Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 20 to 23, 2002

Name: Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 20 to 23, 2002
Start: 2002-02-20T22:00
End: 2002-02-23T00:00
Location: Alaska

February 20 to 23, 2002 · NWS AFC · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

A 988 mb low about 270 miles southwest of Shemya early Tuesday, became complex with several centers early Wednesday. moving steadily northeast into the Bering Sea thereafter.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 988 mb low about 270 miles southwest of Shemya early Tuesday, became complex with several centers early Wednesday. By Wednesday evening, the low deepened to 968 mbs at the western end of the Aleutians...moving steadily northeast into the Bering Sea thereafter. The associated front moved northeast across the Aleutians, preceded by brisk southeast winds. By 3 pm Wednesday, a frontal low had deepened to 966 mbs near Atka, with its front in an east and southeast arc through Cold Bay. The low and front continued east northeast thereafter.155 - Winds at Mekoryuk picked up to near 40 mph after midnight Thursday. By 1 pm AST Thursday, visibilities had dropped to 1/4 mile...with winds gusting 35 to 45 mph. Appears the visibility sensor there quit...however indications are that poor weather conditions persisted through 9 pm AST Thursday.161 - Port Heiden winds increased early Thursday, gusting 60+ mph by 8:30 am AST the same day. Peak southeast winds reached 70 mph at 2:35 pm AST Thursday, and 72 mph at 3:35 am AST Friday at the site. Kaliginak peak winds reached at least 65 mph. 8-12" of new snow fell overnight Thursday and into Friday at Togiak and Dillingham. Local newspapers later ran a story on this snowfall around Dillingham.181 - Pre-frontal southeast winds first reached 60 mph at Cold Bay around 9 am AST Thursday, peaking at 68 mph there at noon Thursday.185 - Dutch Harbor airport first recorded 60+ mph winds at 5:29 pm AST Wednesday, peaking at 67 mph at that time. Winds at the airport, during un-augmented times, continued gusting to 58 mph through 4:15 am AST Thursday, dropping off significantly thereafter.195 - Actual ASOS report peaked at 59 mph at St. George. Close to blizzard conditions were also reported, with visibilities as low as ½ - 3/4 mile in blowing and falling snow.

Event by event

4 high wind, 2 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Eastern Aleutians

When: February 20, 10:00 PM AST to February 21, 4:15 AM AST
Where: Eastern Aleutians forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, Pribilof Islands

When: February 21, 4:00 AM AST
Where: Pribilof Islands forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Pribilof Islands

When: February 21, 4:00 AM AST
Where: Pribilof Islands forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Bristol Bay

When: February 21, 8:30 AM AST to February 22, 8:00 AM AST
Where: Bristol Bay forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Alaska Peninsula

When: February 21, 9:00 AM AST to 11:00 PM AST
Where: Alaska Peninsula forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, Kuskokwim Delta

When: February 21, 1:00 PM AST to February 23, 12:00 AM AST
Where: Kuskokwim Delta forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, February 2002

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: 5278577, 5278574, 5278578, 5278575, 5278576, 5278573.