Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2024

Blizzard Warning 5, NWS Fairbanks, AK

January 14, 2024North Slope Borough, Alaska

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this blizzard warning at Jan 14, 2024, 3:05 PM AKST for North Slope Borough, Alaska. It was in force for 6 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
Jan 14, 2024, 3:05 PM AKST (00:05 UTC)
Expired
Jan 14, 2024, 9:27 PM AKST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

County North Slope Borough, AK

The nearest sounding before it

Point Barrow, (PBRW), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 288 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Point Barrow, at 00:00Z on 2024-01-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Point Barrow, at 00:00Z on 2024-01-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 121 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
596 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
71 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
121 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
278 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

879 
WWAK41 PAFG 150005
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
305 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

AKZ803-151500-
/O.UPG.PAFG.WW.Y.0020.000000T0000Z-240115T1500Z/
/O.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0005.240115T0005Z-240115T1500Z/
Northern Arctic Coast-
Including Utqiagvik
305 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST MONDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions. Additional snow accumulations of 
  up to one inch. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph.

* WHERE...Northern Arctic Coast.

* WHEN...Until 6 AM AKST Monday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas of blowing 
  snow could significantly reduce visibility. 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...

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.

&&

$$

AKZ801-151500-
/O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0004.240115T1500Z-240116T1500Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
305 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM
AKST TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations 
  of up to 3 inches. Winds gusting as high as 65 mph.

* WHERE...Western Arctic Coast.

* WHEN...From 6 AM Monday to 6 AM AKST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas of blowing 
  snow could significantly reduce visibility.

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.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
708 
WWAK41 PAFG 150627
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
927 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

AKZ803-150730-
/O.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0005.000000T0000Z-240115T1500Z/
Northern Arctic Coast-
Including Utqiagvik
927 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

Blizzard conditions have subsided and conditions will continue to
improve.

$$

AKZ801-151500-
/O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0004.240115T1500Z-240116T1500Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
927 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM
AKST TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations 
  of up to 3 inches. Winds gusting as high as 65 mph.

* WHERE...Western Arctic Coast.

* WHEN...From 6 AM Monday to 6 AM AKST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas of blowing 
  snow could significantly reduce visibility.

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.

&&

$$

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 Jan 14, 1:34 PM AKST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 14, 1:34 PM AKST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
134 PM AKST Sun Jan 14 2024

.SYNOPSIS...Another strong storm developing to the western Bering
Sea today will move to the Northern Bering Sea tonight, then into
the Central Chukchi Sea on Mon and then north of Utqiagvik on
Tue. This storm will bring heavy snow, and blizzard conditions to
most of Western Alaska starting late tonight or early Monday, and
could bring snow and blizzard conditions to the North Slope Mon PM
into Tue. Snow over the Interior today and more snow expected on
Tuesday for the Interior.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Analysis and Forecast Discussion...
An upper low will move northward over the Bering through Sunday.
A piece of energy will move across the Interior bringing some snow
on Sunday. A strong shortwave will push across the west coast on
Monday and move inland on Tuesday over the Interior.

North Slope and Brooks Range...Blizzards winding down this
afternoon but winds will ramp up over the western north slope
near Point Hope and Monday. Expecting Blizzard conditions and
snow for that area on Monday. Frontal boundary will push
through the north slope on MOnday and switch the winds to westerly
for much of the week.

West Coast and Western Interior...
Another strong storm developing to the western Bering Sea today
will move to the Northern Bering Sea tonight, then into the
Central Chukchi Sea on Mon and then north of Utqiagvik on Tue.
This storm will bring heavy snow, and blizzard conditions to
most of Western Alaska starting late tonight or early Monday, and
could bring snow and blizzard conditions to the North Slope Mon PM
into Tue. Winter storm warnings are in effect for much of the west
coast.

Central and Eastern
Interior...A shortwave will move into thee Interior with light
amounts of accumulation around 2 to 3 inches for most areas.
Temperatures generally look to remain cooler than normal along the
Eastern Interior through the weekend and closer to near normal
for the Central Interior. Highs warming up Monday and Tuesday as
more clouds and precip expected. Another shortwave will bring in
moisture from the southwest and expecting snow accumulations
around 3 to 5 inches for the Central Interior with higher amounts
over the hills east of Fairbanks.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...A strong storm developing
to the western Bering Sea today will move to the Northern Bering
Sea tonight, then into the Central Chukchi Sea on Monday, and then
north of Utqiagvik on Tuesday. This storm will bring south winds
of 50 to 70 mph to the West Coast of Alaska on Monday. This could
water levels along the coast to rise 3 to 5 feet from Shishmaref
to Kivalina. This will likely cause water to flow on top of the
sea ice and river ice near the coast, and could cause minor
flooding of low lying areas near the coast such as around the
lagoon at Kotzebue.

Flooding of infrastructure is not expected but people should move
valuables to higher ground. People should be alert for water
pushing on top of snow machine trails that run over ice or along
the coast.

Extended Forecast for Days 4 Through 7...High pressure progged
to build into the Aleutians and Bering Sea next week, but will be
dampened as an upper level shortwave rides its periphery and
pushes some moisture into the Interior Tuesday and Wednesday.
High pressure rebuilds over the west coast and unsettled weather
and winds possible for the north slope and Brooks range later in
the week.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Blizzard Warning for AKZ801.
     Winter Storm Warning for AKZ813>819-828-829.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ815>817.
     Winter Storm Warning for AKZ821>824.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ825-826.
     Winter Storm Warning for AKZ827.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ834.
PK...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ801.
     Gale Warning for PKZ801-802-816-817-851-853-855.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ802.
     Gale Warning for PKZ803>805-852.
     Gale Warning for PKZ806.
     Gale Warning for PKZ807-854.
     Gale Warning for PKZ808.
     Gale Warning for PKZ809-858.
     Gale Warning for PKZ810-856.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ810.
     Gale Warning for PKZ811-857.
     Gale Warning for PKZ812.
     Gale Warning for PKZ813.
     Gale Warning for PKZ814.
     Storm Warning for PKZ815-861.
     Gale Warning for PKZ850.
     Gale Warning for PKZ859.
     Gale Warning for PKZ860.
&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 15, 5:59 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFGYukon-Koyukuk Census Area36 hr
Jan 15, 6:01 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFGNorth Slope42 hr
Jan 15, 6:17 AM AKSTWinter Storm WarningAFGNorthwest Arctic20 hr
Jan 15, 6:24 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG20 hr
Jan 15, 6:24 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG56 hr
Jan 15, 6:24 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFG20 hr
Jan 15, 6:27 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG20 hr
Jan 15, 6:27 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFG20 hr
Jan 15, 6:27 AM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG5 days
Jan 15, 1:37 PM AKSTGale WarningAFG49 hr
Jan 15, 1:37 PM AKSTHurricane Force Wind WarningAFG12 hr
Jan 15, 1:37 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFG12 hr
Jan 15, 1:42 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFG12 hr
Jan 15, 1:42 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG36 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.