended to get a sense of what happened in the area. They reported widespread totals of a foot around town as well as some wind especially on the night of the 10th into the 11th that resulted in some very minor blo…

At Portage Lake, Alaska.

SNOTEL observations at Turnagain Pass, AK indicated as much as 25 inches of snow fell in a 18 hour period. This heavy snow coincided with high winds, which producing Blizzard conditions and extremely difficult driving conditions along the Sterling Highway through Turnagain pass. …

Eight to ten inches of rain fell between September 26th and October 3rd The most intense rain was on Wednesday, September 30th with 2.5 inches in 24 hours, followed by 3 days of 1-2 inches/day. This event caused flooding and gravel aggregation in many of the roadways. Specific im…

Eight to ten inches of rain fell between September 26th and October 3rd The most intense rain was on Wednesday, September 30th with 2.5 inches in 24 hours, followed by 3 days of 1-2 inches/day. This event caused flooding and gravel aggregation in many of the roadways. Specific im…

Portage AWOS recorded 5 hours of blizzard conditions. Heavy snow and blowing snow continued through the afternoon, although visibilities improved.

Alaska DOT closed the Seward Highway from Indian to Turnagain Pass due to blizzard conditions.

Portage ASOS measured a peak wind of 81 mph.

Aerial monitoring of the Snow Glacier Dammed Lake, combined with a rise in the water level on the river gauge indicated the lake had released. The forecast river stage was based on the estimated amount of water in the lake. Primrose Campground and Cooper Lake Campground were floo…

Portage ASOS recorded wind gusts above 73 mph for two hours.

RWIS camera at Turnagain Pass showed 3 to 4 feet snow accumulation over 12 hours. Social media reports indicated 18 in Bird Creek, in addition to complete whiteout conditions and difficult driving along the Seward Highway.

Due easterly winds and an unusually high tide combined to bring waves of an estimated 8 to 9 feet directly into Whittier's harbor. This caused an extensive amount of damage, which was reported by the harbormaster and public works director. Winds during this time reached between 6…

The dike eroded along Sawmill Creek causing flooding on 2 properties in the Clyde King Subdivision to flood; 1 house has 1.5 ft of water.

NWS Survey team as well as photos and reports from residents along Primrose Spur road on south end of Kenai Lake confirm several days of flooded yards and road closed by state Dept. of Transportation. Resident reported flooding on the high end of normal for this biennial flooding…

Portage glacier AWOS reported 78 mph gust.

About 3.5 inches of rain fell in the Seward area, with 1.72 inches falling in a 6 hour period. The Resurrection River, adjacent to the Seward airport, rose 5 ft in 24 hours, resulting in water and debris impacting the runway and causing a 2 day closure of the airport.

Snow stake at Turnagain Pass indicated 2 feet of fell snow over 7 hours.

Bird Point Road Weather Information System measured a gust to 84 mph. No damage reports.

Winds through Whittier tunnel gusted to 91 mph shortly after 9:20 p.m. A tractor trailer blew over on the road between Whittier and Portage.

Portage ASOS reported 1/4 mile visibility with snow and fog for 6 hours. Peak winds during this time were 44 knots. No damage reported.

The airport at Seward measured 4.47 inches of rainfall between October 27-28, 2013. This caused the Lowell Creek diversion tunnel outlet stream to become filled with gravel from the creek that washed down from the mountainside in the heavy rainfall. The result was damage to the b…

The Resurrection River in Seward reached minor flood stage and covered part of the runway at the airport. Several roads were closed as water covering them made them impassible.

Heavy snow with 1/4 mile visibility had been falling in Whittier since the evening of the 24th but there was very little wind until the low passed East of Whittier. When this happened winds rapidly increased around 3 AM on the 25th and were gusting to 44 mph by 3:30 AM with conti…

This was a typical Blizzard situation in Portage Valley with strong east to southeast winds coming through Portage pass and heavy snowfall with the passing of a front from the south. This event began with light snow and strong winds. The wind came down as snowfall rate was increa…