Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2018
Blizzard Warning 1, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this blizzard warning at Jan 1, 2018, 2:21 AM AKST. It was in force for 32 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
- Jan 1, 2018, 2:21 AM AKST (11:21 UTC)
- Expired
- Jan 2, 2018, 10:19 AM AKST
- In force
- 32 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
The text
As transmitted.
580 WWAK41 PAFG 011121 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 221 AM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 AKZ201-020000- /O.UPG.PAFG.WW.Y.0121.000000T0000Z-180102T0000Z/ /O.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.180101T1121Z-180102T0000Z/ Western Arctic Coast- Including Wainwright, Atqasuk, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne 221 AM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions occurring. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. * WHERE...Western Arctic Coast mainly west of Wainwright. * WHEN...Until 3 PM today. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 45 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. 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 whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ204-020000- /O.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.180101T1121Z-180103T0900Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 221 AM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST TUESDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions occurring. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until midnight Tuesday night. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 45 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-020000- /O.NEW.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.180101T1500Z-180102T1500Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 221 AM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM AKST TUESDAY... * WHAT...Blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel conditions at times. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...6 AM today to 6 AM Tuesday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow reducing the visibility to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
4 follow-up statements
975 WWAK41 PAFG 012305 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 205 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 AKZ201-020015- /O.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T0000Z/ Western Arctic Coast- Including Wainwright, Atqasuk, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne 205 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... $$ AKZ204-021500- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180103T0900Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 205 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST TUESDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions occurring. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until midnight Tuesday night. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting to 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. 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 whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-021500- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T1500Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 205 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST TUESDAY... * WHAT...Blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel conditions at times. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until 6 AM Tuesday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow reducing the visibility to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
744 WWAK41 PAFG 020028 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 328 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 AKZ204-021500- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180103T0900Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 328 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST TUESDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions occurring. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until midnight Tuesday night. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. 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 whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ201-021500- /O.EXA.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T1500Z/ Western Arctic Coast- Including Wainwright, Atqasuk, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne 328 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST TUESDAY... * WHAT...Blowing snow expected. Areas of poor visibilities will create difficult travel conditions. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. * WHERE...Western Arctic Coast. * WHEN...Until 6 AM Tuesday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 35 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-021500- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T1500Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 328 PM AKST Mon Jan 1 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST TUESDAY... * WHAT...Blowing snow expected. Areas of poor visibilities will create difficult travel conditions. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until 6 AM Tuesday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
392 WWAK41 PAFG 021435 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 535 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 AKZ204-030000- /O.EXT.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180103T0000Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 535 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions occurring. Travel will be very difficult. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until 3 PM today. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. $$ AKZ201-022100- /O.EXT.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T2100Z/ Western Arctic Coast- Including Wainwright, Atqasuk, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne 535 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AKST TODAY... * WHAT...Blowing snow with areas of poor visibility. Visibility will be reduced to one half mile or less at times. Travel will be difficult. * WHERE...Western Arctic Coast. * WHEN...Until noon today. Winds will decrease by late morning and visibility will begin to improve then. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. $$ AKZ203-022100- /O.EXT.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T2100Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 535 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AKST TODAY... * WHAT...Blowing snow with areas of poor visibility. Visibility will be reduced to one half mile or less at times. Travel will be difficult. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until noon today. Winds will decrease by late morning and visibility will begin to improve then. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 45 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
826 WWAK41 PAFG 021919 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1019 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 AKZ204-022030- /O.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180103T0000Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 1019 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... Very low visibilities due to blowing snow have improved and the blizzard warning is cancelled. $$ AKZ201-203-022030- /O.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-180102T2100Z/ Western Arctic Coast-Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Wainwright, Atqasuk, Point Lay, Cape Lisburne, Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 1019 AM AKST Tue Jan 2 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... Very low visibilities due to blowing snow have improved and the winter weather advisory is cancelled. $$
