Alert archive / Alaska / Wind Chill Warnings in 2022

Wind Chill Warning 9, NWS Fairbanks, AK

December 20, 2022

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this wind chill warning at Dec 20, 2022, 3:40 AM AKST. It was in force for 8 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 20, 2022, 3:40 AM AKST (12:40 UTC)
Expired
Dec 20, 2022, 12:00 PM AKST
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

As transmitted.

278 
WWAK43 PAFG 201240
WSWAFG

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
340 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

AKZ218-202100-
/O.NEW.PAFG.WC.W.0009.221220T1240Z-221220T2100Z/
Southeastern Brooks Range-
Including Arctic Village, Wiseman, Coldfoot, Chandalar DOT Camp, 
and Iniakuk Lake
340 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AKST TODAY...

* WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 70 
  below zero.

* WHERE...Southeastern Brooks Range.

* WHEN...Until noon AKST today.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause 
  frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Warning means the combination of very cold air and
sustained wind speeds of 15 mph or more will create dangerously
low wind chill values. Frost bite can occur quickly and even
hypothermia or death if precautions are not taken. 

&&

$$

AKZ223-202100-
/O.EXT.PAFG.WC.Y.0037.000000T0000Z-221222T0000Z/
Deltana and Tanana Flats-
Including Salcha, Delta Junction, Fort Greely, 
Harding/Birch Lake, Dry Creek, Dot Lake, and Healy Lake
340 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 
  55 below zero.

* WHERE...Deltana and Tanana Flats.

* WHEN...Until 3 PM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause 
  frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and sustained wind
speeds of 15 mph or more will create low wind chills. Frost bite
and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken.

&&

$$

AKZ224-202100-
/O.CON.PAFG.WC.Y.0037.000000T0000Z-221221T0300Z/
Upper Tanana Valley and the Fortymile Country-
Including Tok, Tanacross, Eagle, Tetlin, Northway, Alcan, 
Chicken, and Boundary
340 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 55 below 
  zero.

* WHERE...Upper Tanana Valley and the Fortymile Country.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM AKST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause 
  frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and sustained wind
speeds of 15 mph or more will create low wind chills. Frost bite
and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
459 
WWAK43 PAFG 202044
WSWAFG

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1144 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

AKZ218-202145-
/O.EXP.PAFG.WC.W.0009.000000T0000Z-221220T2100Z/
Southeastern Brooks Range-
Including Arctic Village, Wiseman, Coldfoot, Chandalar DOT Camp, 
and Iniakuk Lake
1144 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT NOON AKST TODAY...

$$

AKZ224-202145-
/O.CAN.PAFG.WC.Y.0037.000000T0000Z-221221T0300Z/
Upper Tanana Valley and the Fortymile Country-
Including Tok, Tanacross, Eagle, Tetlin, Northway, Alcan, 
Chicken, and Boundary
1144 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

$$

AKZ219-211600-
/O.EXB.PAFG.WC.Y.0037.221221T0000Z-221222T0000Z/
Upper Koyukuk Valley-
Including Allakaket, Hughes, Bettles, Caribou Mountain, 
and Gobblers Knob
1144 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 3 PM
AKST WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 
  55 below zero.

* WHERE...Over summits and in channeled areas, including along 
  the Dalton Highway.

* WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to 3 PM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite
  on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and sustained wind
speeds of 15 mph or more will create low wind chills. Frost bite
and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken. 

&&

$$

AKZ221-211600-
/O.EXB.PAFG.WC.Y.0037.221221T0000Z-221222T0000Z/
Central Interior-
Including Nenana, Anderson, Tanana, Minto, Manley Hot Springs, 
Rampart, Lake Minchumina, and Livengood
1144 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 3 PM
AKST WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 
  60 below zero.

* WHERE...Over summits and in channeled areas, including along the
  Elliot Highway.

* WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to 3 PM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite
  on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and sustained wind
speeds of 15 mph or more will create low wind chills. Frost bite
and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken. 

&&

$$

AKZ223-211600-
/O.CON.PAFG.WC.Y.0037.000000T0000Z-221222T0000Z/
Deltana and Tanana Flats-
Including Salcha, Delta Junction, Fort Greely, 
Harding/Birch Lake, Dry Creek, Dot Lake, and Healy Lake
1144 AM AKST Tue Dec 20 2022

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 
  55 below zero.

* WHERE...Deltana and Tanana Flats, including Delta Junction and
  Fort Greely.

* WHEN...Until 3 PM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause 
  frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and sustained wind
speeds of 15 mph or more will create low wind chills. Frost bite
and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken.

