Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, December 6 to 9, 2011

A 968 mb low near Shemya at 0600AKST on the 6th moved to near Saint Matthew Island as a 977 mb low by 0300AKST on the 8th. The low then moved to the Seward Peninsula and weakened to 993 mb by 0300AKST on the 9th.

Zone 208: It is likely that blizzard conditions occurred at the Red Dog Mine during the afternoon and evening hours on the 7th. Blizzard conditions were observed at 1302 AKST and the visibility was one quarter mile in snow and blowing snow. The wind was gusting to 35 kt (42 mph). No additional observations were taken the remainder of the day, but it is likely that the blizzard conditions persisted through at least early evening.

Zone 209: Blizzard conditions were observed at Kotzebue from approximately 1100AKST through 1553AKST on the 7th. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust to 40 kt (46 mph) at the Kotzebue ASOS. Blizzard conditions were observed at Selawik briefly from approximately noon AKST through 1400AKST on the 7th. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust to 34 kt (39 mph) at the Selawik AWOS. Blizzard conditions were also intermittently observed at Noorvik from 1230AKST through 1600AKST. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile at times in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust to 35 kt (42 mph) at the Noorvik AWOS.

Zone 210: Blizzard conditions were observed at Buckland from approximately 1130AKST through 1500AKST on the 7th. The visibility was frequently reduced to one quarter mile in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust to 39 kt (45 mph) at the Buckland AWOS.

Zone 211: Snow began at Nome at 1246AKST on the 6th and continued through the day on the 7th. A total of 4.1 inches of snow was observed on the 6th with an additional 5.6 inches on the 7th. The wind gusted as high as 39 kt (45 mph) and produced considerable blowing and drifting snow. The visibility was frequently reduced to one half mile or less in snow and blowing snow, with periods of near blizzard to blizzard conditions on the morning of the 7th. When the strong wind diminished during the afternoon hours on the 7th the snow briefly changed over to freezing rain. Lighter snow continued into the day on the 8th, with a storm total of 11.3 inches.

Zone 213: Blizzard conditons were likely observed at Gambell from approximately 1200AKST through 2100AKST on the 6th. The visibility was likely reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. The data from both the visibility sensor and anemometer were unreliable during the event as the AWOS was knocked over during a storm earlier in the month.

Zone 214: Snow developed across the Yukon Delta during the morning hours on the 6th. There were areas of blowing and drifting snow and the visibility was reduced to one half mile or less. As temperatures moderated above freezing during the early morning hours on the 7th, the snow changed to rain and likely froze on untreated surfaces. It is likely that there was ice accretion in excess of one quarter inch in spots.

Zone 216: A total of 12.5 inches of snow was observed by the cooperative observer 14 miles northeast of Ruby. The snow began on the morning of the 7th and continued through the 8th. A total of 7.3 inches of snow was observed by 0630AKST on the morning of the 8th, with an additional 5.5 inches of snow observed from 0630AKST on the 8th through 0630AKST on the 9th.