Alert archive / Alaska / Winter Storm Watches in 2021
Winter Storm Watch 19, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this winter storm watch at Sep 20, 2021, 2:17 PM AKDT. It took effect at Sep 21, 2021, 12:00 PM AKDT. It was in force for .
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Sep 20, 2021, 2:17 PM AKDT (22:17 UTC)
- In effect from
- Sep 21, 2021, 12:00 PM AKDT
- Expired
- Sep 21, 2021, 5:06 AM AKDT
- In force
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
The text
As transmitted.
337 WWAK42 PAFG 202217 WSWWCZ URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 217 PM AKDT Mon Sep 20 2021 AKZ214-211400- /O.NEW.PAFG.WS.A.0019.210921T2000Z-210922T1400Z/ Yukon Delta- Including Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, Kotlik, Pilot Station, St Marys, Scammon Bay, Marshall, Nunam Iqua, and Pitkas Point 217 PM AKDT Mon Sep 20 2021 ...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Plan on difficult travel conditions. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches, with localized amounts up to 8 inches, are possible. * WHERE...Yukon Delta. * WHEN...From Tuesday afternoon through late Tuesday night. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Significant reductions in visibility are possible due to heavy snow and blowing snow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts. $$
1 follow-up statement
623 WWAK42 PAFG 211306 WSWWCZ URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 506 AM AKDT Tue Sep 21 2021 AKZ214-211415- /O.CAN.PAFG.WS.A.0019.210921T2000Z-210922T1400Z/ Yukon Delta- Including Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, Kotlik, Pilot Station, St Marys, Scammon Bay, Marshall, Nunam Iqua, and Pitkas Point 506 AM AKDT Tue Sep 21 2021 ...WINTER STORM WATCH IS CANCELLED... $$ AKZ215-220400- /O.NEW.PAFG.WW.Y.0089.210922T0000Z-210922T1600Z/ Lower Yukon Valley- Including Russian Mission, Grayling, Holy Cross, Shageluk, Anvik, and Flat 506 AM AKDT Tue Sep 21 2021 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 AM AKDT WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Wet snow expected. Total wet snow accumulations of up to 5 inches, are expected. * WHERE...West of Anvik and east of Russian Mission. A mix of rain and snow elsewhere. * WHEN...4 PM today to 8 AM Wednesday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Look for reduced visibilities at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Winter Weather Advisory for Snow: Visibility may be greatly reduced. Travel and outdoor activities will be difficult. $$
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this winter storm watch 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 winter storm watch went out at Sep 20, 2:07 PM AKDT, 10 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 20, 2:07 PM AKDT, 10 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 207 PM AKDT Mon Sep 20 2021 .SYNOPSIS... The first significant snowfall of the season over the Eastern Interior is underway. Fairbanks received measurable snow this morning with a few tenths around town. Heavier snow is occurring from Eielson AFB east and along the Alaska Range. This heavy snow will spread to the Alcan border by this evening. Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories remain in effect for the Interior from Denali east to the Upper Tanana Valley and the Fortymile region. Snow squalls will continue over the North Slope and NW Arctic coast. A front approaching southwest Alaska will bring a chance for significant snow to the lower Yukon Valley on Tuesday night. && .DISCUSSION... All models initialized well and are in general agreement with the main synoptic features for the next few days. An upper level low over the Arctic Coast has come into phase with a 2nd upper in the Gulf of Alaska, resulting in a longwave trough that persists over mainland Alaska the next couple of days. The combination of moisture being pumped northward into the Eastern Interior and unseasonably cold air spilling south from the Arctic is bringing widespread snowfall over that area into Tuesday night. The trend is for this to end by Wednesday. Further north, vigorous cold, onshore flow over the open water continues to produce heavy snow showers along the North Slope and Arctic Coast. As the main upper low drifts northeast into Wednesday the onshore flow will gradually diminish. The last remaining feature of interest a tightly wound up low that skirts along the Arctic frontal boundary in the Bering Sea. This low moves southeast past St. Lawrence Island late tonight, then into the Yukon Delta Tuesday afternoon. Models are coming into line with with track of the low and possibility for a narrow footprint of heavy