A series of strong fronts pushed east across Northern Alaska. Heavy snow, strong winds, and blizzard conditions accompanied these fronts.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS AFG wrote it up.
A series of strong fronts pushed east across Northern Alaska. Heavy snow, strong winds, and blizzard conditions accompanied these fronts.
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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 11, 4:46 AM AKST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
446 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023
.SYNOPSIS...
Snow squalls with periods of low visibility will ramp up again
along the Bering Strait and Saint Lawrence Island on Monday and
continue through Wednesday. Snow and blowing snow and strong
winds over the northern Interior on Monday. More snow expected
Tuesday and Wednesday over the Interior. Heavy snow expected over
the Eastern Alaska Range through Tuesday.
.DISCUSSION...
Aloft...
The long wave pattern consists of a deep trough over Alaska. This
pattern will remain stationary through the middle of next week. A
series of short wave troughs will move north over Mainland Alaska
through mid week. This pattern will also cause persistent
northerly flow over the Northern Bering Sea which will cause a
band of lake affect type snow showers and squalls to persist from
Point Hope to the Bering Strait to St Lawrence Is through next
Wed. Pattern change on Thursday and Friday with ridging shifting
over the west coast and Interior and a trough moving across the
Bering Sea bringing a weather front into the Bering Strait.
West coast...Strong northerly winds will ramp back up on Monday
through the Bering Strait and Saint Lawrence Island and continue
into Wednesday. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 55
mph could lead to reduced visibiltiy to one half mile at times.
Strong winds and waves could also lead to heavy freezing spray
which may create light ice accumulations on surfaces. These
hazardous conditions are most likely for Little Diomede and Saint
Lawerence Island.
North slope...The Arctic Coast has stratus, fog and flurries that
will continue through the weekend. The area from Nuiqsut east
will have light snow on Sat into Sun. Temps will cool to 10 below
over the Arctic Coast. Winds and low visibility continue for
Point Hope this morning. The Brooks range will see -20 to -30
below Monday and Tuesday. Strong winds will also develop in the
Brooks range and cold wind chills to -50 below on Monday night
into Tuesday. Winter weather advisory has been issued for the
passes.
Interior...A strong low will push inland over southern Alaska
causing strong southeast winds to develop near Delta Junction and
strong Northeast winds gusting to 40 mph over Elliott and Dalton
Highway Summits early Monday morning along with blowing snow and
low visibility. Indian Mountain is gusting near 40 mph.
A wind advisory is still in effect for Delta Junction area. An
updated special weather statement has been issued for the
Interior to update snow amounts. A Winter Storm warning still in
effect for the eastern Alaska range for heavy snow late Sunday
night through Tuesday. Southerly winds will also increase through
Alaska Range Passes Sun night then weaken on Monday. The Central
Interior will be downsloped and not much snow expected on Monday,
but north and west of Fairbanks will see 3 to 6 inches. The
second shot of snow brings a better chance of accumulating snow
for Fairbanks on Tuesday. Snow will develop around Fairbanks
late Monday night and continue into Tuesday. 3 to 5 inches
expected around the Fairbanks area, and 6 to 10 inches over the
Eastern and Northern Interior and down the Parks Highway near
Denali through Tuesday night. Snow likely to linger into into
Wednesday over the Interior. Snow will taper off over much of
the area by Thursday. Also temperatures will moderate above zero
for much of the area for the first half of the week.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...
Northerly gales will cause high waves from Point Hope to the
Bering Strait to St Lawrence Island Mon through Wed. This combined
with temperatures in the teens will cause freezing spray in the
Bering Strait, at Diomede and Savoonga Sun night through Wed.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ801.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ809-812-831.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ820-821-827.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ832>834.
Wind Advisory for AKZ837.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ849.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ850.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ801.
Gale Warning for PKZ802-805.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ803-804-810-811-852.
Gale Warning for PKZ806-807-856.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ808-809-855.
Gale Warning for PKZ816-817-850-851-853-854.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ816-817-850-851-853-854-856-
857.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ857.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ861.
&&Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 403 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023 AKZ835-838>848-120900- Fortymile Country-Upper Chena River Valley-Tanana Flats- Eielson AFB and Salcha-Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills- Chatanika River Valley-Two Rivers-Fairbanks Metro Area-Nenana- Central Interior-Northern Denali Borough-Southern Denali Borough- Including Eagle, Chicken, The Taylor Highway north of MP 9, Chena Hot Springs, Chena Hot Springs Road east of MP 34, Birch Lake, The Richardson Highway from MP 295 to MP 317, Eielson AFB, Salcha, Moose Creek, Harding Lake, The Richardson Highway from MP 317 to MP 346, Ester Dome, Murphy Dome, The Parks Highway from MP 325 to MP 342, Haystack, The Elliott Highway from MP 1 to MP 32, The Steese Highway from MP 12 to MP 85, Two Rivers, Chena Hot Springs Road from MP 12 to MP 34, Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright, Ester, North Pole, Fox, Nenana, The Parks Highway from MP 290 to 325, Tanana, Minto, Manley Hot Springs, Rampart, Lake Minchumina, Healy, Denali National Park, Kantishna, Anderson, The Parks Highway from MP 237 to MP 288, Cantwell, Carlo Creek, and The Parks Highway from MP 202 MP 237 403 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023 ...Snow expected Monday into Wednesday for the Interior... A strong frontal boundary is bringing snow and blowing snow over the northern Interior today. Gusty northeast winds of 25 to 40 mph will reduce visibility over higher terrain north of Fairbanks and along the Elliott, Steese and Dalton highways. The second shot of snow brings a better chance of accumulating snow for Fairbanks on Tuesday. Snow will develop around Fairbanks late Monday night and continue into Tuesday. 2 to 4 inches expected, and 4 to 6 inches over the eastern Interior and down the Parks Highway near Denali. Light snow could linger into Wednesday over the Interior. Also temperatures will moderate above zero for much of the area for the first half of the week.
