ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska’s largest city declared a snow emergency last week after a winter storm dropped record snowfall amounts, and with more snow falling this week, Anchorage is now less than an inch away from achieving its snowiest November on record.
Anchorage broke a daily snowfall record last Wednesday when 9 inches of snow fell in 24 hours. An additional 8.2 inches piled up the following day, setting another daily record. Another 3.6 inches fell on Friday, bringing the winter storm’s three-day total to 20.8 inches between Nov. 8 and Nov. 10.
Alaska was hit with another snowstorm earlier this week when 8.7 inches of fresh snow piled up in Anchorage on Monday, breaking the daily record for Nov. 13. That was preceded by 0.2 inches on Sunday, resulting in a storm total of 8.9 inches.
That means Anchorage has received 29.7 inches of snow in the past week alone.
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As you can see, it’s been a busy November in terms of snowfall in Anchorage – and we’re just two weeks into the month.
According to the National Weather Service, the average snowfall for Anchorage between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14 is 5 inches. That average is based on records from 1991-2020.
Through Tuesday, Anchorage recorded 37.9 inches since the first day of the month, meaning the city’s November total is now 32.9 inches above average for this point in the month.
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The snowiest November since records began in 1953 was a total of 38.8 inches set in 1994. That means Anchorage is only 0.9 inches away from breaking that record. With 16 days remaining in the month, the record has a high likelihood of being broken.
November 2023 currently ranks as Anchorage’s sixth-snowiest month on record. February 1996 holds the top spot with 52.1 inches of snow.
Anchorage averages 77.9 inches of snow over an entire winter, ranking as the seventh-snowiest city in the U.S. with a population of at least 50,000 people. It has received 39.1 inches of snow since October, which means it’s already picked up half a season’s worth of snowfall before winter has even begun.
Winter weather alerts are in effect across The Last Frontier, including Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories, due to the threat of heavy snow.
The highest elevations could pick up 2-3 feet of snow over the next week, but lower amounts are expected in Anchorage.
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However, the National Weather Service said there is the potential for falling tree branches due to winds that could gust upward of 25 mph. Those winds could snap branches due to the weight of snow, and power outages are possible in the area.