Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, March 8 to 11, 2005

Name: Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, March 8 to 11, 2005
Start: 2005-03-08T08:46
End: 2005-03-11T08:00
Location: Alaska

March 8 to 11, 2005 · NWS AFG · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

Zone 203: Reported at Deadhorse, Kuparuk; likely at Nuiqsut AWOS. Zone 208: Noatak Remote Automated Weather Station reported highest gust to 53 knots (61 mph).

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 AFG wrote it up.

High pressure moved east across the Arctic Ocean while Low pressure over souther Alaska sent several weather fronts north over the state, creating strong winds and blowing snow over the North Slope and Western Alaska.Blizzard conditions:Zone 201: Likely at Wainwright AWOS; highest gust 53 mph.Zone 203: Reported at Deadhorse, Kuparuk; likely at Nuiqsut AWOS. Highest gust 54 mph at Deadhorse AWOS and Nuiqsut AWOS.Zone 204: likely at Barter Island (AWOS not reporting) as blizzard conditions were also reported at Komakuk Beach, Canada.Zone 206: likely along the Dalton Highway, as Alaska State Department of Transportation Travel Advisories were in effect from 1500 AST 8th through the morning of the 11th.Zone 207: likely at Point Hope AWOS.Zone 213: likely at Gambell AWOS and Tin City AWOS; highest gust 52 mph at Tin City AWOS.High Winds reported at:Zone 207: Point Hope AWOS highest gust 61 knots (70 mph).Zone 208: Noatak Remote Automated Weather Station reported highest gust to 53 knots (61 mph).

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Mar 8, 6:00 AM AST, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 8, 6:00 AM AST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

NORTH ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
600 AM AST TUE MAR 8 2005

.DISCUSSION...

ALOFT...GENERAL PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.
A RIDGE EXTENDS NORTH OVER WESTERN CANADA TO NORTHERN ALASKA AND
LOW HEIGHTS COVER BROAD AREA OF THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN
ISLANDS. CUTOFF HIGH FROM NORTHERN BERING SEA TO EASTERN SIBERIA
AND TO THE ARCTIC OCEAN WILL RELOCATE TO OVER THE ARCTIC NEAR
77N/143W ON THU. BY THIS COMING WEEKEND THE CANADIAN RIDGE MAY
SHIFT TO OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA AND EXTEND NORTH OVER EASTERN
INTERIOR ALASKA TO THE HIGH OVER THE ARCTIC. ALSO DURING THE
WEEKEND LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE PRIBILOFS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST OVER
THE WEST COAST.

SURFACE...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN CLOSED HIGH OVER THE
ARCTIC AND LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTH TOWARD COLD BAY WILL TIGHTEN
TODAY. ANOTHER LOW MOVING NORTH OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA
WILL BE NEAR 49N/145W WED AFTERNOON. ON THU AFTERNOON THE LOW WILL
MOVE INLAND NEAR 60N/149W. THE COLD BAY LOW WILL DISSIPATE NEAR
THE PRIBILOFS THU AFTERNOON AS A STRONGER LOW MOVING EAST ALONG
THE ALEUTIANS REACHES 51N/178W. DURING THU NIGHT AND FRI THE GULF
OF ALASKA LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE ALASKA RANGE THEN EXIT ALASKA
EAST OF EAGLE. THE LOW OVER THE ALEUTIANS WILL WEAKEN AND
DISSIPATE NEAR THE PRIBILOFS BY SAT AFTERNOON. ANOTHER LOW WILL
MOVE NORTH OVER THE WESTERN SEWARD PENINSULA SAT AFTERNOON. AN
OCCLUDED FRONT WILL MOVE NORTH OVER THE ALASKA RANGE TODAY THEN
WEST OVER THE WEST COAST ON WED. OTHER FRONTS WILL BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE OTHER UPCOMING LOWS DURING THE NEXT WEEK.

NORTH SLOPE...WAITING FOR WINDS TO LIFT WIND CHILLS...COLD AIR
WILL BE IN PLACE TODAY AND TONIGHT...THEN MODERATION AND SNOW WEST
OF BARROW ON WED AS FRONT MOVES WEST OVER WESTERN ARCTIC COAST.
TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN ARCTIC OCEAN HIGH AND EASTERN
ALEUTIANS OR GULF OF ALASKA LOWS WILL KEEP WINDS BITTER THROUGH
FRI. OTHER THAN THE SNOW FOR THE WESTERN ARCTIC COAST ON
WED...THERE WILL BE MAINLY ONLY FLURRIES...THOUGH BLOWING SNOW
WILL BE A PROBLEM. ALL NORTH SLOPE ZONES...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
INCLUDES WIND CHILLS AND BLOWING SNOW WITH LOW VISIBILITY.
SEPARATE WIND ADVISORY IS FOR CAPE LISBURNE ONLY.

