Alert archive / Alaska / Blizzard Warnings in 2025

Blizzard Warning 18, NWS Fairbanks, AK

February 28, 2025North Slope Borough, Alaska

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this blizzard warning at Feb 28, 2025, 1:11 PM AKST for North Slope Borough, Alaska. It was in force for 32 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
Feb 28, 2025, 1:11 PM AKST (22:11 UTC)
Expired
Mar 1, 2025, 8:52 PM AKST
In force
32 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

County North Slope Borough, AK

The nearest sounding before it

Point Barrow, (PBRW), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 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 12:00Z on 2025-02-28Temperature 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 12:00Z on 2025-02-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -42 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
931 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
49 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

253 
WWAK41 PAFG 282211
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
111 PM AKST Fri Feb 28 2025

AKZ801-011200-
/O.UPG.PAFG.WW.Y.0042.000000T0000Z-250301T0000Z/
/O.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0018.250228T2211Z-250301T1200Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
111 PM AKST Fri Feb 28 2025

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM AKST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions. Winds gusting up to 40 mph.
  Visibility may be reduced to one quarter mile or less at times.

* WHERE...Point Lay.

* WHEN...Until 3 AM AKST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 50 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.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
561 
WWAK41 PAFG 010646
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
946 PM AKST Fri Feb 28 2025

AKZ801-011500-
/O.EXT.PAFG.BZ.W.0018.000000T0000Z-250302T0000Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
946 PM AKST Fri Feb 28 2025

...BLIZZARD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions. Winds gusting up to 40 mph. 
  Visibility may be reduced to one quarter mile or less at times.

* WHERE...Point Lay.

* WHEN...Until 3 PM AKST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 55 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.

&&

$$
787 
WWAK41 PAFG 011100
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
200 AM AKST Sat Mar 1 2025

AKZ801-020000-
/O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0018.000000T0000Z-250302T0000Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
200 AM AKST Sat Mar 1 2025

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions. Winds gusting up to 40 mph. 
  Visibility may be reduced to one quarter mile or less at times.

* WHERE...Point Lay.

* WHEN...Until 3 PM AKST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 55 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.

&&

$$
110 
WWAK41 PAFG 012225
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
125 PM AKST Sat Mar 1 2025

AKZ801-020900-
/O.EXT.PAFG.BZ.W.0018.000000T0000Z-250302T0900Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
125 PM AKST Sat Mar 1 2025

...BLIZZARD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST TONIGHT...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions. Winds gusting up to 40 mph. 
  Visibility may be reduced to one quarter mile or less at times.

* WHERE...Point Lay.

* WHEN...Until midnight AKST tonight.

* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 55 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.

&&

$$
217 
WWAK41 PAFG 020552
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
852 PM AKST Sat Mar 1 2025

AKZ801-020700-
/O.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0018.000000T0000Z-250302T0900Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
852 PM AKST Sat Mar 1 2025

...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

Visibility has improved and blizzard conditions are no longer 
expected.

$$

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 Feb 27, 2:10 PM AKST, 23 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 27, 2:10 PM AKST, 23 hours 1 minute before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
210 PM AKST Thu Feb 27 2025

.SYNOPSIS...

Northern Alaska was mostly dry today, but satellite imagery
show increasing clouds with surface observations indicating a
gradual warming trend. A well defined warm front lifted into
Southern Alaska this morning and will continue lifting north
across the Brooks Range Friday morning. Increasing cloudiness and
warm southerly flow develops south of this feature, which should
result in spring like weather as temperatures warm to about 10-15F
above seasonal normals. A low pressure that's currently south of
the Alaska Peninsula combines with troughing over the Bering Sea
to result in a persistently amplified pattern. The Alaska Range
scours out most of the moisture lifting north across the state,
except for across the West Coast where the mountains have less
influence. Starting Friday night, a series of weak disturbances
spread light snow northward along the West Coast and portions of
the western interior. Across the North Slope, temperatures warm
this weekend with snow chances reaching the western North Slope
early next week.

.DISCUSSION...

Central and Eastern Interior...

- South winds gusting up to about 60 mph are occurring this
afternoon in Isabel Pass, but should diminish by Friday morning
- Increasing clouds and southerly flow allow for a warming trend
with a daily freeze-thaw cycle possible through late next week.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- Northeast winds gusting to 40 mph at Gambell result in minor
blowing snow this evening before diminishing overnight.
- Light snow chances spread northward along the West Coast Friday
night through the weekend and persist through much of next week.

