Winter Storm — Matanuska Valley, Alaska

2021-12-28 · Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Event narrative

AWOS observation located at the Parks Highway at Hawk Lane MP53 (HKLA2) reported unknown precipitation and a road temperature of 30-31F with an air temperature of 33-34F beginning at 7:10 and continued through 8:10 on the 28th of December.

The Alaska 511 webpage at 5:30 PM on the 28th on the Glenn Highway between MP 29-66 recorded difficult road conditions, ice build-up, ice glaze, as well as wet, and icy roads.

Wider weather episode

A low pressure system moving northward from the North Pacific met up with Arctic cold entrenched over southern Alaska. As a result, moisture from the Gulf spread inland and met up with the Arctic air in place leading to a myriad of winter weather precipitation types. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain and blowing snow would all be observed.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1007081. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.