Blizzard in Alaska, February 10 to 11, 2023

Name: Blizzard in Alaska, February 10 to 11, 2023
Start: 2023-02-10T09:11
End: 2023-02-11T19:40
Location: Alaska

February 10 to 11, 2023 · NWS AFG · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A low moving through the Bering Sea brought strong winds and falling snow to the West Coast, causing periods of quarter mile or less visibility.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 AFG wrote it up.

A low moving through the Bering Sea brought strong winds and falling snow to the West Coast, causing periods of quarter mile or less visibility.

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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 10, 4:43 AM AKST, 4 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 10, 4:43 AM AKST, 4 hours 28 minutes before

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
443 AM AKST Fri Feb 10 2023

.SYNOPSIS...
Relatively quiet weather across the area with some light snow for
the Northern Interior this morning. Snowfall amounts generally
1 to 2 inches east of the Dalton highway. Snow and blowing snow
expected for the southern west coast today. Snow and blowing snow
and 50 below wind chills for the Bering Strait and Saint Lawrence
Island. Temperatures in the Arctic will remain cold, while the
remainder of the forecast area will see cooling temperatures
through the weekend. 55 below wind chills for western north slope
tonight into Saturday.

.DISCUSSION...

Upper Levels and Analysis...
Models in fairly good agreement with a strong High over the
Arctic and a series of upper lows will remain over the west coast
and weak ridging over the Interior for the weekend. The west
coast will remain unsettled for most of next week. At 850 hpa...
The -10C isotherm remains south of the forecast area, while the
-20C isotherm has dug to the south a bit and lies from Utqiagvik
to Nikolai to Emmonak then south of St Lawrence Island. As a
strong low in the North Pacific moves into Bristol Bay Friday and
Friday night the -20C isotherm will be pushed northwest while the
-10C isotherm will be pushed north over the Lower Yukon Delta.

Central and Eastern Interior...
Relatively quiet over the next few days. Some lingering clouds
and flurries this morning. Light snow has moved north of
Fairbanks this morning with only light accumulations expected.
Winds increasing near the Alaska Range Passes and near Delta
Junction Friday morning 25 to 40 mph and will continue into
Saturday. Low temperatures this morning will range from the
single digits below to 15 to 25 below for areas west of Fairbanks
that don't cloud over. Friday night lows will range from around
zero in the Alaska Range to 15 to 25 below over the Interior.

West Coast and Western Interior...
A strong low will move across the Aleutians today with some
precip making its way into the Yukon Delta region on Friday night
and to the Seward Penn on Saturday. Northerly winds will pick up
again in the Bering Strait Friday into Saturday. Wind chills to 50
below and low visibility possible for the Bering strait. Snow
and blowing snow for the Yukon Delta as well. 2 to 3 inches of
snow expected. Wind chill advisories changed to winter weather
advisories. Cold temperatures will continue through the week with
lows 15 to 25 below with the coldest temps inland today. Highs
zero to 10 below. Warming up slightly on Saturday.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
Continued cold temperatures through the week. High temperatures
to remain in the mid 20s to 30 below, especially east of Utqiagvik
and lows will be in the 30s and 40s below along the coast and
over the plains. Winds along the coast northeast to east at 5 to
15 mph today then pick up to 15 to 25 mph Friday evening into
Saturday. Wind chills in the 40s below today then to 55 below on
Friday night into Saturday. Wind chill advisory issued for the
western north slope for tonight into Saturday.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None.

Extended forecast for days 4 to 7...Some light snow from Fairbanks
west on Sunday and Monday. A strong low will move to the west
coast bringing increasing chances of snow to the Lower Yukon
Delta, and the Alaska Range on Tuesday.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ213.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ214-215.
     Wind Chill Advisory for AKZ201.

PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ200.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ201.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ210.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ220-245.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ225.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ235.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ240.
&&

Event by event

3 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Yukon Delta

When: February 10, 9:11 AM AKST to February 11, 6:05 PM AKST
Where: Yukon Delta forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS

Chevak AWOS reported multiple hours of quarter-mile visibility with gusts as high as 48 MPH and heavy snow.

Blizzard, St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait

When: February 10, 1:37 PM AKST to February 11, 6:56 PM AKST
Where: St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS

Tin City and Brevig Mission AWOS had multiple hours of quarter mile visibility with gusts as high as 50 MPH and heavy snow.

Blizzard, Western Arctic Coast

When: February 11, 3:56 PM AKST to 7:40 PM AKST
Where: Western Arctic Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS

Point Lay AWOS reported multiple hours of quarter mile visibility with wind gusts as high as 45 MPH and heavy snow.

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 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, February 2023

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: 1081574, 1081554, 1081634.