North Slope and Brooks Range...

- Wind chills persistently in the -30F to -55F range through
Saturday night (west) and Sunday night (east).
- Blowing and drifting snow reducing visibility to a half mile or
less may return to Point Lay late Friday night through Saturday.

Forecast Discussion and Analysis...

Generally low impact weather prevails throughout the forecast period
as southerly flow increases between a Bering Sea low and ridging
over western Canada. Southerly flow across the Alaska Range has
already warmed temperatures above freezing within Isabel Pass and
warm temperatures are expected to become more widespread as the warm
front lift north tonight and Friday. The most widespread above
freezing temperatures are expected across portions of the southern
interior including Fairbanks, Delta Junction, the White Mountains
and locations in between. A persistent freeze-thaw cycle is
increasingly likely every day for about a week between Friday Feb
28th and Thursday Mar 6th. A series of shortwaves embedded within
the southerly flow allows for light snowfall spreading north along
the West Coast beginning Friday night. While snowfall intensity is
expected to be light, off and on chances appears to persist for much
of next week. This may allow for localized double-digit snowfall
totals over a 4-6 day time frame next week. The highest amounts are
expected across higher elevation locations between the YK-Delta and
the western Brooks Range including the Nulato Hills. While snow is
expected to be the predominant p-type, rain may mix in on the
eastern fringes of the precipitation shield especially at elevations
near sea level. This persistently amplified pattern appears to break
down later next week when ensemble means advertise upper level
troughing spreading across the region. Snow chances appear to spread
inland late next week as ridging breaks down.

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

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ801.
     Wind Advisory for AKZ849.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ805.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ806-807-811-812-854-856>858.
     Gale Warning for PKZ815.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ816-817-851.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ860.
     Gale Warning for PKZ861.
&&

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 28, 12:58 PM AKST, 13 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1258 PM AKST Fri Feb 28 2025

AKZ813>826-828>830-020300-
South Slopes of the Western Brooks Range-Noatak Valley-
Kivalina and Red Dog Dock-Lower Kobuk Valley-Baldwin Peninsula-
Northern Seward Peninsula-Upper Kobuk Valleys-Shishmaref-
Bering Strait Coast-Southern Seward Peninsula Coast-
Interior Seward Peninsula-Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills-
Yukon Delta Coast-Lower Yukon River-Lower Koyukuk Valley-
Middle Yukon Valley-Lower Yukon and Innoko Valleys-
Including Walker Lake, Noatak, Red Dog Mine, Kivalina,
Red Dog Dock, Noorvik, Selawik, Kiana, Kotzebue, Deering,
Buckland, Candle, Ambler, Shungnak, Kobuk, Shishmaref, Diomede,
Wales, Brevig Mission, Teller, Nome, White Mountain, Golovin,
Serpentine Hot Springs, Council, Haycock, Pilgrim Springs,
Taylor, Unalakleet, Stebbins, St Michael, Elim, Koyuk,
Shaktoolik, Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, Kotlik,
Scammon Bay, Hooper Bay, Nunam Iqua, Chevak, Russian Mission,
St Marys, Pilot Station, Marshall, Huslia, Hughes, Galena,
Nulato, Kaltag, Ruby, Koyukuk, Grayling, Holy Cross, Shageluk,
and Anvik
1258 PM AKST Fri Feb 28 2025

...Rounds Light Snowfall Expected for the West Coast...

A series of weak disturbances bring persistent light snow chances
to the West Coast this weekend into next week. Widespread
snowfall totals of 1 to 4 inches are likely by Wednesday with
locally higher amounts up to 8 inches possible. The period of
steadiest snowfall is expected Sunday into early Monday morning
that when combined with north winds gusting up to 35 mph may
restrict visibility to half a mile or less.

Warmer temperatures across interior Alaska may cause rain to mix
with snow, mainly along and east of the Yukon River Valley.

Stay up to date with the latest forecast by visiting our website,
weather.gov/afg.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 28, 4:56 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFGNorth Slope8 hr

Nearby

Blizzard Warnings in Alaska, 2025Every blizzard warning in 2025

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.