Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2024

Blizzard Warning 17, NWS Anchorage, AK

November 13, 2024

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this blizzard warning at Nov 13, 2024, 1:22 PM AKST. It took effect at Nov 14, 2024, 12:00 AM AKST. It was in force for 28 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
Nov 13, 2024, 1:22 PM AKST (22:22 UTC)
In effect from
Nov 14, 2024, 12:00 AM AKST
Expired
Nov 15, 2024, 4:00 AM AKST
In force
28 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

As transmitted.

902 
WWAK42 PAFC 132222
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
122 PM AKST Wed Nov 13 2024

AKZ155-141500-
/O.UPG.PAFC.WS.A.0014.241114T1200Z-241115T0000Z/
/O.NEW.PAFC.BZ.W.0017.241114T0900Z-241115T1300Z/
Kuskokwim Delta-
Including the cities of Bethel and Nunivak Island
122 PM AKST Wed Nov 13 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 4 AM AKST
FRIDAY FOR THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA NORTH AND WEST OF THE KUSKOKWIM 
RIVER INCLUDING NUNIVAK...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations of
  4 to 8 inches. East to northeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts 
  up to 45 mph. Visibility reduced to one-quarter mile.

* WHERE...Kuskokwim Delta north and west of the Kuskokwim River,
  including Nunivak Island.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 4 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow
  could significantly reduce visibility and cause whiteout
  conditions at times.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...While the worst conditions are expected
  along the coast, much of Kuskokwim Delta will see visibility
  dropping to as low as one-half mile at times. Rain may mix with
  snow to the south of Bethel Thursday afternoon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are
expected. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor 
visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, 
making travel very hazardous. If you must travel, have a winter 
survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your 
vehicle.


&&

$$

AKZ152-141500-
/O.NEW.PAFC.WW.Y.0054.241114T1900Z-241115T1300Z/
Lower Kuskokwim Valley-
Including the cities of Aniak and Sleetmute
122 PM AKST Wed Nov 13 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THURSDAY TO 4 AM
AKST FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 10 
  inches.

* WHERE...Lower Kuskokwim Valley.

* WHEN...From 10 AM Thursday to 4 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The highest snow amounts are expected for
  the communities of Georgetown, Red Devil, Sleetmute, and Stony
  River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling. 

&&

$$

http://www.weather.gov/afc
3 follow-up statements
467 
WWAK42 PAFC 141753
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
853 AM AKST Thu Nov 14 2024

AKZ155-151300-
/O.CON.PAFC.BZ.W.0017.000000T0000Z-241115T1300Z/
Kuskokwim Delta-
Including the cities of Bethel and Nunivak Island
853 AM AKST Thu Nov 14 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM AKST FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations 
  of 4 to 8 inches. East to northeast winds 25 to 35 mph with 
  gusts up to 45 mph. Visibility reduced to one-quarter mile.

* WHERE...Kuskokwim Delta north and west of the Kuskokwim River, 
  including Nunivak Island.

* WHEN...Until 4 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing 
  snow could significantly reduce visibility and cause whiteout 
  conditions at times.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...While the worst conditions are expected
  along the coast, much of Kuskokwim Delta will see visibility 
  dropping to as low as one-half mile at times. Rain may mix with 
  snow to the south of Bethel Thursday afternoon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are
expected. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor
visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions,
making travel very hazardous. If you must travel, have a winter
survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your
vehicle.

&&

$$

AKZ152-151300-
/O.CON.PAFC.WW.Y.0054.241114T1900Z-241115T1300Z/
Lower Kuskokwim Valley-
Including the cities of Aniak and Sleetmute
853 AM AKST Thu Nov 14 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM AKST
FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 10 
  inches.

* WHERE...Lower Kuskokwim Valley.

* WHEN...Until 4 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The highest snow amounts are expected for 
  the communities of Georgetown, Red Devil, Sleetmute, and Stony 
  River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling.

&&

$$

http://www.weather.gov/afc
302 
WWAK42 PAFC 150113
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
413 PM AKST Thu Nov 14 2024

AKZ155-151300-
/O.CON.PAFC.BZ.W.0017.000000T0000Z-241115T1300Z/
Kuskokwim Delta-
Including the cities of Bethel and Nunivak Island
413 PM AKST Thu Nov 14 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM AKST FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Additional snow
  accumulations of 2 to 4 inches. East to northeast winds 25 to 
  35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Visibility reduced to one- 
  quarter mile.

