Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 27 to 28, 2001

Name: Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 27 to 28, 2001
Start: 2001-01-27T14:25
End: 2001-01-28T07:53
Location: Alaska

January 27 to 28, 2001 · NWS AFC · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A North Pacific low moved across the Aleutians near Adak Saturday morning, at 962 millibars. Strongest winds along the western Aleutians were around the back side of the low, first exceeding 60+ mph at 6 pm Saturday, peaking at 78 mph (at Adak) at 9:58 pm Saturday.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS AFC wrote it up.

A North Pacific low moved across the Aleutians near Adak Saturday morning, at 962 millibars. The front associated with the storm moved from the central Aleutians Saturday morning to lie in a weakening arc through Saint Matthew Island into the southwest Alaska interior southeast into Kodiak Island late Sunday.Strongest winds along the western Aleutians were around the back side of the low, first exceeding 60+ mph at 6 pm Saturday, peaking at 78 mph (at Adak) at 9:58 pm Saturday. Winds dropped below 60 mph in this zone by 11:55 pm Saturday. The high winds spread to the eastern Aleutians and Alaska Peninsula in advance of the front, first reaching 60+ mph at Dutch Harbor at 6:15 pm Saturday. Winds at Dutch Harbor briefly peaked at 61 mph for one hour before diminishing to less than 60 mph 7:55 pm Saturday. On the Alaska Peninsula, winds of 60 + mph were reported at Cold Bay from 3:29 am Sunday to 6:53 am Sunday. Winds peaked at Cold Bay at 64 mph at 5:53 am Sunday. The Pribilof Islands briefly reported blizzard conditions around 2:29 am Sunday. Winds peaked at 53 mph with visibilities briefly dropping to 1/4 mile in snow and blowing snow.

Event by event

3 high wind, 1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Pribilof Islands

When: January 27, 2:25 PM AST to 3:53 PM AST
Where: Pribilof Islands forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Western Aleutians

When: January 27, 6:00 PM AST to 11:35 PM AST
Where: Western Aleutians forecast zone
Measured: 68 kt (78 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Eastern Aleutians

When: January 27, 6:15 PM AST to 7:55 PM AST
Where: Eastern Aleutians forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Alaska Peninsula

When: January 28, 3:29 AM AST to 7:53 AM AST
Where: Alaska Peninsula forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

What these are

Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, January 2001

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5229472, 5229469, 5229470, 5229471.