Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2020
Blizzard Warning 16, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this blizzard warning at Apr 25, 2020, 2:39 AM AKDT. It took effect at Apr 26, 2020, 12:00 PM AKDT. It was in force for 15 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
- Apr 25, 2020, 2:39 AM AKDT (10:39 UTC)
- In effect from
- Apr 26, 2020, 12:00 PM AKDT
- Expired
- Apr 27, 2020, 3:02 AM AKDT
- In force
- 15 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
The text
As transmitted.
690 WWAK41 PAFG 251039 CCA WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...CORRECTED National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 239 AM AKDT Sat Apr 25 2020 AKZ204-260200- /O.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.200427T0000Z-200427T1400Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 239 AM AKDT Sat Apr 25 2020 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SUNDAY TO 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected with visibilities one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...4 PM Sunday to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. Travel will be very difficult to impossible. 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 difficult. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-260200- /O.COR.PAFG.WW.Y.0073.200426T2100Z-200427T1400Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 239 AM AKDT Sat Apr 25 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM SUNDAY TO 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel. In addition, areas of poor visibility are expected. Total snow accumulations of up to one inch are expected. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...1 PM Sunday to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibilities to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow and blowing snow means periods of snow and blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
5 follow-up statements
020 WWAK41 PAFG 252332 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 332 PM AKDT Sat Apr 25 2020 AKZ204-261400- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.200427T0000Z-200427T1400Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 332 PM AKDT Sat Apr 25 2020 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SUNDAY TO 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected with visibilities one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 5 inches. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...4 PM Sunday to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. Travel will be very difficult to impossible. 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 difficult. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-261400- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0073.200426T2100Z-200427T1400Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 332 PM AKDT Sat Apr 25 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM SUNDAY TO 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel. In addition, areas of poor visibility are expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches are expected. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...1 PM Sunday to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibilities to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow and blowing snow means periods of snow and blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
817 WWAK41 PAFG 261040 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 240 AM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 AKZ204-270200- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.200427T0000Z-200427T1400Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 240 AM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected with visibilities one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 5 inches. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...4 PM Sunday to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. Travel will be very difficult to impossible. 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 difficult. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-270200- /O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0073.200426T2100Z-200427T1400Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 240 AM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel. In addition, areas of poor visibility are expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches are expected. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...1 PM Sunday to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibilities to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow and blowing snow means periods of snow and blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
787 WWAK41 PAFG 261910 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1110 AM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 AKZ204-271400- /O.EXT.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.200426T2000Z-200427T1400Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 1110 AM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 ...BLIZZARD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY UNTIL 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected with visibilities one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Noon today to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. Travel will be very difficult to impossible. 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 difficult. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$ AKZ203-271400- /O.EXT.PAFG.WW.Y.0073.200426T1910Z-200427T1400Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 1110 AM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Plan on difficult travel. In addition, areas of poor visibility are expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected. * WHERE...Central Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Until 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will cause areas of blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibilities to one half mile or less at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Weather Advisory for snow and blowing snow means periods of snow and blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
138 WWAK41 PAFG 270706 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1106 PM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 AKZ203-270815- /O.CAN.PAFG.WW.Y.0073.000000T0000Z-200427T1400Z/ Central Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk 1106 PM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... Snow continuing, but conditions have improved. $$ AKZ204-271400- /O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-200427T1400Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 1106 PM AKDT Sun Apr 26 2020 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected with visibilities one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. * WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast. * WHEN...Noon today to 6 AM Monday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds gusting as high as 50 mph will cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant drifting of the snow is likely. Travel will be very difficult to impossible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely difficult. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. $$
