Winter Weather — Western Prince William Sound, Alaska

2025-01-12 · Western Prince William Sound, Alaska

Event narrative

Blizzard conditions occurred in Whittier (WMHA2) between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM AKST on January 12th. Winds gusted to over 60 mph with visibility dropping to a quarter of a mile during this timeframe until the weather sensor failed. There were also reports of heavy snow and winds along portions of the Seward Highway the same day.

Wider weather episode

A large and strong low moved up the North Pacific into the eastern Bering Sea, peaking in strength as it moved up the Kuskokwim Delta. The orientation of the low's front was ideal for strong winds across Southcentral Alaska. Damaging winds were observed across parts of the Turnagain Arm, Kenai Peninsula, Matanuska Valley, and Anchorage. A significant amount of moisture also was transported by this system, causing issues with localized flooding and ponding of water on roads across parts of Southcentral. Snow fell in higher elevations, with multiple feet recorded in Thompson Pass. Colder temperatures prevailed after the front passed, allowing for heavy snowfall in Whittier on the morning of January 12. In Southwest Alaska, high surf, and minor coastal flooding in the Kuskokwim Delta Coast resulted from strong onshore winds. Low sea ice coverage was a factor in this flooding episode.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1234604. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.