Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2009

Blizzard Warning 16, NWS Fairbanks, AK

March 6, 2009

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this blizzard warning at Mar 6, 2009, 10:46 AM AKST. It was in force for 7 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 6, 2009, 10:46 AM AKST (19:46 UTC)
Expired
Mar 6, 2009, 5:44 PM AKST
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WWAK41 PAFG 061946
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1046 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

AKZ201-070300-
/X.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.090306T1946Z-090307T0300Z/
WESTERN ARCTIC COAST-
INCLUDING...WAINWRIGHT...ATQASUK...POINT LAY...CAPE LISBURNE
1046 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS AFTERNOON. 

LOCAL BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH
NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTS TO 35 MPH. CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE
THIS EVENING. 

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND
EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND
MAKE ANY TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY HAZARDOUS.

$$

AKZ202-062100-
/X.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0033.000000T0000Z-090306T2100Z/
NORTHERN ARCTIC COAST-
INCLUDING...BARROW...ALAKTAK...PITT POINT...NULAVIK
1046 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AKST
TODAY...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AKST
TODAY. 

AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW IN THE MORNING WITH POOR VISIBILITY AT
TIMES. NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH DIMINISHING TO AROUND 15 MPH
IN THE AFTERNOON.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT ONE OR MORE WINTER HAZARDS
ARE EXPECTED TO CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. USE CAUTION WHEN
TRAVELING.

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWAK41 PAFG 062054
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1154 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

AKZ202-062200-
/X.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0033.000000T0000Z-090306T2100Z/
NORTHERN ARCTIC COAST-
INCLUDING...BARROW...ALAKTAK...PITT POINT...NULAVIK
1154 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS CANCELLED THE
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. 


$$

AKZ201-070300-
/X.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-090307T0300Z/
WESTERN ARCTIC COAST-
INCLUDING...WAINWRIGHT...ATQASUK...POINT LAY...CAPE LISBURNE
1154 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON. 

LOCAL BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
WITH NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTS TO 35 MPH. CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY
IMPROVE THIS EVENING.

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND
EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND
MAKE ANY TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY HAZARDOUS.

$$
000 
WWAK41 PAFG 062307
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
207 PM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

AKZ201-070300-
/X.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-090307T0300Z/
WESTERN ARCTIC COAST-
INCLUDING...WAINWRIGHT...ATQASUK...POINT LAY...CAPE LISBURNE
207 PM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON. 

LOCAL BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
WITH NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH. CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY
IMPROVE THIS EVENING.

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND
EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND
MAKE ANY TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY HAZARDOUS.

$$
000 
WWAK41 PAFG 070244
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
544 PM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

AKZ201-070345-
/X.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-090307T0300Z/
WESTERN ARCTIC COAST-
INCLUDING...WAINWRIGHT...ATQASUK...POINT LAY...CAPE LISBURNE
544 PM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS CANCELLED THE
BLIZZARD WARNING.

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this blizzard warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this blizzard warning went out at Mar 6, 3:42 AM AKST, 7 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 6, 3:42 AM AKST, 7 hours 4 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
342 AM AKST FRI MAR 6 2009

.DISCUSSION...

MODELS SHOWING SAME SIMILARITIES FOR NEXT 48 HOURS WITH ONLY MINOR
DIFFERENCES. CURRENT 993 MB LOW NEAR NOATAK WILL MOVE INLAND AND
RAPIDLY WEAKEN BY THIS EVENING. COLD ADVECTION FROM BEHIND THE LOW
IS CURRENTLY BE USHERED INTO NORTHERN ALASKA. UPPER LEVEL SHORT
WAVE WILL MOVE EASTWARD TO CROSS THE CENTRAL INTERIOR BY FRIDAY
AFTERNOON.

UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO ALL OF MAINLAND
ALASKA BY SUNDAY AND REACH ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTH POLE. THE NEXT
LOW MOVES INTO THE BERING SEA BY SATURDAY AND WILL SERVE TO NUDGE
THE AXIS OF THE RIDGE EASTWARD. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE JET STREAM
TO SET UP TO THE SOUTH OF THE STATE AND WILL ONLY ALLOW MOVEMENT
TO THE SOUTH OF THE MAINLAND. UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF SOME FLAVOR
SETS UP AND REMAINS OVER ALL OF MAINLAND ALASKA THROUGH NEXT WEEK.

COLD ADVECTION ENTERING NORTHERN ALASKA IS BRINGING IN STRONG
WINDS OVER MUCH OF THE INTERIOR. THIS WILL KEEP HIGHER TERRAIN IN
THE INTERIOR IN POOR VISIBILITY...TO INCLUDE HIGHWAY SUMMITS.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ207-AKZ208-AKZ210-AKZ212-AKZ216-
AKZ217.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ201.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ202-AKZ219-AKZ220-AKZ221-AKZ224-
AKZ225-AKZ226.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230-
PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245.
&&

CF MAR 09

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 6, 6:38 AM AKST, 4 hours 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
638 AM AKST FRI MAR 06 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 AM     HEAVY SNOW       UNIVERSITY WEST         64.85N 147.87W
03/05/2009  M3.5 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

0826 AM     HEAVY SNOW       LAKE MINCHUMINA         63.87N 152.41W
03/05/2009  M5.6 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

0839 AM     HEAVY SNOW       4 WSW CHENA RIDGE       64.78N 148.13W
03/05/2009  M4.0 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

0904 AM     HEAVY SNOW       FAIRBANKS               64.81N 147.86W
03/05/2009  M3.6 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

            COLLEGE OBSERVATORY

0912 AM     HEAVY SNOW       8 SW ANDERSON           64.22N 149.35W
03/05/2009  M6.6 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

0855 PM     HEAVY SNOW       FAIRBANKS               64.81N 147.86W
03/05/2009  M8.6 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

0913 PM     HEAVY SNOW       6 SW FAIRBANKS          64.75N 148.00W
03/05/2009  M9.5 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

0913 PM     HEAVY SNOW       SALCHA                  64.47N 146.94W
03/05/2009  M4.5 INCH                           AK   PUBLIC

0913 PM     HEAVY SNOW       4 NW ESTER              64.90N 148.12W
03/05/2009  M7.0 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

0913 PM     HEAVY SNOW       5 ENE FAIRBANKS         64.85N 147.69W
03/05/2009  M8.0 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

ACROSS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 5, 4:30 PM AKSTHigh Wind WarningAFG13 hr
Mar 5, 6:12 PM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG18 hr
Mar 6, 3:50 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG24 hr
Mar 6, 9:45 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG5 hr
Mar 6, 2:02 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG13 hr
Mar 6, 2:28 PM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFG23 hr

Nearby

Blizzard Warnings in Alaska, 2009Every blizzard warning in 2009

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.