Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2011

Blizzard Warning 51, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 25, 2011

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this blizzard warning at Dec 25, 2011, 4:01 PM AKST. It took effect at Dec 26, 2011, 5:00 AM AKST. It was in force for 24 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
Dec 25, 2011, 4:01 PM AKST (01:01 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 26, 2011, 5:00 AM AKST
Expired
Dec 27, 2011, 5:00 AM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

206 
WWAK41 PAFC 260101
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
401 PM AKST SUN DEC 25 2011

...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THOMPSON PASS AND
KEYSTONE CANYON...

AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC WILL APPROACH THE SOUTHERN
GULF OF ALASKA EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND TRACK TOWARDS THE REGION MONDAY
NIGHT. A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL
PRODUCE STRONG NORTH WINDS THROUGH NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
WELL AHEAD OF THE MAIN PRECIPITATION SHIELD. THROUGH THOMPSON PASS
AND KEYSTONE CANYON...THERE IS ABUNDANT TRANSPORTABLE SNOW TO BE
PICKED UP AND BLOWN AROUND...WITH BLOWING SNOW EXPECTED TO PRODUCE
WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS BY MONDAY MORNING. STEADY SNOW WILL DEVELOP
EARLY MONDAY EVENING TO REINFORCE THE POOR CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL
BEGIN TO DIMINISH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.

AKZ131-261515-
/X.NEW.PAFC.BZ.W.0051.111226T1400Z-111227T1400Z/
NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VALDEZ...THOMPSON PASS
401 PM AKST SUN DEC 25 2011

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM AKST
TUESDAY THROUGH THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM AKST
TUESDAY. 

* LOCATION...THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON.

* SNOW...AVAILABLE TRANSPORTABLE SNOW COUPLED WITH STRENGHTENING
  WINDS WILL PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WELL AHEAD OF THE MAIN
  PRECIPITATION SHIELD. STEADY SNOW WILL BEGIN EARLY MONDAY
  EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY.

* VISIBILITY...REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN BLOWING SNOW.

* WIND...NORTHEAST WINDS 35 TO 50 MPH.

* TIMING...NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE MONDAY MORNING AND BEGIN
  PRODUCING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. STEADY SNOW FROM THE LOW PRESSURE
  SYSTEM WILL BEGIN MONDAY EVENING KEEPING CONDITIONS POOR. WINDS
  WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...HELPING TO END THE
  BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

* IMPACTS...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS FROM BLOWING SNOW. DIFFICULT
  TRAVEL DUE TO STRONG WINDS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITE-OUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL VERY DIFFICULT. ALL TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR
ACTIVITY IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.

&&

$$

JAM
3 follow-up statements
028 
WWAK41 PAFC 261401
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
501 AM AKST MON DEC 26 2011

...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THOMPSON PASS AND
KEYSTONE CANYON...

AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC WILL APPROACH THE
SOUTHERN GULF OF ALASKA EARLY THIS MORNING AND TRACK TOWARDS
THE REGION TONIGHT. A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AHEAD OF THIS
SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE STRONG NORTH WINDS THROUGH NORTHEAST PRINCE
WILLIAM SOUND WELL AHEAD OF THE MAIN PRECIPITATION SHIELD. THROUGH
THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON...THERE IS ABUNDANT
TRANSPORTABLE SNOW TO BE PICKED UP AND BLOWN AROUND...WITH BLOWING
SNOW EXPECTED TO PRODUCE WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS THIS MORNING.
STEADY SNOW WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS EVENING TO REINFORCE THE POOR
CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.

AKZ131-270145-
/X.CON.PAFC.BZ.W.0051.000000T0000Z-111227T1400Z/
NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VALDEZ...THOMPSON PASS
501 AM AKST MON DEC 26 2011

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKST TUESDAY
THROUGH THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKST TUESDAY. 

* LOCATION...THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON.

* SNOW...AVAILABLE TRANSPORTABLE SNOW COUPLED WITH STRENGTHENING 
  WINDS WILL PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WELL AHEAD OF THE MAIN 
  PRECIPITATION SHIELD. STEADY SNOW WILL BEGIN EARLY THIS 
  EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. 

* VISIBILITY...REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN BLOWING SNOW.

* WIND...NORTHEAST WINDS 35 TO 50 MPH.

* TIMING...NORTHEAST WINDS HAVE INCREASED THIS MORNING RESULTING 
  IN LOCAL BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. STEADY SNOW FROM THE LOW PRESSURE
  SYSTEM WILL BEGIN MONDAY EVENING KEEPING CONDITIONS POOR. WINDS
  WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN EARLY TUESDAY MORNING... HELPING TO END THE
  BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

* IMPACTS...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS FROM BLOWING SNOW. DIFFICULT 
  TRAVEL DUE TO STRONG WINDS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITE-OUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL VERY DIFFICULT. ALL TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR
ACTIVITY IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.

&&

$$
858 
WWAK41 PAFC 270108
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
408 PM AKST MON DEC 26 2011

...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS CONTINUING THROUGH THOMPSON PASS AND
KEYSTONE CANYON...

AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS APPROACHING THE NORTHERN GULF OF
ALASKA. A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM
IS PRODUCING STRONG NORTH WINDS THROUGH NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM
SOUND AHEAD OF THE MAIN PRECIPITATION SHIELD. THROUGH THOMPSON
PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON...THERE IS ABUNDANT TRANSPORTABLE SNOW TO
BE PICKED UP AND BLOWN AROUND...WITH BLOWING SNOW EXPECTED TO
PRODUCE WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. STEADY SNOW
WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS EVENING TO REINFORCE THE POOR CONDITIONS.
WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AND
VISIBILITIES IMPROVE.

AKZ131-271400-
/X.CON.PAFC.BZ.W.0051.000000T0000Z-111227T1400Z/
NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VALDEZ...THOMPSON PASS
408 PM AKST MON DEC 26 2011

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKST TUESDAY
THROUGH THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKST TUESDAY. 

* LOCATION...THOMPSON PASS AND KEYSTONE CANYON.

* SNOW...AVAILABLE TRANSPORTABLE SNOW COUPLED WITH STRONG NORTH
  WINDS ARE PRODUCING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. STEADY SNOW WILL BEGIN
  EARLY THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING.

* VISIBILITY...REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN BLOWING SNOW.

* WIND...NORTHEAST WINDS 30 TO 50 MPH.

* TIMING...NORTHEAST WINDS HAVE INCREASED AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING
  LOW. THIS HAS RESULTED IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE
  DAY. STEADY SNOW FROM THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP THIS
  EVENING...KEEPING CONDITIONS POOR. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN
  EARLY TUESDAY MORNING... HELPING TO END THE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

* IMPACTS...WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS FROM BLOWING SNOW. DIFFICULT 
  TRAVEL DUE TO STRONG WINDS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITE-OUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL VERY DIFFICULT. ALL TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR
ACTIVITY IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.

&&

$$
314 
WWAK41 PAFC 271400
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKST TUE DEC 27 2011

AKZ131-271500-
/X.EXP.PAFC.BZ.W.0051.000000T0000Z-111227T1400Z/
NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VALDEZ...THOMPSON PASS
500 AM AKST TUE DEC 27 2011

...BLIZZARD WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

THE BLIZZARD WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 25, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC24 hr
Dec 25, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC36 hr
Dec 25, 4:00 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 25, 4:00 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 25, 4:00 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 26, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 26, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 26, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC36 hr
Dec 26, 7:17 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC5 days

Nearby

Blizzard Warnings in Alaska, 2011Every blizzard warning in 2011

Sources

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