Winter Storm — Eastern Chichagof Island, Alaska

2024-01-12 to 2024-01-13 · Eastern Chichagof Island, Alaska

Event narrative

Light snow began during the day on the 12th with rates picking up overnight. The Hoonah COOP measured 7.4 inches by 820am the next morning. Snow became lighter through the 13th and didn't add up much more due to compression over the next 2 days. Over the MLK long weekend (3.5 days), a total of 12.9 inches fell in Hoonah, but most of that occurred by Saturday morning the 13th, as noted above.

Wider weather episode

Over an extended long weekend event, a prefrontal trough followed by a stronger main system with attached moisture plume, delivered first a wave of dry powdery snow with very high snow rations (40:1 to 50:1 in many places). The next wave/front of snow was wetter and difficult to shovel, with some places seeing a period of freezing drizzle in between the two waves. As the 2nd front tracked southward on the 16th, bringing snow to those areas and extending the duration of the event.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1160322. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.