snow in the Lower Yukon Valley. Central and Eastern Interior... The highest impact weather the next couple days will be from the Delta Junction area eastward with snowfall. We did not make any changes to the ongoing Winter Storm Warnings. For the Eastern AK Range, AK highway, and Taylor Hwy corridors for 4-8" of snow, with higher amounts in Isabel Pass along the Richardson to 6-11". Strong north winds to 50 mph are also expected along the southern corridor of Isabel Pass, but snow will also be somewhat lighter there, so there will be some blowing snow, but not expecting major blowing snow/drifting snow. Otherwise, partly to mostly cloudy skies and below normal temperatures are expected over the remainder of the area. West Coast and Western Interior... Northwest flow and snow showers along the Chuckhi Sea Coast will diminish some on Tuesday as the flow turns more northern, although some showers will linger along the northern Seward Peninsula. Low pressure passing over St. Lawrence island on Tuesday will bring gusty winds and a few inches of snow to the island. As the low moves into the Lower Yukon Valley Tuesday afternoon, 4-6" of snow and possibly higher amounts are possible over a narrow band from Emmonak to Russian Mission. The western Interior will otherwise be dry and cool with some clouds. North Slope and Brooks Range... Strong northwest winds and snow squalls will continue into Tuesday and and diminish some on Wednesday. Visibility will be up and down especially along the coast from Prudhoe Bay west with the heavy snow showers. These winds will also bring elevated surf from Utqiagvik to Point Hope through Tuesday morning. Further inland and along the Brooks Range, where there are breaks in the clouds, temperatures will be quite chilly for September. Morning lows in the lower teens and single digits are likely from Anaktuvuk Pass to Toolik Lake. Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...the tight low mentioned above moving into southwest Alaska will bring strong north winds to the Yukon Delta coast on Wednesday. The winds will be generally parallel to the coast no immediate concerns with erosion. Extended Forecast Days 4-7... A cold arctic high will be in place over mainland Alaska with another low moving into the Gulf of Alaska on Thursday. Expect temperatures to continue to be cool for late September. Models continue to hint at a chance for another snow event for the Interior Friday and Saturday, but the track of the gulf low as it lifts north is still highly uncertain among the three major global models. && .HYDROLOGY... None. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning for AKZ223-AKZ224-AKZ226. Winter Storm Watch for AKZ214 Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ225. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230- PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245. && SEP 21
In the hours before
Local storm report, Sep 20, 11:20 AM AKDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1120 AM AKDT MON SEP 20 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1119 AM SNOW 3 NNW SALCHA 64.52N 146.99W
09/20/2021 M1.3 INCH FAIRBANKS NORTH STAAK TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER MEASURED 1.3 INCHES OF SNOW SO FAR
THIS MORNING.
&&Special weather statement, Sep 20, 11:48 AM AKDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1148 AM AKDT Mon Sep 20 2021 AKZ201-202-211800- Western Arctic Coast-Northern Arctic Coast- Including Wainwright, Atqasuk, Point Lay, Cape Lisburne, Utqiagvik, Alaktak, Pitt Point, and Nulavik 1148 AM AKDT Mon Sep 20 2021 ...Elevated Surf through Tuesday morning along the Chukchi Sea Coast... West to northwest winds from 25 to 40 mph will persist along the Chukchi Sea Coast from Point Hope to Utqiagvik. This will result in increased water levels of 1 to 1.5 feet above the normal high tide line through Tuesday morning. Residents should secure items away from the beach as wave action could wash to the top of the beach.
Local storm report, Sep 20, 1:15 PM AKDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
115 PM AKDT MON SEP 20 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1130 AM SNOW 1 NNW EIELSON AFB 64.69N 147.11W
09/20/2021 M1.5 INCH FAIRBANKS NORTH STAAK OTHER FEDERAL
EIELSON AFB WEATHER OBSERVER REPORTED 1.5
INCHES OF SNOW SO FAR TODAY (AS OF 11:30
AM). ONE INCH FELL IN THE HOUR BETWEEN 10
AND 11AM.
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 4:54 AM AKDT | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 24 hr | |
| Sep 20, 2:45 PM AKDT | Small Craft Advisory | AFG | 64 hr |
Nearby
Winter Storm Watches in Alaska, 2021Every winter storm watch in 2021
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.