Blizzard in Alaska, November 11 to 12, 2013

Name: Blizzard in Alaska, November 11 to 12, 2013
Start: 2013-11-11T07:00
End: 2013-11-12T03:00
Location: Alaska

November 11 to 12, 2013 · NWS AFC · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A storm over the northern Gulf of Alaska pushed moisture over the arctic front into the Chugach Mountains. This resulted in over two and a half feet of snow in the mountains.

The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS AFC wrote it up.

A storm over the northern Gulf of Alaska pushed moisture over the arctic front into the Chugach Mountains. This resulted in over two and a half feet of snow in the mountains. Strong high pressure over interior Alaska produced the typical strong outflow winds through the passes of the coastal mountains. The combination of the snow and wind resulted in a blizzard through Thompson Pass.

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 Nov 11, 5:00 AM AKST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 11, 5:00 AM AKST, 2 hours before

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKST MON NOV 11 2013

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...

ON THE EARLY MORNING WEATHER MAP...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES
TO BUILD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BERING SEA WHILE A COLD
FRONT EXTENDS FROM PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND DOWN ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF
AND NORTH PACIFIC. THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE BERING SEA HAS
BEEN DRIVING A WARM FRONT ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALEUTIANS
DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THIS HAS BEEN OBSERVED WELL BY THE
NIKOLSKI AND DUTCH HARBOR OBS...AS TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN FROM THE
UPPER 30S TO THE LOW 40S DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. EVEN AS HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BERING SEA...A WEAK LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE NORTHERN BERING SEA HAS TIGHTENED THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT LEADING TO GUSTY WINDS OVER THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN
OVERNIGHT.

THE COLD FRONT OVER SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA HAD BUCKLED AND BECAME
QUASI-STATIONARY DURING THE EVENING HOURS ON SUNDAY. THIS ALLOWED A
CONTINUAL PUSH OF MOISTURE UP FROM THE SUBTROPICS WHICH AIDED IN
HEAVY PRECIPITATION RATES ACROSS THE SOUTHCENTRAL. THE UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH THAT IS EVIDENT ON WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS MORNING
BEGAN TO PUSH ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN AND PARTS OF SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA
EARLY THIS MORNING. THE TROUGH HAS HELPED PUSH THE COLD FRONT TO THE
EAST DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AND HAS ALLOWED FOR DRIER AIR TO
START FILTERING IN ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...

MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM IN RESPECT TO
THE SYNOPTIC FEATURES. A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BERING SEA THROUGH THIS EVENING
BEFORE BEGINNING TO SHIFT EASTWARD. THERE WILL BE A SERIES OF WEAK
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS PASSING THROUGH THE NORTHERN BERING SEA THROUGH
THE WEEK...LEADING TO A TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT AND GALE FORCE
WINDS THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. HOWEVER...THE MODEL SOLUTIONS DIVERGE
ON THE PLACEMENT AND INTENSITIES OF THESE WEAK LOWS TRAVERSING THE
NORTHERN BERING SEA...WHICH CREATES ISSUES FOR THE TIMING AND
STRENGTH OF THE WINDS OVER THE BERING SEA. THESE DETAILS WILL BE
IRONED OUT IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS.

THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA WILL PUSH EAST AND KICK
OUT THE COLD FRONT CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA. THIS TROUGH
SHIFTS EASTWARD AND DE-AMPLIFIES WHILE BEING ABSORBED BY THE
LONG-WAVE PATTERN. NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL LEAD TO COLDER AIR
FILTERING DOWN FROM THE ARCTIC ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA WHILE
SOUTHWEST ALASKA WILL SEE WARMING TEMPERATURES ON TUESDAY AS WARM AIR
ADVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH A RIDGE OVER THE BERING SEA EXPANDS
EASTWARD.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...