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 Dec 31, 1:22 PM AKST, 12 hours 59 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 1:22 PM AKST, 12 hours 59 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 122 PM AKST Sun Dec 31 2017 .DISCUSSION... Models...Not much change from yesterday in the solutions for the short term. Good run to run continuity continues. Solutions continue to make rather significant changes around 60 hours each cycle. 31/12Z solutions initialized well against the 31/18Z surface analysis with good positions, and feature strength. SREF/NAM precipitation solution favored for the short term as it handles the downslope drying of the Alaska Range and redevelops the precipitation north of the Yukon River. Aloft...At 500 hpa...Ridging continues to rotate northeast across the area today and will be over the Eastern Brooks Range and Eastern Arctic Coast tonight. A second ridge will rotate up and merge into it with ridging pushing west over the Northwest Arctic Coast Monday morning. A 504 dam low in the Central Bering Sea will remain quasi stationary into Monday evening, then start moving west as a 505 dam low moves east over the Aleutians to be over Nikolski by Tuesday morning. A 505 dam low will move from over the North Pacific to 200 nm south of Sand Point by Monday morning, then over Bristol Bay Monday evening, then over the Lower Yukon Delta by Tuesday afternoon as it weakens to 513 dam. A shortwave currently over the Lower Yukon Delta will move northwest tonight over St Lawrence Island and the Bering Strait and west of the Gulf of Anadyr by Monday morning. A second shortwave that lies from the low in the Central Bering Sea southeast over Sand Point this afternoon will move north to lie over Nunivak Island and the Gulf of Alaska Coast by Monday morning, moving north to the Brooks Range by late Monday night, and over the Arctic by Tuesday morning. At 850 hpa...Warmer air pushing with some patches of above zero temperatures moving into the southern interior Monday night through Tuesday night before cooling back down. Over the remainder of the area temperatures will rise to -10 or warmer before starting to cool on Wednesday. Surface...High pressure continues over the Yukon Territory and the Upper Tanana Valley with a 1046 mb center near Watson Lake YT. A broad area of low pressure has moved over most of mainland Alaska with a 973 mb low near the Pribilof Islands. Over the Arctic High pressure is building east with a 1034 mb center moving over the Central Arctic tonight. Leeside troughing north of the Alaska Range will weaken this evening. A weather front will move west over the Bering Strait and St Lawrence Island tonight and tight pressure gradient will persist over the Eastern Bering Sea, Bering Strait, and Chukchi Sea tonight, but weaken. A weather front south of the Gulf of Alaska will move north to the Gulf Coast Monday morning, and move into the interior Tuesday. A very tight pressure gradient will develop across the Alaska Range as a strong leeside trough develops to the north. Leeside trough develops north of the Brooks Range Monday with a 1014 mb low developing and moving over the Prudhoe Bay by Tuesday afternoon at 1000 mb. As the leeside troughing develops north of the Brooks Range a ridge of high pressure will build in to the south and a tight pressure gradient will develop across the Eastern Brooks Range Tuesday through Wednesday morning. Arctic Coast and Brooks Range...Mostly cloudy to Cloudy, patchy fog, flurries, and winds turning onshore for most areas at 5 to 15 mph. For the Northwest Coast winds will be offshore and increasing as the pressure gradient across the Chukchi Sea and Western Arctic is squeezed, this will create some issues with blowing snow so will maintain the current Winter Weather Advisory. Wind picking up on the Eastern Arctic Coast Monday night will create some issues around Kaktovik with Strong gusty winds and blowing snow. Temperatures a bit warmer tonight and tomorrow then cooling the remainder of the week. West Coast and Western Interior...Continues to be the most active area with Blizzard and near Blizzard conditions across the area. Winds will be diminishing overnight, as will the snow, so look for improving conditions tonight. Will maintain the current set of Warnings and Advisories as timing looks good. The next system moving north into the area Monday night will bring a new set of issues as the warmer air being pulled north brings to potential for freezing precipitation in the lower Yukon Delta and southern Norton Sound Regions. Tight pressure gradient across the western Alaska Range will produce strong southeast winds gusting to around 55 mph Tuesday near passes. Central and Eastern Interior...Mostly cloudy conditions will continue, but there will be some breaks. Temperatures warming. Strong gap winds and Tanana Valley Jet winds diminishing this evening, but they return Tuesday morning and will be even stronger with gusts near 80 mph as a weather front moves across the area. No significant precipitation expected with the front south of the Yukon River, with snow developing north of the Yukon Tuesday. && Coastal Hazards for days 3 and 4...None. && Extended Forecast for days 4 to 7...Models are in a bit better agreement building ridging aloft north of the Alaska Range with a broad trough over the Western Bering Sea. At the surface a deep low will move into the Central Bering Sea with a front moving to the West Coast Friday. A blend of the Ensembles means and the ECMWF deterministic solution will be used for this forecast cycle. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Blizzard Warning for AKZ213. Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ201-AKZ207-AKZ211. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225. Gale Warning for PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ225-PKZ230. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ220. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ215-PKZ240-PKZ245. && SDB DEC 17
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 1:05 AM AKST | High Wind Warning | AFG | 41 hr | |
| Jan 1, 1:07 AM AKST | High Wind Watch | AFG | 13 hr | |
| Jan 1, 1:12 AM AKST | High Wind Watch | AFG | 13 hr | |
| Jan 1, 1:12 AM AKST | Wind Advisory | AFG | 41 hr | |
| Jan 1, 2:21 AM AKST | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 32 hr | |
| Jan 1, 4:27 AM AKST | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 37 hr | |
| Jan 1, 4:43 AM AKST | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Jan 1, 4:43 AM AKST | Gale Warning | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Jan 1, 4:51 AM AKST | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Jan 1, 4:51 AM AKST | Small Craft Advisory | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Jan 1, 4:51 AM AKST | Heavy Freezing Spray Warning | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Jan 1, 2:07 PM AKST | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 15 hr | |
| Jan 1, 2:12 PM AKST | Wind Advisory | AFG | 24 hr | |
| Jan 1, 2:32 PM AKST | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 15 hr | |
| Jan 1, 2:41 PM AKST | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 15 hr |
Nearby
Blizzard Warnings in Alaska, 2018Every blizzard warning in 2018
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.