Winter Storm — Cape Decision To Salisbury Sound Coastal Area, Alaska

2012-01-20 to 2012-01-21 · Cape Decision To Salisbury Sound Coastal Area, Alaska

Event narrative

Baranof Island got clobbered by wind and heavy snow on 1.20 through 1.21. Wind observations were to 50 MPH along with 19.0 inches of new snow measured on the evening of 1.20. Snow changed to rain on 1.21.

Wider weather episode

A high pressure system had built into the Yukon and B.C. as a 965 MB storm force low moved into the central Gulf of Alaska. Strong north wind developed for Downtown Juneau, but no damage was reported on the night of 1.19.12. The storm deepened into the 950s with very strong surface pressure gradients, cold air, and heavy snow for most of the Panhandle. This system was so mature that it took two days to dissipate as the center was finally pushed to Vancouver Island on the 1.22.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 364959. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.