Alaska, 2013Blizzard in Alaska, February 18, 2013
February 18, 2013 · NWS AFC · 1 event in 1 county or zone
High pressure in the interior of the state and low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska produced strong winds through Thompson Pass near Valdez. Falling and recently fallen snow provided the source of the blowing snow that reached blizzard conditions.
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
High pressure in the interior of the state and low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska produced strong winds through Thompson Pass near Valdez. Falling and recently fallen snow provided the source of the blowing snow that reached blizzard conditions.
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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 17, 2:00 PM AKST, 11 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 17, 2:00 PM AKST, 11 hours before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
200 PM AKST SUN FEB 17 2013
SOUTHERN AND FASTER PORTION OF UPPER TROF MOVING EAST OUT OF BRISTOL
BAY AND IS NOW ENTERING THE GULF OF ALASKA. THIS FEATURE WILL QUICKLY
MOVE SOUTHEAST OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT. WINDIER,DRIER AND
COLDER CONDITIONS FOLLOWING IN BEHIND. AXIS OF THE MUCH SLOWER
NORTHERN PORTION OF THE TROF NOT EXPECTED TO CROSS 150 W UNTIL MID
DAY MON, WHICH MEANS SNOW WILL BE SLOW TO END ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
ALASKA WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS OCCURRING LATER TONIGHT. SNOW ACROSS
THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND KENAI PENINSULA WILL END MONDAY MORNING AS
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. SNOWFALL OVER ZONE 141 MAY NOT
END UNTIL LATE MON EVE. WINDS WILL BE SLOW TO INCREASE OVER SUN NIGHT
THEN SHOULD INCREASE AND BECOME RATHER STRONG MON AND MON EVE WHEN
UPPER SUPPORT IS BEST. GALES ALREADY BEGINNING ACROSS THE KODIAK
MARINE ZONES AS THE FASTER SOUTHERN TROF MOVES OUT.
HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN ALASKA MON NIGHT AHEAD OF NEXT
BERING STORM. THE ASSOCIATED FRONT SHOULD MAKE LANDFALL MON EVENING.
WAVE FORMING ALONG THE FRONT FORECAST BY THE GFS TO DEVELOP INTO A
MODERATE 978 MB STORM AND BRING MORE RAIN SNOW AND WIND TO THE ALASKA
PENINSULA, KODIAK ISLAND AND BRISTOL BAY ON LATE MON AND TUE. THIS
LOW SHOULD DROP INTO THE GULF LATE TUE AND WED AS HIGH PRESSURE ONCE
AGAIN BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN BERING SEA ALONG 165W. SEVERAL WEAKER
SYSTEMS WILL MOVE EASTWARD ALONG THE SOUTHERN BERING SEA WED THU AND
FRI AND WILL DISSIPATE AS THEY RUN INTO THE RIDGE OVER EASTERN
BRISTOL BAY AND KODIAK ISLAND. A STRONGER STORM WILL BRING GALES BACK
TO THE ALEUTIANS LATE IN THE WEEK AS A 972 MB CENTER MOVES TO NEAR
ADAK MIDDAY FRIDAY.
NO CHANGE THE NEXT 5 TO 7 DAYS AS THE PATTERN STAYS RATHER
PROGRESSIVE WITH NO SIGN OF ANY KIND OF BLOCK OCCURRING.
.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WATCH 131 AND 195.
MARINE...STORM AREAS 130 179 185 411 412 413 414.
GALE AREAS 120 127 132 136 137 138 140 150 160 165 170 180 171 172
175 176.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY AREAS 121 127 129 130 138 140 150 155 165.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.
DP FEB 13
Blizzard, Nern P.W. Snd
- When
- February 18, 1:00 AM AKST to 5:00 AM AKST
- Where
- Nern P.W. Snd forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
Blizzard conditions were expected in Thompson Pass from 1 AM Monday, February 18 through late that evening due to strong winds developing through the pass and recent snowfall providing transportable snow. At 3:40 AM the state DOT plowing the pass reported less than 1/4 mile visibility in moderate snow and northeast winds sustained at 33 mph and gusting between 40 and 55 mph. The report from the DOT camp at 6 AM had light snow with 5 plus miles visibility and Northeast winds 10 gusting 30 mph. Due to the sporadic observations and the fact that conditions can be much better at the DOT camp, the timing of this event is an estimate. Looking at surface maps from this time it appears reasonable that the blizzard peaked from around 1 AM to 5 AM on the 18th, but conditions may have remained much lower through the pass itself well into the day. Blizzard criteria is estimated to have been reached at 4 AM on February 18th. No reports of damage or injuries.
- 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.
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- Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, February 18, 20134 injured · $358,000 · 1.75 in hail · 31 events
- Tornado in Texas, February 18, 2013$150,000 · EF1 · 2 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, February 18, 2013$45,000 · EF1 · 18 events
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, February 18 to 20, 20132 injured · $25,000 · 15 events
- Blizzard in South Dakota, February 18, 20133 injured · 14 events
- Blizzard in Minnesota, February 18, 201313 events
- Winter Storm and Strong Wind in California, February 18 to 20, 2013$12,000 · 9 events
- Frost and Freeze in Florida, February 18, 201311 events
- Damaging Wind in Louisiana, February 18, 2013$15,000 · 60 kt wind · 1 event
- Blizzard in Minnesota, February 18, 20138 events
- Blizzard in North Dakota, February 18, 20137 events
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: 435924.