Heavy Snow — Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

2022-10-25 to 2022-10-26 · Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Event narrative

Precipitation began to fall across the western Kenai Peninsula on the morning of October 25th. The heaviest period of snowfall occurred during the afternoon and evening of the 25th through midnight, as indicated by ASOS reports from Kenai and Soldotna. Snow continued into the morning hours of October 26th at lighter intensity. Trained spotters reported 10.0 inches of storm total snow accumulation in Soldotna and 8.3 inches in Sterling.

Wider weather episode

A low pressure system moved over the Kuskokwim Delta on the evening of October 25th before turning southeast and moving over Bristol Bay by the morning of October 26th. As the upper-level energy of the system continued eastward, it initiated the development of a triple-point low over the northwestern Gulf of Alaska, which eventually tracked into Southeast Alaska.

Together, these systems contributed to a variety of winter weather across southern mainland Alaska, including widespread snowfall on October 25th and 26th, though some precipitation fell as rain along the coast of Bristol Bay and for a time on the southern Kenai Peninsula. The heaviest snow fell over the western Kenai Peninsula as the low over the Kuskokwim Delta pushed moist southwesterly flow up Cook Inlet while an upper-level shortwave rotated through, creating a band of heavier precipitation. The triple point low in the northern Gulf of Alaska contributed to blowing snow through Thompson Pass as a result of an enhanced pressure gradient due to its presence drawing cold air through the pass out of the Copper River Basin. Additionally, low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska combined with cold advection on the back side of the system to produce high winds through gaps in the Alaska Peninsula.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1089384. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.