Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, November 8 to 11, 2013

A large and persistent area of high pressure which developed over the North Pacific forced the jet stream northward, which directed a series of very strong low pressure systems into the Bering Sea from the 6th through the 14th of November. This weather pattern transported moisture and energy from the subtropics to the Bering Sea, which strengthened several storms.

The storm on the 6th and 7th did not raise storm surge values in the Bering and Chukchi seas to critical levels for coastal flooding. Nonetheless, as the first storm moved across the Chukotsk Peninsula and the associated weather front moved into the western interior, a long fetch of south to southwesterly winds developed across the Bering and Chukchi seas, including Norton Sound. This wind direction pushed water into the west coast and increased surge values, which later contributed to the coastal flooding associated with the second storm.

South winds persisted for 24 hours ahead of a second vigorous storm system, which tracked northeast across the Bering and Chukchi seas Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th and continued into the Beaufort Sea on Sunday the 10th. The coastal waters of western Alaska experienced much stronger winds with this storm. winds from 35 to 55 mph occurred across the west and north coasts of Alaska with local higher gusts over 65 mph. The trajectory of winds remained southwesterly which caused significant surge and coastal flooding for several coastal communities. Surge values peaked between 7 and 14 feet from Norton Sound south to Nunivak Island from the 9th to Sunday the 10th, and the peak was amplified in some communities, such as Kotlik and Stebbins, because it coincided with high tide. Further north, storm surge ranged from 2 to 6 feet along the Chukchi Sea coast and up to 4 feet along the Beaufort Sea coast.|On the 16th of the month, the Governor issued a state disaster declaration for the Northwest Arctic Borough, the Bering Straits Region, and the Lower Yukon Region.| |Zone 202: Minor coastal flooding affected portions of Barrow along with some beach erosion. Several of the roads had water on them mainly from splash over by the surf.

Zone 207: At Shishmaref, the seawall protecting the village from waves experienced some erosion from the elevated water levels and surf. Some damage to home was reported due to high winds. Damage amount is a rough estimate.

Zone 209: At Kotzebue, minor flooding occurred around town. Large pieces of sea ice were pushed up to the sea wall.

Zone 210: Minor flooding occurred at Deering as the road to the airport was flooded during the late evening of the 10th through mid-morning on the 11th.

Zone 211: At Nome, there was minor damage; water level rose to 7.5 feet above tide. Damage amount is a rough estimate. At Golovin, coastal erosion of the shoreline occurred, though damage to property is unknown.

Zone 212: At Unalakleet, up to 600 feet of a water transmission line leading into the village's pump house was damaged. One-half mile of a road closest to the coastline was eroded. Seven homes were damaged by flood waters. Damage amount is roughly estimated. A storm surge of 12 to 14 feet was estimated at Unalakleet. At Stebbins, 16 homes were reported damaged; four of those were deemed unlivable. The flood protection berm around a portion of the village was damaged. The road along the coast was eroded. The water influent lines and sanitation storage system was damaged. The GCI communications tower was damaged. At Shaktoolik, shoreline erosion occurred...washing out the fuel tank farm protection berm and the city landfill protection berm. Also the community evacuation road was washed out.

Zone 213: At Teller 30 feet of seawall was washed out, and the State road to the airport and to Nome was washed out.

Zone 214: At Kotlik nearly the entire village was inundated with sea water. The water treatment plant was shutdown as the influent line and treatment system was damaged. Two residences floated off their foundation; 36 homes in all were damaged. On the night of the 9th 200 people were sheltered at the school. Much of the village's subsistence food that was gathered over the recent summer was destroyed. At Nunam Iqua, the boardwalk was damaged; the runway lost power to its lights for a few days so only daytime flights could occur. The utilidor as well as water and sewer lines were damaged. At Scammon Bay, significant washout of roads to the fuel station, to the city dock, and to the airport occurred, along with some washout of the apron at the end of the airport. The boat ramp also broke free from its attachment to shore. A variety of boats and motors owned by individuals were damaged.