* WHERE...Kuskokwim Delta north and west of the Kuskokwim River, 
  including Nunivak Island.

* WHEN...Until 4 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing 
  snow could significantly reduce visibility and cause whiteout 
  conditions at times.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...While the worst conditions are expected
  along the coast, much of Kuskokwim Delta will see visibility
  dropping to as low as one-half mile at times. Rain may briefly 
  mix with snow to the south of Bethel Thursday evening.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are
expected. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor
visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions,
making travel very hazardous. If you must travel, have a winter
survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your
vehicle.

&&

$$

AKZ152-151300-
/O.CON.PAFC.WW.Y.0054.000000T0000Z-241115T1300Z/
Lower Kuskokwim Valley-
Including the cities of Aniak and Sleetmute
413 PM AKST Thu Nov 14 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM AKST
FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Additional snow accumulations of 6 to 10 
  inches.

* WHERE...Lower Kuskokwim Valley.

* WHEN...Until 4 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The highest snow amounts are expected for 
  the communities of Georgetown, Red Devil, Sleetmute, and Stony 
  River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling.

&&

$$

http://www.weather.gov/afc
907 
WWAK42 PAFC 151310
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
410 AM AKST Fri Nov 15 2024

AKZ155-151415-
/O.EXP.PAFC.BZ.W.0017.000000T0000Z-241115T1300Z/
Kuskokwim Delta-
Including the cities of Bethel and Nunivak Island
410 AM AKST Fri Nov 15 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

 Conditions will continue to improve through the day today. 
Therefore, the blizzard warning is allowed to expire. 


$$

AKZ152-151415-
/O.EXP.PAFC.WW.Y.0054.000000T0000Z-241115T1300Z/
Lower Kuskokwim Valley-
Including the cities of Aniak and Sleetmute
410 AM AKST Fri Nov 15 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED...

Conditions will continue to improve through the day today. 
Therefore, the winter weather advisory is allowed to expire. 

$$

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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this blizzard warning went out at Nov 13, 4:19 AM AKST, 9 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 13, 4:19 AM AKST, 9 hours 3 minutes before
Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
419 AM AKST Wed Nov 13 2024

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3:
Wednesday through Friday evening)...

An upper-level trough situated over western Prince William Sound
this morning will continue to move east through the Copper River
Basin this afternoon. The shortwave is interacting with a
weakening surface low south of Cordova, which is allowing moisture
to be pulled northward toward Cordova and points north. Widespread
light snow over the Copper River Basin will continue into the
early afternoon hours before ending as the trough exits the
region. An additional 1 to 2 inches of snow is possible from
Glennallen south along the Richardson and Edgerton Highways. For
Thompson Pass, persistently strong gap winds through the pass
will allow for blowing snow to continue for the next several
hours.

Some brief ridging will follow, setting up for a quiet Wednesday
night across the region. Wednesday night will be quite cold with
temperatures dropping below zero for the Copper River Basin and
the Susitna Valley. Temperatures could fall to the single digits
in the Anchorage Bowl and the Kenai Peninsula. The tight pressure
gradient and cold air advection will allow for gusty winds to
remain in Resurrection Bay, Passage Canal, Valdez Narrows, and
Thompson Pass through Thursday morning.

By Thursday morning, a front attached to the strong low in the
eastern Bering will move into the Western Gulf and across Kodiak
Island with rain and gusty winds. The front will then move to the
northern Gulf by Friday morning. As the front tracks northeast,
precipitation will overspread the region from Cook Inlet and the
Mat-Su valleys west into Prince William Sound. With plenty of
cold air in place ahead of the front, precipitation will start as
snow. The uncertainty in the forecast will be the orientation of
the front as it moves into Prince William Sound and whether the
expected strong winds around Whittier and Portage pull in enough
warm at near the surface to change snow to rain late Thursday
night or early Friday morning. Right now, it looks like just
enough warm air might make into coastal locations from Homer to
Seward, Whittier, and Cordova for a changeover to rain followed by
some light snow accumulations. For the Cook Inlet region, places
from Ninilchik to Nikiski and into southern and western Susitna
Valley may see several inches of snow accumulation through Friday.
For Anchorage and the Mat Valley, a southeasterly wind aloft may
limit the amount of moisture spilling over the coastal mountains,
with only around an inch of snow possible. For Portage Valley and
Turnagain Pass, the combination of snow and wind, at least
initially, may produce a period of blowing snow. Several inches of
snow is also possible for Valdez and Thompson Pass with this
system.

