Blizzard in Alaska, April 9 to 10, 2010

A 956 mb low in the western Bering Sea at 1000AKST on the 9th tracked to the northeast and gradually weakened to 976 mb near the Gulf of Anadyr by 0400AKST on the morning of the 11th. A strong occluded front associated with the low produced blizzard conditions on Saint Lawrence Island and along parts of the west coast of Alaska.

Zone 207: Blizzard conditions were observed at Point Hope from approximately 1300AKST until 1800AKST on the 10th. The visibility at the Point Hope AWOS was frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. A peak wind gust of 41kt/47 mph was observed during this event. Blizzard conditions were also observed at Kivalina from approximately 1430AKST until 1900AKST. The visibility was frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. A peak wind gust of 43 kt/49 mph was observed during this event.

Zone 209: Blizzard conditions were observed at Kotzebue on the 10th from approximately 1230AKST until 1630AKST. The visibility was frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. A peak gust of 47 kt/54 mph was observed at the Kotzebue ASOS.

Zone 211: Blizzard conditions were observed at Nome on the 10th from approximately 0630 am AKST until 1200AKST. The visibility was frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. A peak wind gust of 44 kt/51 mph was observed at the Nome ASOS.

Zone 213: Blizzard conditions were observed at Savoonga from approximately 1930AKST on the 9th until 0000AKST on the 10th. The AWOS was out of service during the event, and the blizzard conditions were observed by a member of the local fire department.

Blizzard conditions were observed at Gambell from approximately 1930AKST on the 9th through 1530AKST on the 10th. The visibility at the Gambell AWOS was frequently reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust of 45kt/52 mph during this event.

Blizzard conditions were also observed along the Bering Strait Coast. The blizzard conditions were observed at Wales from 1030AKST on the 10th, and likely continued into the late afternoon hours. After a peak wind gust of 60kt/69 mph was observed at the Wales AWSS, the power was lost. Blizzard conditions were also observed intermittently at Teller from approximately 0700AKST until 1200AKST. A peak wind gust of 53kt/61 mph was observed at the Teller AWSS.

Zone 214: Blizzard conditions likely occurred across parts of the Yukon Delta. The observations from Cape Romanzof and Scammon Bay were unavailable at times during this event, but Hooper Bay on the Kuskokwim Delta observed blizzard conditions from approximately 2100AKST on the evening of the 9th through 0330AKST on the morning of the 10th, and similar conditions were likely observed along the coast west of Scammon Bay from approximately 2200AKST until 0500AKST. Occasional blizzard conditions were observed at Emmonak during the morning hours on the 10th, and near blizzard conditions were also observed inland at Saint Mary’s and Mountain Village during the morning of the 10th. A peak wind gust of 50 kt/58 mph was observed at the Hooper Bay AWOS. Winds of a similar magnitude were observed at the Scammon Bay AWSS, but no weather or visibility information was available.