&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this wind chill 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 wind chill warning went out at Dec 19, 11:57 AM AKST, 15 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 19, 11:57 AM AKST, 15 hours 43 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1157 AM AKST Mon Dec 19 2022

.SYNOPSIS...
Persistent high pressure remains situated over the mainland Alaska
with below normal temperatures across the Interior. An area of
particularly higher pressure situated over the ALCAN border is
helping to produce increased southeasterly winds in the Eastern
Alaska Range, which is causing cold wind chills for the area. As a
result, a Wind Chill Advisory is currently in effect for this
area. Southeasterly flow along the West Coast is allowing for
slightly warmer temperatures from Nome south along the coast. In
addition, some valley fog can be seen across the Interior this
morning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Aloft...
A strong upper-level ridge is currently situated in the Chukchi
Sea, with strong north-northeasterly flow on the east side of the
ridge assisting to funnel colder temperatures into the Interior,
as well as the absence of cloud cover to allow further cooling. A
small low pressure system situated over southcentral Alaska is
also helping to pull colder temperatures from the Yukon Territory
into the southeastern Interior, as well as pinching the pressure
gradient along the Eastern Alaska Range and allowing the formation
of increased southeasterly winds currently being observed in the
Deltana and Tanana Flats. This small area of low pressure will
undercut the ridge, effectively cutting off the strong high
pressure in the Chukchi Sea. As this low moves west-southwesterly,
a boundary stretching from the Yukon Delta to Yakutat will
inhibit a low pressure system in the Bering Sea from pushing
precipitation into the forecast area on Wednesday. A shortwave
riding long the east side of the high pressure in the Chukchi Sea
will dip southward into the eastern Arctic Coast and fizzle out
over the eastern Brooks Range on Thursday.

Surface...
At the surface, there isn't any major pattern changes for the next
few days. Dominant surface high pressure is currently being
observed over the mainland Alaska, with an area of particularly
strong pressure over the ALCAN border near Northway. This high
pressure is assisting with the pinched pressure gradient over the
Eastern Alaska Range that's supplying increased southeasterly
winds in the Deltana and Tanana Flats in addition to the below
normal temperatures, causing cold wind chills in the area.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
Light snow is currently being observed along the eastern Arctic
Coast, with below normal temperatures spanning across the region.
A small shortwave moving southward across the eastern Arctic Coast
will push into the eastern Brooks Range this evening, and
localized lift across the north side of the eastern Brooks Range
may help to produce light snow for this area through early Tuesday
morning. High pressure from the north dipping southward into the
North Slope will help to cut off any precipitation by Tuesday mid-
morning. A low pressure system developing in the Beaufort Sea will
slide southward into the Arctic Coast late Wednesday evening, and
is currently trending to bring light snow across the eastern
Arctic Coast and north side of the eastern Brooks Range Thursday
morning.

West Coast and Western Interior...
A strong mid-level ridge over the West Coast is producing
southeasterly flow that's causing warmer temperatures of single
digits/teens above from Nome southward along the West Coast. A low
pressure system moving in from the east will bring colder
temperatures for this area, dropping them to the single digits
above/below by tonight. Another low pressure system to the south
of the region will try to push precipitation into the Yukon Delta
and Lower Kuskokwim Valley, but high pressure to the north will
likely keep the chances for precipitation low on Thursday.

Central and Eastern Interior...
A dominant area of high pressure situated over the ALCAN border is
supplying significantly below normal temperatures across the
region, as well as increased southeasterly winds for the Deltana
and Tanana Flats. As a result, a Wind Chill Advisory is in effect
for this area. The pattern for this region remains pretty
stagnant, with this high pressure inhibiting precipitation and
supplying continuous below normal temperatures for the next few
days.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None.

Extended Days 4 Through 7...
Medium- and long-range models begin to vary quite a bit after
Thursday, where some hint at another blast of cold air from the
Yukon Territory on Saturday. Hints of a low pressure system in the
Gulf of Alaska Monday morning may bring some precipitation into
the southeastern Interior, but any amounts and intensity of
precipitation, as well as timing and placement, varies greatly.
This system appears to be the next chance for snow in the
Interior.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Wind Chill Advisory for AKZ223.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ201.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ210.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ210.
&&

KL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 20, 3:48 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG24 hr
Dec 20, 3:48 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG70 hr
Dec 20, 3:48 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG60 hr
Dec 20, 1:37 PM AKSTDense Fog AdvisoryAFG14 hr
Dec 20, 2:31 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG36 hr
Dec 20, 2:34 PM AKSTGale WarningAFG50 hr

Nearby

Wind Chill Warnings in Alaska, 2022Every wind chill warning in 2022

Sources

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