A new surface low will develop along the front somewhere near
Seward Friday morning. As this low moves toward Prince William
Sound, the gusty southeasterly winds will quickly wind down and
shift back to the northwest. This may allow a band of snow to
redevelop over Cook Inlet and the Anchorage Bowl for late Friday
into Saturday with light snow accumulations as the storm begins to
move east and the upper-level trough lifts north of the region.

-TM

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days
1 through 3)...

The next low pressure system arrives today, entering the southern
Bering Sea over the Andreanof Islands this morning and crossing
just south of the Pribilof Islands tonight. High end gales and
storm force winds will make their way across the Central and
Eastern Aleutians and the marine areas surrounding the southern
Alaska Peninsula. Models have been inconsistent over the last few
days regarding the track of this low as it approaches Southwest
Alaska and have only recently started consolidating towards the
southerly track, pushing the low near the Western Capes/Kuskokwim
Bay by early Thursday afternoon. Some model discrepancies remain
by Thursday afternoon, especially for the Greater Bristol Bay
area, whose potential for snow and/or blowing snow concerns will
be heavily dependent on the low track. The Kuskokwim Delta coast
and Nunivak Island look particularly susceptible to blizzard
conditions at worst and blowing snow concerns at best, while
inland areas towards Bethel are less likely to see blizzard
conditions but still likely to see some blowing snow. The Western
Capes are in a sweet zone where they may stay warm enough to be
all rain or a rain/snow mix, which will help negate
blizzard/blowing snow concerns. Higher concerns, storm track
willing, will be areas impacted by Kamishak Gap winds, including
Dillingham north to Koliganek and east to Kokhanok, who may see
some blowing snow Thursday morning. Snow will spread inland into
the lower Kuskokwim Valley by Thursday afternoon. Snow
accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are possible between early
Thursday morning and early Friday afternoon.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Saturday through
Tuesday)...

By the start of the weekend, the triple-point low formed from the
Bering/North Pacific low will be centered over the northern Gulf
of Alaska. Heavy precipitation will persist along the Gulf
coastline, ranging from the eastern Kenai Peninsula to Prince
William Sound. Light snowfall will also occur over interior
Southcentral before dissipating over most locations by Sunday
afternoon. Portions of Southwest and the eastern Aleutians will
see periods of snow through Sunday night as a few weak shortwaves
pass over. In addition, a compact shortwave low will move over the
western and central Aleutians on Sunday, producing gale-force
winds and another round of precipitation for the chain. The low
will move eastward before situating itself over the southern Gulf
by Tuesday afternoon.

The big story for next week will be the potential for a
significant drop in temperatures over mainland Alaska. Behind the
triple-point low will be a digging trough that will bring frigid
air over the area. Current guidance is suggesting low temperatures
on Monday and Tuesday to drop below zero, with areas over the
Copper River Basin and Kuskokwim River valley potentially
dropping past -10. Continue to follow for updates as we get closer
to this event.

&&.AVIATION...

PANC...Some vicinity fog may linger through the morning hours on
Wednesday as it advects southward over the Knik Arm. Otherwise,
VFR conditions and light winds will persist.

&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 12, 3:31 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC3 days
Nov 12, 3:31 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC5 days
Nov 12, 3:31 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC36 hr
Nov 12, 3:51 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC60 hr
Nov 12, 9:45 PM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFC16 hr
Nov 13, 2:48 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC7 days
Nov 13, 2:48 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC37 hr
Nov 13, 3:08 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC24 hr
Nov 13, 3:08 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC49 hr
Nov 13, 7:27 AM AKSTDense Fog AdvisoryAFC3 hr
Nov 13, 1:22 PM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFC39 hr
Nov 13, 2:53 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC6 days
Nov 13, 2:53 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC25 hr

Nearby

Blizzard Warnings in Alaska, 2024Every blizzard warning in 2024

Sources

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