Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, January 16 to 18, 2009

A 949 mb low across the Alaska Peninsula on the morning of the 16th tracked into the Norton Sound early on the morning of the 17th, and weakened to 978 mb by Noon on the 17th. The low re-developed across the Arctic Ocean during the afternoon of the 17th, and tracked to north of Banks Island as a 985 mb low on the morning of the 18th. The storm brought high winds, heavy snow, blizzard conditions and freezing rain to much of the west coast as well as the arctic coast.

Zone 201: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions were observed at Point Lay during the late evening hours of the 16th. The visibility at the Point Lay AWOS was reduced to less than one quarter of a mile at times.

Zone 205: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions likely occurred in spots across the Northwestern Brooks Range based on similar conditions that were observed in Northeastern Brooks Range. The wind at the Ikpikpuk River automatic Stream gauge was sustained at 25 to 40 mph and occasionally as high as 46kt/53 mph during the afternoon and evening hours of the 17th.

Zone 206: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions likely occurred in spots across the Northeastern Brooks Range. The wind at Anaktuvuk Pass AWOS gusted to 48 kt/55 mph. The DOT had a travel advisory in effect for heavy snowfall with drifting and blowing snow and near zero visibility. In fact, conditions were so bad in the vicinity of Atigun Pass that the DOT suspended the use of maintenance equipment on the morning of the 17th due to avalanche slides and snow drifts blocking the Dalton Highway.

Zone 207: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions occurred at Point Hope and Kivalina. The Point Hope AWOS reported visibilities of one quarter mile or less from the afternoon on the evening of the 16th through the evening of the 17th along with wind gusts to 35kt/40 mph. The Kivalina ASOS reported two hours of heavy snow during the evening hours of the 16th, with the visibility one quarter of a mile or less along with wind gusts to 36kt/41 mph. The heavy snow changed over to freezing rain which likely accumulated to one tenth of an inch.

Zone 208: Heavy snow was observed by the Noatak cooperative observer during the afternoon of the 16th through the afternoon of the 17th. Six inches of snow was observed from noon on the 16th through 4 am on the 17th, with a storm total of 8.5 inches. In addition to the snow, a south wind gusted to 35kt/40 mph at the Noatak AWOS and likely produced considerable blowing and drifting snow. In addition, temperatures climbed above freezing for a time during the early morning hours on the 17th at the Noatak AWOS and the Kiana RAWS, and likely produced freezing rain with accumulations of around one tenth of an inch in spots.

Zone 209: Periods of heavy snow that reduced the visibility to one quarter of a mile were observed at Kotzebue on the evening of the 16th. Although only 3.5 inches of snow was observed at the WSO in Kotzebue, as warmer air moved into the area the snow changed to freezing rain during the evening hours on the 16th, and accumulated approximately one tenth of an inch. As the storm system began to pull away from the area on the afternoon of the 17th the freezing rain changed back to snow. The visibility was reduced to one quarter of a mile at times in snow and blowing snow. The wind gusted to 37kt/43 mph at the Kotzebue ASOS during the afternoon of the 17th.

Zone 210: Blizzard conditions were observed along the coast during the afternoon hours of the 17th. The Deering ASOS reported visibilities of one quarter mile or less in heavy snow at times. A south wind of 30 to 45 mph was observed, with wind gusts as high as 53kt/61 mph. Similar conditions were observed at Buckland. The Buckland AWOS reported visibilities of zero at times, and wind gusts as high as 57kt/66 mph.

Zone 211: Blizzard conditions and heavy snow were observed at Nome during the afternoon and evening hours of the 16th. A total of 8.3 inches of snow was observed at the Nome Weather Service Office. The visibility was also frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow, and occasionally to zero. Temperatures briefly climbed above freezing during the evening hours of the 16th into the early morning hours of the 17th with freezing rain. The wind gusted to 44 kt/51 mph at the Nome ASOS. Blizzard conditions were also observed at Golovin AWOS on the morning hour of the 17th. The visibility was reduced to zero, and the wind gusted as high as 52kt/60 mph.

Zone 212: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions were observed at the Koyuk AWOS during the morning and afternoon hours of the 17th. The visibility was frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less, and occasionally to zero in snow and blowing snow. The wind gusted as high as 42kt/48 mph. The wind gusted as high as 65kt/75 mph at the St. Michael AWSS during the early morning hours of the 17th, and likely produced blizzard conditions.

Zone 213: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions were observed at Teller along the Bering Strait coast. The visibility was frequently reduced to one quarter mile during the afternoon and early evening hours of the 16th at the Teller AWSS, and the wind gusted to 32 kt/37 mph. On Saint Lawrence Island, the wind gusted to 47kt/54 mph at the Gambell AWOS and blizzard conditions likely occurred.

Zone 215: High winds were observed at the Marshall AWSS during the early morning hours of the 17th. Wind gusts to 55kt/63mph were observed. Periods of snow were also observed, but it is unknown how much snow accumulated. The Anvik AWOS briefly had visibilities reduced to one quarter mile in snow and blowing snow during the early morning hours of the 17th.

Zone 216: A cooperative observer in Galena reported trees and power lines down during the early morning hours of the 17th. Sustained winds of 50 mph were observed, with a peak wind gust of 64 mph at 331 AKDT. Wind gusts to 56kt/64 mph were observed at the Poorman Raws and to 55kt/63 mph at the Koyukuk Raws during the morning hours of the 17th.