Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2018
Blizzard Warning 20, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this blizzard warning at Mar 18, 2018, 12:08 PM AKDT. It took effect at Mar 19, 2018, 12:00 PM AKDT. It was in force for . 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 18, 2018, 12:08 PM AKDT (20:08 UTC)
- In effect from
- Mar 19, 2018, 12:00 PM AKDT
- Expired
- Mar 19, 2018, 4:01 AM AKDT
- In force
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
The text
As transmitted.
324 WWAK42 PAFG 182008 WSWWCZ URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1208 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 AKZ209-182115- /O.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180318T2100Z/ Baldwin Peninsula and Selawik Valley- Including Kotzebue, Selawik, and Noorvik 1208 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... $$ AKZ212-190200- /O.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0020.180319T2000Z-180320T0800Z/ Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills- Including Unalakleet, Stebbins, St Michael, Elim, Koyuk, and Shaktoolik 1208 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT AKDT MONDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. Tree branches could fall as well. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected. * WHERE...Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills. * WHEN...Noon Monday to midnight Monday night. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 45 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. $$ AKZ207-190200- /O.EXT.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T0200Z/ Chukchi Sea Coast- Including Point Hope, Shishmaref, Kivalina, and Espenberg 1208 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow occurring. Plan difficult travel conditions conditions. Additional snow accumulations of up to one inch are expected. * WHERE...Chukchi Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until 6 PM today. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Wind gusts as high as 25 mph will reduce the visibility to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. $$ AKZ217-190200- /O.EXT.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T0200Z/ Upper Kobuk and Noatak Valleys- Including Ambler, Shungnak, and Kobuk 1208 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow occurring. Plan difficult travel conditions. Additional snow accumulations of up to one inch are expected. * WHERE...Upper Kobuk and Noatak Valleys. * WHEN...Until 6 PM today. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Wind gusts as high as 25 mph will reduce the visibility to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. $$ AKZ227-190200- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T1300Z/ Upper Kuskokwim Valley- Including McGrath, Nikolai, Takotna, and Farewell Lake 1208 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow occurring. Plan on slippery road conditions. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches, with localized amounts up to 9 inches, are expected. * WHERE...Upper Kuskokwim Valley. * WHEN...Until 5 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Look for reduced visibilities at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. $$
3 follow-up statements
285 WWAK42 PAFG 182337 WSWWCZ URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 337 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 AKZ207-190045- /O.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T0200Z/ Chukchi Sea Coast- Including Point Hope, Shishmaref, Kivalina, and Espenberg 337 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... Conditions have improved across the area. $$ AKZ212-190200- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0020.180319T2000Z-180320T0800Z/ Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills- Including Unalakleet, Stebbins, St Michael, Elim, Koyuk, and Shaktoolik 337 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT AKDT MONDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. Tree branches could fall as well. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected. * WHERE...Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills. * WHEN...Noon Monday to midnight Monday 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. $$ AKZ217-190200- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T0200Z/ Upper Kobuk and Noatak Valleys- Including Ambler, Shungnak, and Kobuk 337 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow occurring. Plan difficult travel conditions. Additional snow accumulations of up to one inch are expected. * WHERE...Upper Kobuk and Noatak Valleys. * WHEN...Until 6 PM today. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Wind gusts as high as 25 mph will reduce the visibility to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. $$ AKZ227-190200- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T1300Z/ Upper Kuskokwim Valley- Including McGrath, Nikolai, Takotna, and Farewell Lake 337 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow occurring. Plan on slippery road conditions. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches, with localized amounts up to 9 inches, are expected. * WHERE...Upper Kuskokwim Valley. * WHEN...Until 5 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Look for reduced visibilities at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. $$
