Winter Storm — Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

2021-12-28 · Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Event narrative

Issued due to a report from an NWS Employee of freezing rain in Kenai. They also said roads were bad, rain was full droplets, and 22 degree air temp.

A spotter called the office and reported solid rain from Kenai to Soldotna to Sterling at approximately 4:35PM on the 28th of December with an air temp 31 degrees and very slick roads. They also reported that the Spur Highway was closed about an hour prior and roads seem to also be sanded. Social media reports of rain & slick surfaces.

The Alaska 511 page reported at 2:35 PM on the 28th that all roads between Kenai, Soldotna, Sterling, and Kasilof River were difficult, black ice, frosted surface, ice, ice glaze, icy patches, road surfaces in poor condition, surface water hazard, wet and icy roads, and freezing rain. Also, social media reports came in of a large power outage effecting many on the Central Peninsula. Social media reports came in that Homer Electric Association was responding to a large power outage effecting over 4,000 members across the Kenai Peninsula and attached the article to the tweet.

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 1007082. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.