Heavy Snow — Lower Yukon Valley, Alaska

1999-12-21 to 1999-12-22 · Lower Yukon Valley, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A strong Low in the North Pacific moved north over the Alaska Peninsula on the evening of the 21st, then northeast over the interior of Alaska on the 22nd, with a second low developing just beyond the northeast corner of Alaska on the afternoon of the 22nd. The main low over the central interior also moved northeast joining the second low early on the 23rd, with a cold front sweeping east across the interior the night of the 22nd and stalling over the eastern Tanana Valley early on the 23rd, then moving east into Canada late in the day. The storm system brought a variety of winter weather to interior Alaska, along with High winds near the Alaska Range. Behind the cold front, moderate west winds over the eastern Tanana Valley existed from 9am on the 23rd to 9am on the 24th, hampering snow and ice removal in the Tok area.SNOW amounts reported:ZONE 5: Upper Yukon Valley: Chandalar Lake #2 23rd 7.5 inches; Circle Hot Springs 21st-22nd 8.4 inches; Wiseman 21st-22nd 13.2 inches; Chandalar lake 22nd 7.0 inches; 7 mile D.O.T 22nd 8.0 inches; Chicken 21st 9.0 inches; Eagle 21st 7.0 inchesZONE 4: Koyukuk Valley: Coldfoot D.O.T. 23rd-24th 17.0 inches; Chandalar Shelf D.O.T. 23rd 14.0 inches.ZONE 8: Lower Yukon Valley: Galena 22nd 7.0 inches.ZONE 7: Tanana Valley: Lake Minchumina 21st-22nd 15.5 inches; Tok D.O.T. 21st-24th 20.0 inches; Robertson River 21st 17.9 inches; Tanacross 21st 10.0 inches; Dry Creek 21st 14.5 inches; Northway D.O.T. 21st 6.0 inches. The State of Alaska Department of Transportation at Delta Junction reported unofficially that 34 inches had fallen by 9pm on the 21st at Trimms Camp south of Delta Junction on the Richardson Highway (in the Alaska Range). FREEZING RAIN reported across the Tanana Valley: Ester 5NE 21st 9pm; Fox 21st-22nd; Ester Dome 21st; Chena Ridge 21st ; North Pole(KJNP Radio) 21st; Fairbanks midtown 22nd-23rd; Goldstream22nd freezing drizzle; Eureka 23rd. The State of Alaska Department of Transportation at Delta Junction closed the Richardson Highway due to strong winds and heavy rains freezing on the roads. Roadside ditches were full and water was running down the highways. Creeks along the Richardson were overflowing and running across the road. Cold ground conditions caused the water to freeze on the road accumulating up to 4 inches of ice on the roadway. D.O.T. snow/plow trucks were blown off the road as a result of the high winds. Two private vehicles were stranded overnight in the Trimms Areas (south of Delta Junction in the Alaska Range) because neither Delta nor Paxson road crews could reach them. The D.O.T. office at Tok reported extremely hazardous driving conditions continuing onthe 23rd as an additional six inches of snow fell on the ice layer. HIGH WIND, Tanana Valley: Highest gusts: Denali Park AWOS 47 mph; Healy 60 mph; Delta Junction ASOS 48 mph - ASOS was without power during the middle of this event, so highest gust noted above was from available data before and after power outage.. See above narrative on Freezing Rain in the Delta Junction/northern Richardson Highway area. The State of Alaska Department of Transportation at Delta Junction estimated winds as high as 60 mph sustained with gusts to 85 mph; trees and signs were blown down.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5721023. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.