SOUTHCENTRAL...THE COLD FRONT THAT INTERACTED WITH MOISTURE BEING
ADVECTED FROM THE SUBTROPICS HAS FINALLY BEGIN ITS PUSH EASTWARD AS
THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS CURRENTLY PUSHING THROUGH THE BRISTOL BAY
AREA AND THE MAT-SU VALLEY. THIS HAS BROUGHT AN END TO THE
PRECIPITATION IN THE SUSITNA VALLEY...MATANUSKA VALLEY AND ANCHORAGE.
HOWEVER...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL BE SEEN ACROSS THE COPPER
RIVER BASIN AS AN ADDITIONAL 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOWFALL WILL BE
POSSIBLE. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT
THROUGH 7 PM THIS EVENING. THE FRONT AND ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH WILL
CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND EXIT THE AREA LATE THIS
EVENING. ALONG THE GULF COAST EAST/SOUTHEASTERN PRINCE WILLIAM
SOUND...PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN CONTINUE TO FALL AS MOISTURE CONTINUES
TO ADVECT NORTHWARD. THE RIDGE OVER THE BERING SEA IS BEGINNING TO
CUT OFF THE SUPPLY OF MOISTURE FROM THE SUBTROPIC WHICH WILL LEAD TO
A GRADUAL DECREASE IN PRECIPITATION RATE. HOWEVER...VALDEZ WILL
CONTINUE TO SEE RAIN MIXED WITH SNOW THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.
PRECIPITATION IN THESE AREAS SHOULD TAPER OFF BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA IN THE
WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA. SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE AND NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL ALLOW COLD AIR TO SURGE
SOUTH FROM THE ARCTIC THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH TEMPERATURES AT NIGHT TO
DROP INTO THE TEENS ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...WITH ABOVE FREEZING
TEMPERATURES ALONG THE COAST. STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE OBSERVED
THROUGH THOMPSON PASS...NEAR WHITTIER...SEWARD AND OTHER PASSES AND
GAPS ACROSS THE AREA. WIND GUSTS WILL BE IN THE 40 TO 60 MPH RANGE AS
THE COLD AIR SETTLES INTO THE REGION AND THE WIND DRAIN OUT OF
PASSES. IN THOMPSON PASS...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL BE SEEN AS STRONG
WIND WILL BLOW THE SNOW THAT HAS ACCUMULATED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
DAYS...LEADING TO DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS. THE GUSTY WINDS WILL
BEGIN TO DIMINISH TUESDAY EVENING AHEAD OF THE NEXT SURGE OF WARMER
AIR TOWARD MIDWEEK.

SOUTHWEST...ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS REMAIN IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD
FRONT THAT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY MORNING. DRIER AIR HAS
ALREADY FILTERED IN AS EVIDENT ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY. TEMPERATURES
WILL REMAIN NEAR FREEZING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST TODAY AS COLD AIR
ADVECTION FROM THE NORTH CONTINUES TO COOL OFF THE MID LEVELS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE. ON TUESDAY...THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE BERING
SEA WILL PUSH EASTWARD. WARM AIR WILL BEGIN TO OVERRUN THE COLDER AIR
AT THE SURFACE LEADING TO A PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN ACROSS THE
KUSKOKWIM DELTA AND LOWER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY ON TUESDAY AND EARLY
WEDNESDAY. OVER THESE AREAS...PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY START OFF AS
MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO FREEZING RAIN AND THEN
FINALLY TO RAIN. THE LOWER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY IS LIKELY TO HAVE MORE
IMPACTS FROM THIS EVENT AS THE COLDER AIR WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO
DISPLACE. THE MODELS ARE ALSO HINTING THAT THE 850 TEMPERATURES WILL
BE IN THE +5 TO +8 DEGREE RANGE WITH DEEP COLD POOL OVER THE LOWER
KUSKOKWIM VALLEY. A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
KUSKOKWIM DELTA AND A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
LOWER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY FOR TUESDAY.

BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL
CONTINUE TO BUILD AND SHIFT EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE
BERING SEA THROUGH THIS EVENING. AT THE SAME TIME...A SERIES OF WEAK
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WILL PASS ACROSS THE NORTHERN BERING SEA. THIS
WILL LEAD TO A COMPACT PRESSURE GRADIENT...LEADING TO GALE FORCE WIND
AND SEAS 15 TO 20 FT ACROSS THE REGION. THE STRONGEST AREA OF LOW
PRESSURE TO AFFECT THE AREA WILL BE A NORTH PACIFIC LOW THAT WILL BE
INTENSIFYING AS IT PUSHES ACROSS THE NORTHERN BERING SEA ON THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...

A NORTH PACIFIC LOW WILL BE INTENSIFYING AS IT PUSHES NORTH TOWARDS
THE GULF OF ALASKA NEXT SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THIS WILL LIKELY BRING A
PERIOD OF STRONG WINDS TO THE COASTAL WATERS AND OFFSHORE AREAS IN
THE NORTHERN GULF WHILE BRINGING WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION TO
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA. ALTHOUGH THE MODELS AGREE THAT THIS NORTH
PACIFIC LOW WILL PUSH NORTH INTO THE GULF...LOCATION AND INTENSITY
DISCREPANCIES EXIST.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING...131
MARINE...GALE...121 127 128 131 150 177 178 185
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

MMC NOV 13

In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 11, 3:03 AM AKST, 3 hours 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
303 AM AKST MON NOV 11 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0200 AM     SNOW             20 E CHICKALOON         61.79N 147.87W
11/11/2013  M10.0 INCH                          AK   PUBLIC

            HEAVY SNOW CONTINUING TO FALL. AS OF 2AM STORM TOTAL IS
            10 INCHES.