194 WWAK42 PAFG 190130 WSWWCZ URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 530 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 AKZ217-190230- /O.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T0200Z/ Upper Kobuk and Noatak Valleys- Including Ambler, Shungnak, and Kobuk 530 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... $$ AKZ212-191300- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0020.180319T2000Z-180320T0800Z/ Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills- Including Unalakleet, Stebbins, St Michael, Elim, Koyuk, and Shaktoolik 530 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT AKDT MONDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Travel will be very dangerous to impossible. Tree branches could fall as well. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected. * WHERE...Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills. * WHEN...Noon Monday to midnight Monday 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. $$ AKZ227-191300- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T1300Z/ Upper Kuskokwim Valley- Including McGrath, Nikolai, Takotna, and Farewell Lake 530 PM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow occurring. Plan on slippery road conditions. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches, with localized amounts up to 9 inches, are expected. * WHERE...Upper Kuskokwim Valley. * WHEN...Until 5 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Look for reduced visibilities at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. $$
910 WWAK42 PAFG 191201 WSWWCZ URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 401 AM AKDT Mon Mar 19 2018 AKZ212-200200- /O.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0020.180319T2000Z-180320T0800Z/ /O.NEW.PAFG.WW.Y.0063.180319T2000Z-180320T0800Z/ Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills- Including Unalakleet, Stebbins, St Michael, Elim, Koyuk, and Shaktoolik 401 AM AKDT Mon Mar 19 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT AKDT TONIGHT... ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel conditions. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, with localized amounts up to 8 inches, are expected. * WHERE...Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills. * WHEN...Noon today to midnight. * 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 snow and blowing snow means periods of snow and blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. $$ AKZ227-191315- /O.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0060.000000T0000Z-180319T1300Z/ Upper Kuskokwim Valley- Including McGrath, Nikolai, Takotna, and Farewell Lake 401 AM AKDT Mon Mar 19 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... $$ AKZ214-200200- /O.NEW.PAFG.WW.Y.0063.180319T2000Z-180320T0800Z/ Yukon Delta- Including Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, Kotlik, Pilot Station, St Marys, Scammon Bay, Marshall, Nunam Iqua, and Pitkas Point 401 AM AKDT Mon Mar 19 2018 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT AKDT TONIGHT... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Plan on slippery road conditions. In addition, areas of poor visibility are expected. Total snow accumulations of up to one inch are expected. * WHERE...Yukon Delta. * WHEN...Noon today to midnight. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow and blowing snow means periods of snow and blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. $$
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 18, 5:01 AM AKDT, 7 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 5:01 AM AKDT, 7 hours 7 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 501 AM AKDT Sun Mar 18 2018 .DISCUSSION... Models...Solution have done well in the short term, but continue to have problems as then move through the midrange and into the extended periods. The one thing they are handling well is the building of the high amplitude ridge to the west. They continue to slide that ridge just a little further east with each new set of solutions. There continues to be differences in the timing of the shortwaves as they move across the area. Will continue to use a blend of solutions for precipitation probability with a lean to the GFS and ECMWF today. Aloft...At 500 hpa...Ridging over the state has moved northeast to lie from Mayo YT to Fort Yukon to Point Lay and west over Wrangel Island this morning with the ridging flattening out allowing for a fast southwest flow over the southern half of the state. The low that was near Kamchatka yesterday has moved northeast over southern Siberia at 500 dam. A shortwave moved over the southwest coast yesterday and has continued to spin north and east to lie from the low over the southern Seward Peninsula Coast to Unalakleet to Palmer, then south this morning. By this evening it will lie over the Chukchi Sea and Point Hope to Anaktuvuk Pass to Dawson YT as it continue to weaken. The ridging will move over the Arctic Coast