Warm air and plenty of moisture were pushed northward and inland with this system between the 9th and 11th. Up to 2 feet of snow fell across portions of northern and eastern interior with over 3 feet reported in the Eastern Alaska Range. Areas of blowing snow closed the Steese, Elliott and Dalton highways and blizzard conditions occurred on the North Slope. Rain and freezing rain fell over the remainder of the Interior and west coast.

Zone 201: Blizzard conditions occurred at Point Lay and at Atqasuk, as indicated by the Automated Weather stations there. Conditions were near blizzard a few separate hours at Wainwright during this time. winds gusted as high as 45 kt (52 mph) at Point Lay.

Zone 203: Blizzard conditions occurred on the 11th at Deadhorse, Kuparuk, Alpine, and Nuiqsut. Wnds gusted as high as 50 kt (58 mph) at Nuiqsut, with slightly lower maximum gusts at Deadhorse.

Zone 204: Blizzard conditions likely occurred at Barter Island as the AWOS reported visibility often at 1/2 mile which likely means conditions were even lower at the village of Kaktovik immediately nearby. Winds gusted as high as 59 kt (68 mph).

Zone 206: The Atigun Pass SNOTEL reported about 10 inches of new snow by the evening of the 9th.

Zone 208: Blizzard conditions began at Red Dog Mine on the afternoon of the 9th and likely extended into the early evening hours. Observations were not available after 1400AKST on the 9th until the morning of the 10th.

Zone 215: Rain fell at Holy Cross (0.73 inches accumulation) and at Russian Mission (0.69 inches accumulation). Though mostly rain, ground surfaces remained frozen, so the effect was the same as Freezing rain on ground surfaces.

Zone 217: Ambler reported a foot of new snow which fell on the 9th and 10th, according to airport operations. At Kobuk, an estimated 1 to 1 and one-half foot of new snow was on the trails nearby.

Zone 218: Wiseman Cooperative Observer reported 16 inches from the 8th through the |morning of the 10th.

Zone 219: Bettles airport reported 10.4 inches on the 8th through the 9th...with an unknown amount on the 10th, though was likely minor.

Zone 221: The Cooperative Observer at Manley reported a storm total snowfall of 10 inches. At Nenana, in addition to the snowfall there, 0.12 inches of freezing rain fell during the early morning hours on the 10th according to the ASOS. The Tanana ASOS reported freezing rain or rain during the aftenoon and evening of the 9th.

Zone 222: The Cooperative Observer at Keystone Ridge reported a storm total of 11.4 inches; the Cooperative Observer at Fox 2SE reported a total of 8.5 inches. Spotter and other reports for the hills immediately north of Fairbanks were in the 7 to 8 inch range. The Fairbanks Airport reported a total of 5.8 inches, and reported totals from the North Pole area ran from 5 to 6 inches.

Zone 223: A Fort Greeley weather observer estimated 12 inches of new snow at her home 15 miles northwest of Delta Junction, in an area referred to as Tenderfoot. The Fort Greeley Weather station reported a total of 5.5 inches.

Zone 224: A storm total snowfall of 19.0 inches was reported by a storm spotter near Robertson River; 12.5 inches was reported by a Cooperative Observer at Tok, and 10.2 inches was reported by the FAA Contract Weather Station at Northway. Winds of 45 to 50 mph occurred in the Tok area, causing some downed trees and power outage as well for a time.

Zone 226: The Cooperative Observer at Mentasta Lake 7E/Bartell Creek reported 38 inches of snowfall from the 0900AKST on the 9th through 0900AKST on the 11th. Most of the snow fell on the 10th. The Tok Cutoff, the highway through the Alaska Range linking the Alaska Highway which goes through Canada, to Anchorage, was closed for a period of time on the 10th.

Zone 227: McGrath NWS Office reported that 0.61 inches of rain fell on the 9th. While air temperatures were mostly above freezing during this event, the ground was still below freezing and the rain either froze on contact or pooled on top of the ice layer.