Ice Storm — Kuskokwim Delta Coast and Nunivak Island, Alaska

2025-12-02 to 2025-12-03 · Kuskokwim Delta Coast and Nunivak Island, Alaska

Event narrative

The Tuntuntuliak Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) reported a lot of ice with ice accumulating onto power lines and structures. Additionally, an electrical fire was seen on the Kwigillingok FAA webcam from the icing at 6:09 AM AKST on December 3.

Wider weather episode

A strong front developed at the beginning of December between a quasi-stationary area of low pressure over the southern Bering Sea and North Pacific, extending across Southwest Alaska for several days. A strong temperature gradient set up across the Kuskokwim Delta and Kuskokwim Valley as persistent northeast winds near the surface kept temperatures at ground level in the 10s and 20s. Southerly flow aloft along the frontal zone caused significant overrunning of warm air aloft above the cold air at the surface, creating a favorable atmospheric profile for freezing rain near and along the Kuskokwim River. Periods of freezing rain, sleet and snow impacted much of the southern Kuskokwim Delta from December 1st to December 3rd. Areas north of the transition zone, including Nunapitchuk and Toksook Bay, saw mostly snow and long lived blizzard conditions due to strong northeast winds gusting a strong as 50 to 70 mph at times during this same stretch.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1301863. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.