&&

TPEPE

Local storm report, Nov 11, 5:57 AM AKST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
557 AM AKST MON NOV 11 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1144 AM     SNOW             26 NNE CHASE            62.82N 149.90W
11/10/2013  E5.0 INCH                           AK   OTHER FEDERAL

            5.0 INCHES LOOSE SNOW. SNOW DEPTH 7 INCHES

1144 AM     HEAVY SNOW       5 E MATANUSKA GLACIER S 61.81N 147.69W
11/10/2013  E6.5 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MOSTLY MODERATE SNOW AND STILL FALLING.

1144 AM     SNOW             3 NE GIRDWOOD           60.97N 149.10W
11/10/2013  E6.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            2 INCHES SINCE 10 AM. 6 INCHES TOTAL

1144 AM     SNOW             3 NE GIRDWOOD           60.97N 149.10W
11/10/2013  E5.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            4-5 INCHES NEW ACCUMULATION. SNOW FALLING.

1144 AM     HEAVY SNOW       26 NNE CHASE            62.82N 149.90W
11/10/2013  M9.0 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

            2 INCHES NEW SNOW SINCE 9 AM. 9 INCHES TOTAL SO FAR.
            MODERATE TO HEAVE SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL. VISIBILITIIES
            1/4 MILE OR LESS.

1144 AM     FREEZING RAIN    1 NW GLEN ALPS          61.12N 149.71W
11/10/2013  E0.00 INCH                          AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MOSTLY FREEZING RAIN. OCCASIONAL LIGHT SNOW. APPROX. 1/4
            INCHES ICE ON GROUND. TRACE SNOW.

1144 AM     FREEZING RAIN    4 NNW BUTTE             61.59N 149.11W
11/10/2013  E0.00 INCH                          AK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            GLAZED ROADWAYS WITH 1/4 INCHES ICE. SEVERAL VEHICLE
            ACCIDENTS.

1144 AM     FREEZING RAIN    4 NNW BUTTE             61.59N 149.09W
11/10/2013  E0.00 INCH                          AK   OTHER FEDERAL

            FREEZING RAIN. 1/4 INCHES ICE ON GROUND. SNOWLINE APPROX
            1500 FEET AGL.

0400 PM     SNOW             4 WNW BENTALIT          61.58N 150.72W
11/10/2013  M5.0 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

            5 INCHES OF SNOW SINCE 800 AM. SNOW OCCASIONALLY MDT-HVY

0630 PM     SNOW             3 E HOUSTON             61.62N 149.69W
11/10/2013  M7.5 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            SNOW STARTED 1100 AM.

0830 PM     SNOW             3 E ANCHORAGE           61.22N 149.78W
11/10/2013  M5.1 INCH                           AK   PUBLIC

            AS OF 830PM 5.1 INCHES MEASURED AT THE ABC/FOX STUDIO
            ROOF. SNOW IS STILL FALLING. TEMP 31F. VISIBILITY LOW AT
            TIMES.

0929 PM     SNOW             ANCHORAGE               61.22N 149.87W
11/10/2013  M5.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            5 INCHES OF SNOW AS OF 9 PM.

0941 PM     SNOW             EAGLE RIVER             61.32N 149.57W
11/10/2013  M5.1 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

1000 PM     SNOW             1 SE RABBIT CREEK       61.07N 149.80W
11/10/2013  M4.0 INCH                           AK   PUBLIC

            4 INCHES OF SNOW TODAY AT GOLDENVIEW AND PROMINENCE PT.
            DR. STILL SNOWING. NE WIND 6-8 KTS. TEMP 29.5F

1020 PM     SNOW             2 SE EAGLE RIVER        61.30N 149.52W
11/10/2013  M5.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            5 INCHES STORM TOTAL, 1 INCH IN THE LAST HOUR. SAME SNOW
            RATE AS LAST REPORT.

1049 PM     SNOW             2 E RABBIT CREEK        61.08N 149.76W
11/10/2013  M8.0 INCH                           AK   PUBLIC

            8 INCHES OF SNOWFALL AT THE CORNER OF BIRCH RD AND
            BRISTOL DR.

0200 AM     SNOW             20 E CHICKALOON         61.79N 147.87W
11/11/2013  M10.0 INCH                          AK   PUBLIC

            HEAVY SNOW CONTINUING TO FALL. AS OF 2AM STORM TOTAL IS
            10 INCHES.

&&

MCLAY

Local storm report, Nov 11, 6:11 AM AKST, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
611 AM AKST MON NOV 11 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0545 AM     SNOW             1 NW GLEN ALPS          61.12N 149.71W
11/11/2013  M6.0 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            6 INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN NEAR STROGANOF DR..5 BLOCKS
            SOUTH OF CHUGACH STATE PARK, APPROX 1400 FT ELEVATION.
            TEMPS 25F, MOSTLY CLOUDY, CALM WINDS, AND UNLIMITED
            VISIBILITY.

&&

TPEPE

Event by event

1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Nern P.W. Snd

When: November 11, 7:00 AM AKST to November 12, 3:00 AM AKST
Where: Nern P.W. Snd forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, November 2013

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: 483159.