Special Weather Statement...CORRECTED National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 427 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023 AKZ835-838>848-120900- Fortymile Country-Upper Chena River Valley-Tanana Flats- Eielson AFB and Salcha-Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills- Chatanika River Valley-Two Rivers-Fairbanks Metro Area-Nenana- Central Interior-Northern Denali Borough-Southern Denali Borough- Including Eagle, Chicken, The Taylor Highway north of MP 9, Chena Hot Springs, Chena Hot Springs Road east of MP 34, Birch Lake, The Richardson Highway from MP 295 to MP 317, Eielson AFB, Salcha, Moose Creek, Harding Lake, The Richardson Highway from MP 317 to MP 346, Ester Dome, Murphy Dome, The Parks Highway from MP 325 to MP 342, Haystack, The Elliott Highway from MP 1 to MP 32, The Steese Highway from MP 12 to MP 85, Two Rivers, Chena Hot Springs Road from MP 12 to MP 34, Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright, Ester, North Pole, Fox, Nenana, The Parks Highway from MP 290 to 325, Tanana, Minto, Manley Hot Springs, Rampart, Lake Minchumina, Healy, Denali National Park, Kantishna, Anderson, The Parks Highway from MP 237 to MP 288, Cantwell, Carlo Creek, and The Parks Highway from MP 202 MP 237 427 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023 ...Snow continues Monday into Wednesday for the Interior... A strong frontal boundary is bringing snow and blowing snow over the northern Interior today. Gusty northeast winds of 25 to 40 mph will reduce visibility over higher terrain north of Fairbanks and along the Elliott, Steese and Dalton highways. The second shot of snow brings a better chance of accumulating snow for Fairbanks on Tuesday. Snow will develop around Fairbanks late Monday night and continue into Tuesday. 3 to 5 inches expected around the Fairbanks area, and 6 to 10 inches over the Eastern and Northern Interior and down the Parks Highway near Denali. Snow likely to linger into into Wednesday over the Interior. Also temperatures will moderate above zero for much of the area for the first half of the week.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 514 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023 AKZ835>848-120300- Fortymile Country-Upper Tanana Valley-Delta Junction- Upper Chena River Valley-Tanana Flats-Eielson AFB and Salcha- Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills-Chatanika River Valley- Two Rivers-Fairbanks Metro Area-Nenana-Central Interior- Northern Denali Borough-Southern Denali Borough- Including Eagle, Chicken, The Taylor Highway north of MP 9, Tok, Tanacross, Tetlin, Northway, Alcan, The Alaska Highway east of MP 1392, The Taylor Highway south of MP 9, The Tok Cutoff north of MP 105, Delta Junction, Fort Greely, Deltana, Chena Hot Springs, Chena Hot Springs Road east of MP 34, Birch Lake, The Richardson Highway from MP 295 to MP 317, Eielson AFB, Salcha, Moose Creek, Harding Lake, The Richardson Highway from MP 317 to MP 346, Ester Dome, Murphy Dome, The Parks Highway from MP 325 to MP 342, Haystack, The Elliott Highway from MP 1 to MP 32, The Steese Highway from MP 12 to MP 85, Two Rivers, Chena Hot Springs Road from MP 12 to MP 34, Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright, Ester, North Pole, Fox, Nenana, The Parks Highway from MP 290 to 325, Tanana, Minto, Manley Hot Springs, Rampart, Lake Minchumina, Healy, Denali National Park, Kantishna, Anderson, The Parks Highway from MP 237 to MP 288, Cantwell, Carlo Creek, and The Parks Highway from MP 202 MP 237 514 AM AKST Mon Dec 11 2023 ...Snow continues Monday into Wednesday for the Interior... A strong frontal boundary is bringing snow and blowing snow over the northern Interior today. Gusty northeast winds of 25 to 40 mph will reduce visibility over higher terrain north of Fairbanks and along the Elliott, Steese and Dalton highways. The second shot of snow brings a better chance of accumulating snow for Fairbanks on Tuesday. Snow will develop around Fairbanks late Monday night and continue into Tuesday. 3 to 5 inches expected around the Fairbanks area, and 6 to 10 inches over the Eastern and Northern Interior and down the Parks Highway near Denali. Snow likely to linger into into Wednesday over the Interior. Also temperatures will moderate above zero for much of the area for the first half of the week.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 blizzard, 2 heavy snow, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Wales (PAIW) AWOS reported blizzard conditions for a number of hours. In addition to the blizzard conditions, wind gusts of up to 59 mph were reported.
The Fort Yukon (FYNA2) SNOTEL reported a snow depth increase of 6 inches over a 24 hour period. Estimated daily snowfall of 8 inches with a storm total of 12 inches of snow.
The Kivalina (PAVL) ASOS reported two separate periods of blizzard conditions, where visibility dropped below a quarter of a mile. In addition to the blizzard conditions, wind gusts in excess of 60 mph were reported, with a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
The Brevig Mission (PFKT) AWOS reported wind gusts in excess of 60 mph with a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
The Teller (PATE) AWOS reported blizzard conditions for a number of hours. In addition to the blizzard conditions, wind gusts in excess of 60 mph were reported, with a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Upper Nome Creek (UCNA2) SNOTEL reported two bursts of heavy snowfall. Snow depth increased 11 inches. Estimated snowfall of 8 inches in a 24 hour period, with a storm total of 12 to 14 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, December 2023
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: 1153130, 1153132, 1153125, 1153129, 1153128, 1153134.