Blizzard Warning 36, NWS Fairbanks, AK

173 
WWAK41 PAFG 302116
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1216 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024

AKZ805-010300-
/O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0036.000000T0000Z-241201T0300Z/
Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast-
Including Kaktovik, Flaxman Island, and Point Thomson
1216 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph.

* WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM AKST this evening.

* IMPACTS...Plan on hazardous travel conditions. The cold wind 
  chills as low as 30 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed 
  skin in as little as 30 minutes.

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.

&&

$$

AKZ809-010300-
/O.CON.PAFG.WW.Y.0131.000000T0000Z-241201T0300Z/
Central Brooks Range-
Including Anaktuvuk Pass, Atigun Pass, Galbraith Lake, 
and the Dalton Highway from MP 232 to MP 322
1216 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Blowing snow expected. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph 
  will reduce visibility to one half mile or less at times. 
  Significant drifting of snow is likely.

* WHERE...Central Brooks Range.

* WHEN...Until 6 PM AKST this evening.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 40 below 
  zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 
  minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling. 

The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

&&

$$

769 
WWAK41 PAFG 010250
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
550 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024

AKZ805-010400-
/O.EXP.PAFG.BZ.W.0036.000000T0000Z-241201T0300Z/
Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast-
Including Kaktovik, Flaxman Island, and Point Thomson
550 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM AKST THIS EVENING...

Winds have decreased and visibilities will gradually continue to 
improve through the evening, therefore the Blizzard Warning will 
be allowed to expire. 

$$

AKZ809-010400-
/O.EXP.PAFG.WW.Y.0131.000000T0000Z-241201T0300Z/
Central Brooks Range-
Including Anaktuvuk Pass, Atigun Pass, Galbraith Lake, 
and the Dalton Highway from MP 232 to MP 322
550 PM AKST Sat Nov 30 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

Winds have decreased in strength and visibilities have improved through
the Brooks Range passes, therefore the Winter Weather Advisory 
will be allowed to expire. 

$$

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
215 PM AKST Fri Nov 29 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Generally quiet weather for the entire forecast period across
northern Alaska. The primary near-term hazard is cold temperatures,
but the coldest stretch of weather has already occurred across the
interior. An approaching upper low brings increasing clouds and
light accumulating snow to the North Slope this evening before
spreading across the eastern interior on Saturday. Cloud cover and
snowfall allows for warming temps across interior Alaska, but
northerly flow west of the upper low brings clear skies and cooling
temperatures to the West Coast this weekend. An E/NEerly low level
jet -possibly approaching 60 kts @ 850 mb- develops Saturday into
Sat night as the upper low tracks southwest toward the Eastern
Bering Sea. Valley bottoms should remain stable with light winds,
but ridges and interior summits should experience blustery
conditions with gusts in the 30-40 mph range expected. EFI
guidance highlights this well and even though the strongest winds
are expected Saturday night through Sunday, blustery east winds
continue but gradually diminish through Tuesday night. By late on
Tuesday a frontal system will be pivoting northward across
southern Alaska. This front brings the next round of light snow
chances for the middle to end of next week.

KEY MESSAGES...

CENTRAL AND INTERIOR...
- Clouds and light snow chances spread across the east-central
interior tonight into Saturday that also moderates temperatures.
Accumulations will be light, generally less than an inch.

- Southeast winds increase to 10 to 15 mph and become gusty near
Eagle this evening through tonight. Wind chill values of 40 to 50
below are expected. A Special Weather Statement is in effect.

- Northeast winds increase Saturday night into Sunday for interior
summits, especially along the Dalton, Elliott, and Steese Highways.
Expect gusts up to 40 mph. These winds will cause areas of blowing
and drifting snow, reducing visibility below a mile at times. Will
have to monitor for potential Winter Weather Advisory.

- Temperatures warm above normal by mid to late next week.

WEST COAST AND WESTERN INTERIOR...
- Northeast winds increase Saturday night into Sunday for the entire
west coast, but especially south of the Bering Strait. Across the
southwest Yukon River Valley gusts as high as 30 mph are expected,
while portions of the Norton Sound coast could see gusts into the 40
mph range.

-Temperatures cool over the weekend with below zero lows for most of
the Kotzebue Sound Coastline and portions of the Norton Sound coast.
Saturday and Sunday nights appear coldest followed by a gradual
warming trend next week.

NORTH SLOPE AND BROOKS RANGE...
- A cold front is in the vicinity of Nuiqsut as of 1 PM and pushes
east/southeast overnight bringing light snow accumulation of around
an inch across the eastern Brooks Range and North Slope.

- West winds increase to around 30 mph behind the cold front
resulting in areas of blowing snow tonight into Saturday, mainly
east of Deadhorse. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect.

- Northerly gap winds gusting to 35 mph develop in the central and
eastern Brooks Range passes tonight. Areas of blowing and drifting
snow will reduce visibility along the Dalton Highway at Atigun Pass.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect.

.DISCUSSION...

Models are in good agreement that the primary weather-maker is a 500
mb shortwave driving a cold front eastward across the North Slope
today. Post-frontal winds amplified by a barrier jet around Kaktovik
is expected to result in blowing snow tonight. This shortwave then
digs southeast across interior Alaska tonight while closing off
across the central interior by Saturday morning. The closed low
deepens while tracking southwest toward the eastern Bering Sea by
midday Sunday. This low brings some light snow to the eastern North
Slope, Brooks Range, and east-central interior through Saturday
evening, but amounts generally stay below 1 inch. As the low deepens
Saturday night, a potent 50+ kt east/northeasterly low level jet
develops across the interior with an embedded Tanana Valley jet that
may also exceed 50 kts at 850 mb. Model soundings are quite stable
so most northern valley locations should stay sheltered, but
increasing winds are expected to result in blowing snow for the
interior summits. The primary exception is the Tanana Valley where
easterly winds are funneled around the Alaska Range. This LLJ
gradually diminishes Sunday night and Monday, but a system lifting
into the Gulf of Alaska Monday night into Tuesday may give a
secondary boost to winds before they finally diminish on
Wednesday.

Extended Forecast Days 4-7...The extended forecast begins with an
upper level ridge centered over Chukotka and an upper level low
tracking southwest toward the central Aleutians Monday night. Weak
flow prevails across the interior for the early to middle part of
next week. A 500 mb col or saddle point gives way to upper level
ridging building across the interior on Friday. Southerly gap winds
are possible for the middle to end of next week as ridging and
southerly flow spreads across the Alaska Range. Southerly Chinook
flow allows for moderating temperatures over the Interior with
models disagreeing on how much warming occurs by late next week.
ECMWF is warmest, GFS is coolest, and CMC is in the middle.

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

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ832.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ805-809.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ802.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ803.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ804-805-852-861.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ814-860.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ815.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ816.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ817.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ817.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ850-856.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ850.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ851.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ853-854.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ853.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ854.
&&