840 WWAK41 PAFG 271102 WSWNSB URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 302 AM AKDT Mon Apr 27 2020 AKZ204-271215- /O.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-200427T1400Z/ Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast- Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island 302 AM AKDT Mon Apr 27 2020 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... Conditions along the Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast have improved. $$
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 Apr 24, 2:14 PM AKDT, 12 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 24, 2:14 PM AKDT, 12 hours 25 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 214 PM AKDT Fri Apr 24 2020 .Synopsis...Ice from the Nordale bridge broke loose yesterday and moved through Fairbanks after getting plugged up for a while as it moved through. Flooding around Hunts Creek near Chena Hot Springs Road continues, but is localized and the jam is moving downstream. Most other flooding is due to ponding of meltwater at this time. Overnight temperatures falling below freezing is helping to slow the melt process so expect the nuisance flooding to gradually dry up. Mostly clear across the forecast area with the exception of some stratus expected to move east across the Arctic tonight, and some clouds and snow showers in the Upper Tanana Valley that will be tapering off. && .DISCUSSION... Models...The 24/12Z solutions are in pretty good agreement through the weekend and into the middle of next week before diverging. Surface solutions in good agreement through Monday, then quite a bit of disagreement, especially in the Arctic. Not much as far as precipitation the next few days and solutions are similar in handling it. Temperatures will be very important of the next couple weeks as breakup continues and it looks like most solutions are leaning toward the cooler overnight lows through the weekend and most of next week. Will generally not be making any significant changes to the short term temperatures, but will look at nudging the extended period temperatures down a bit. Aloft...At 500 hpa...Trough associated with a 504 dam low just southeast of Banks Island extends southwest over the Fortymile Country and the Eastern Alaska Range and will swing east of the state tonight. Ridging from a 548 dam high over Siberia extends southeast over Chukotka, the Seward Peninsula, and Southcentral Alaska. Ridging is pushing east over the Arctic Coast and the Interior. Troughing lies to the south extending from south of the Gulf of Alaska over the Alaska Peninsula across the Southern Bering Sea to the southern tip of Kamchatka. By Saturday afternoon not much change as ridging will continue over most of the state with troughing to the south. The change will be a 505 dam low moving from just east of the New Siberian Island to 300 nm northwest of Point Barrow. The low will continue to dive into the area Saturday night and by Sunday afternoon it will be over Oliktok Point at 501 dam with a trough extending southwest over the Bering Strait. Ridging will be push south with the axis south of the Alaska Range. The low will move east over MacKenzie Bay Sunday night as the low that was over the Canadian Archipelago rotates northwest over the Beaufort Sea, then into the Eastern Arctic by Monday afternoon. At 850 hpa...Temperatures slightly cooler for most of the area tonight through Saturday evening, then slightly warmer through Tuesday. Surface...Rather benign pattern for most of the area. Weak high pressure over most of the Interior with low pressure to the south and north. A 1029 mb high over the Eastern Arctic will move east this evening with low pressure moving to the Dateline by Saturday morning, and to 300 nm northwest of Utqiagvik at 998 mb by Saturday afternoon. The low will move to 100 nm north of Kaktovik by Sunday afternoon at 995 mb. High pressure will persist east to west over the south slopes of the Brooks Range and Upper Yukon Flats, while low pressure associated with a 976 mb low to the south pushes north over Southcentral and the Southeast Panhandle through the weekend. Arctic Coast and Brooks Range...Some stratus and patchy dense fog will persist over the northwest Arctic coast. Mostly clear from Utqiagvik east, but expect that stratus to migrate east as the high pressure moves out of the area tonight. Winds generally southeast to south tonight 10 to 20 mph. Winds will be increasing Saturday night as the low moves closer to the coast bringing potential for stronger winds and blowing snow to areas east of Deadhorse. Slightly warmer temperatures with the south flow through Sunday morning. West Coast and Western Interior...Mainly clear with north to northeast winds. Along the north side of the Seward Peninsula, through the Bering Strait, and on St Lawrence Island expect some stratus and foggy conditions, especially overnight and into the early afternoon before it clears. Temperatures slightly cooler the next couple days Central and Eastern Interior...Mainly clear with the exception of the southeast interior this evening. Some snow showers in the Upper Tanana Valley this evening will be tapering off. Slightly cooler temperatures. Wind north to northeast 5 to 15 mph. Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...No concerns at this time. Extended forecast for days 4 to 7...A low pressure system will bring another round of winter to the Arctic Coast while the remainder of the forecast area will be under weak high pressure. Temperatures cooler, especially at night with lows falling into the teens. Warming later in the week. && .Fire Weather...No concerns at this time. && .Hydrology...Minor flooding continues along the Chena River downstream of Hunts Creek but is slowly subsiding for the moment. Continue to watch the Chena around the Nordale Bridge as the ice is pretty solid in the area and not breaking up yet. Smaller streams, creeks, and sloughs continue to open up and lake ice is turning as meltwater from the snowpack is ponding on it. Minor nuisance flooding due to ponding of meltwater by frozen drainage ditches, and ponding of meltwater in low lying areas continues. Ice is still firmly in place on most of the major rivers and lakes, but extreme caution should around them as conditions can change rapidly. Cooler temperatures have slowed the melting, but that will not stop the ice from breaking down. For the latest river information go to www.weather.gov/aprfc. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ210. && SDB APR 20
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 5:04 PM AKDT | Flood Watch | AFG | 4 days | |
| Apr 25, 2:29 AM AKDT | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 45 hr | |
| Apr 25, 2:36 AM AKDT | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 40 hr | |
| Apr 25, 11:13 AM AKDT | Areal Flood Advisory | AFG | 52 hr | |
| Apr 25, 1:39 PM AKDT | Brisk Wind Advisory | AFG | 38 hr |
Nearby
Blizzard Warnings in Alaska, 2020Every blizzard warning in 2020
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.