WEST COAST...LOW PRESSURE OVER COLD BAY AND HIGH OVER ARCTIC WILL
PRODUCE NORTHEAST WINDS FOR MOST AREAS OF THE WEST. SOME ZONES
WILL HAVE WINTER WEATHER...BLOWING SNOW...OR WIND ADVISORIES AS A
RESULT. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM AS FRONT MOVES WEST OVER THE AREA
ON WED. FLURRIES OR SNOW SHOWERS WILL OCCUR WITH THE FRONT BUT
SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED.

INTERIOR...TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL PRODUCE EAST TO NORTHEAST
WINDS WITH BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY ABOVE TREE LINE FOR ZONES 218
THROUGH 221. TONIGHT AND WED...SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY
THROUGH ALASKA RANGE PASSES AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES NORTH TO OVER
THE COLD BAY AREA OF THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS. ANOTHER LOW MOVING
NORTH OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA WED NIGHT AND THU WILL
REINFORCE THE WINDS. ONLY FLURRIES OR PATCHY LIGHT SNOW ARE
EXPECTED OVER THE INTERIOR THIS WEEK.

.AFG WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY:
            ZONE 201 WESTERN ARCTIC COAST
            ZONE 202 NORTHERN ARCTIC COAST
            ZONE 203 CENTRAL BEAUFORT SEA COAST
            ZONE 204 EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST
            ZONE 205 NORTHWESTERN BROOKS RANGE
            ZONE 206 NORTHEASTERN BROOKS RANGE
            ZONE 207 CHUKCHI SEA COAST
            ZONE 213 SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND AND BERING STRAIT COAST
         BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY:
            ZONE 208 LOWER KOBUK AND NOATAK VALLEYS
            ZONE 218 SOUTHEASTERN BROOKS RANGE
            ZONE 219 UPPER KOYUKUK VALLEY
            ZONE 220 YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS
            ZONE 221 CENTRAL INTERIOR
         WIND ADVISORY:
            ZONE 201 WESTERN ARCTIC COAST
            ZONE 207 CHUKCHI SEA COAST
            ZONE 211 SOUTHERN SEWARD PENINSULA COAST
            ZONE 212 EASTERN NORTON SOUND AND NULATO HILLS
            ZONE 213 ST LAWRENCE ISLAND AND BERING STRAIT COAST
            ZONE 214 YUKON DELTA
MARINE...GALE WARNING:
            ZONE 205 WALES TO CAPE LISBURNE
            ZONE 210 CAPE LISBURNE TO CAPE HALKETT
         BRISK WIND ADVISORY:
            ZONE 290 NORTON SOUND
            ZONE 200 KOTZEBUE SOUND
            ZONE 295 DALL POINT TO WALES
            ZONE 215 CAPE HALKETT TO DEMARCATION POINT

DA MAR 05

Event by event

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

Blizzard, Central Beaufort Sea Coast

When: March 8, 8:46 AM AST to March 11, 4:53 AM AST
Where: Central Beaufort Sea Coast forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

High Wind, Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys

When: March 8, 10:23 AM AST to 4:23 PM AST
Where: Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, N. Brooks Rng E of Colville R

When: March 8, 3:00 PM AST to March 11, 8:00 AM AST
Where: N. Brooks Rng E of Colville R forecast zone
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

High Wind, Chukchi Sea Coast

When: March 8, 7:16 PM AST to 9:14 PM AST
Where: Chukchi Sea Coast forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, Chukchi Sea Coast

When: March 8, 11:16 PM AST to March 9, 2:56 AM AST
Where: Chukchi Sea Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast

When: March 9, 11:00 AM AST to March 11, 8:00 AM AST
Where: Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, Western Arctic Coast

When: March 9, 4:20 PM AST to March 10, 5:56 PM AST
Where: Western Arctic Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Blizzard, St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait

When: March 10, 4:36 AM AST to 8:55 PM AST
Where: St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait forecast zone
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 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, March 2005

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: 5442108, 5442115, 5442110, 5442112, 5442111, 5442109, 5442113, 5442114.