Winter Weather — Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

2024-11-03 to 2024-11-04 · Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Event narrative

A social media post reported a storm total measurement of 16 inches in Ninilchik between 9 AM AKST 11/3 and 1 PM AKST 11/4/24. Several other snowfall reports of 5 to 12 inches were noted across the Homer Bluffs and along the Sterling Highway between Homer and Ninilchik between 11/3 and 11/4. At least two vehicles went off the road while heavy snowfall was occurring in the area.

Wider weather episode

A low moving slowly into the southwestern Kenai Peninsula brought an area of moderate to heavy snowfall that affected areas between Homer and Ninilchik between 11/3 and 11/4. Snowfall reports across this corridor during this timeframe ranged from 5 to 16 inches, with the highest report received on social media in the Ninilchik area on 11/4. Temperatures near sea level fell below freezing faster than expected during the course of this precipitation event, leading to higher totals than what was initially anticipated for lower elevations along southern portions of the Sterling Highway.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1226451. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.