and into Canada this evening, then gets pushed east as the shortwave rotates over the Arctic and troughing develops over the Arctic Plains. The next shortwave to impact the area will move across the Bering Sea to the West Coast this evening. The low over southern Siberia will remain stationary while a 505 dam low develops over the Chukotsk Peninsula and moves north into the Chukchi Sea, the shortwave will continue to swing around the low to lie from Shishmaref to King Salmon tonight, and from Point Hope to Tanana to Homer Monday morning, and from Point Lay to Minto to Valdez Monday afternoon. The shortwave will continue east through Monday evening and will start digging south with a low developing near Yakutat by Tuesday morning. High amplitude ridge starts building north Monday as it rotates around a 580 dam high in the Pacific and the axis will lie from Unimak Island to Savoonga, and north by Tuesday evening. The low over Siberia will be pushed northeast over Wainwright by Tuesday morning, then move east and merge with the digging trough near the AlCan Border. At 850 hpa...-10C isotherm lies from Old Crow YT along the south slopes of the Brooks Range to Shishmaref, then south over the lower Yukon Delta. By Monday morning it will lie from Old Crow YT to Tanana to Iliamna, and by Monday night it will basically be south of the forecast area. The -20 isotherm will remain offshore over the Arctic. Surface...A trough of low pressure extends from a 978 mb low near Kamchatka to a 995 mb low in the Gulf of Anadyr to a 999 mb low in the Bering Strait with the front extending southeast to King Salmon. Leeside troughing persists north of the Alaska Range with a bubble high over Southcentral and the Copper River Basin. A ridge of high pressure also lies over the Eastern Arctic Coast with the axis extending from a 1028 mb high over the Northwest Territories to just north of Point Barrow, then northwest to a 1039 mb high over the high Siberian Arctic. The Arctic ridge will move east today and troughing will build east over the interior as the low near Kamchatka moves to the Dateline this evening, and the low that was in the Bering Strait moves north to 50 nm northwest of Cape Lisburne. Leeside troughing pushes to the east, north of the Brooks Range, this evening and slowly drifts over the coast Monday night. A second weather front moves to the West Coast tonight with a 1010 mb low developing in Bristol Bay and moving Northeast into the Interior tonight at 1006 mb. Arctic Coast and Brooks Range...Wind Chill this morning will be ending as winds diminish and temperatures rise. Front moving to the west coast will be spreading clouds north over the area. Winds northeast to east will increase to 15 to 25 mph this afternoon, then diminish to 10 to 20 mph tonight. Expect some blowing snow to develop for a few hours this afternoon and evening, but visibility expected to remain above 1/2 mile. Temperatures steady. West Coast and Western Interior...Active weather pattern continues. Front has moved through Nome, and winds snapped around to southwest at 15 mph. By this afternoon most of the coastal areas will have south to southwest winds at 10 to 20 mph and the first front will move into the interior. Snow ending for most of the area by noon today. Another front will move to the coast tonight and winds will swing around to southwest to west at 10 to 20 mph. Temperatures cooling. Central and Eastern Interior...Cloudy with some periods of light snow today. Accumulations up to 3 inches with heaviest amounts from Tanana north and west. The next front will spread snow east across the area tonight. The heaviest snowfall for the Fairbanks area will be from around 3 am to noon Monday. The front will pack some winds with it as well, and west winds around Fairbanks will be gusting to around 20 mph Monday afternoon and evening. Winds increasing on the summits Monday and Tuesday may cause some travel problems, with blowing and drifting snow, on all the interior highways. Temperatures cooling. && Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None. && Extended Forecast for days 4 to 7...Solutions continue to build the high amplitude ridge midweek. Expecting a quiet weather period in the Western Interior, and Western Arctic Coast, and most of the West Coast, with a more active weather pattern on the Eastern Arctic Coast, the Central and Eastern Interior as fronts dive south out of the Arctic across the area, and with the ridge axis continuing to slip east expect some precipitation to make it to the Western Capes and St Lawrence Island. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Chill Advisory for AKZ201-AKZ202-AKZ203. Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ207-AKZ209-AKZ217-AKZ219-AKZ220- AKZ221-AKZ222-AKZ225-AKZ226-AKZ227. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230. && SDB MAR 18
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 18, 9:42 AM AKDT | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 17 hr | |
| Mar 18, 2:01 PM AKDT | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 15 hr | |
| Mar 18, 2:09 PM AKDT | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 38 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.