Alaska, 2023Blizzard in Alaska, March 20 to 21, 2023
March 20 to 21, 2023 · NWS AFG · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
A front associated with a 964 mb low moving north through the Bering Sea brought blizzard conditions to the portions of the west coast of Alaska.
- 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.
A front associated with a 964 mb low moving north through the Bering Sea brought blizzard conditions to the portions of the west coast of Alaska.
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 Mar 19, 1:59 PM AKST, 10 hours 6 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 19, 1:59 PM AKST, 10 hours 6 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
259 PM AKDT Sun Mar 19 2023
A weakening weather front over the Brooks Range and northwest
Interior will push north of the Arctic coast tonight. This
feature will only produce a few snow showers into tonight. A
strong weather front moving into the west coast tonight and
Monday will bring gusty winds, low visibility in blowing snow,
and snowfall from the lower Yukon River to Point Hope and the
northwest Brooks Range. Gusty south winds through the Brooks and
Alaska Range passes will also develop tonight and continue into
Tuesday morning. Otherwise, temperatures today have warmed above
freezing over the eastern half of the Interior south of the Yukon
River.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
A ridge of high pressure aloft over the eastern half of the state
will gradually shift east and weaken as a strong low moves north
into the Bering Sea tonight and Monday. This upper low will move
over the Chukotsk Peninsula and weaken into Wednesday. This
pattern will keep southerly flow across the state for the next few
days with near or above normal temperatures over the eastern
Interior and cooler temperatures over the west coast.
Central and Eastern Interior...A mix of clouds and sun are
expected over the next couple of days with relatively quiet
weather. Southerly chinook winds gusting from 45-60 mph will
develop through Alaska Range Passes Monday morning and persist
into Tuesday morning. Portions of the eastern Interior are seeing
some warm temperatures today with readings climbing into the 30's
and 40's. Temperatures will be slightly cooler Monday and Tuesday
with highs in the 20's from the Yukon River northward and mainly
in the 30's to the south.
West Coast and Western Interior...Quiet conditions today along
most the west coast will quickly deteriorate tonight. An initial
front pushed across St. Lawrence island this morning with some
snow and blowing snow and will impact the Bering Strait late this
afternoon. Southeast winds will increase tonight with gusts 50-60
mph over a wide swath of the coast from the Yukon Delta to Point
Hope by Monday. Winds will be less inland with gusts in the 30-45
mph range. Blowing snow and local blizzard conditions are expected
with the worst conditions along the Yukon Delta, the southern
Seward Peninsula, and over St. Lawrence Island. Winds will shift
to the south and southwest over the Bering Sea coast by Monday
night, bringing elevated water levels with to some coastal areas.
The heaviest snow will be from the Yukon Delta to the southern
Seward Peninsula with totals from 4-8 inches. Amounts will be much
lighter elsehwere with 1-2 inches or less, except along the east
slopes of the Nulato Hills where Kaltag could pick up 4 inches of
new snow.
North Slope and Brooks Range...Partly to mostly cloudy the next
couple of days. A few snow showers along the Brooks Range tonight
but otherwise dry conditions through Tuesday except near Cape
Lisburne. South to southeast winds will increase with the
strongest winds initially gusting 35-45 mph through the Brooks
Range passes with areas of blowing snow tonight and into Monday,
including along the Dalton Highway. Gusty winds 30-40 mph will
also develop Monday near Cape Lisburne with areas of blowing snow.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...South to southwest winds
on Tuesday will continue to diminish and the threat of elevated
water levels along the Bering Sea coast will decrease.
Extended forecast for days 4 to 7...Temperatures will be near or
slightly above normal over the eastern half of the state, with
cooler than normal temperatures along the west coast. Cooler air
will shift inland late next week and into the weekend. Chances for
snow over the Interior and west coast Thursday and Friday, with
the possibility of a weather front bringing more precipitation
and warmer temperatures moving into the west coast next weekend.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Storm Warning for AKZ211.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ212-215.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ213-214.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ208-216-217.
Wind Advisory for AKZ226.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ206.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ207-209.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ801-850-851-854.
Gale Warning for PKZ802-806-853.
Gale Warning for PKZ803-805-852.
Gale Warning for PKZ804-856.
Gale Warning for PKZ807>811-855.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ814-815-860.
Gale Warning for PKZ816.
Gale Warning for PKZ817.
Gale Warning for PKZ857.
Gale Warning for PKZ861.
&&Blizzard, Yukon Delta
- When
- March 20, 12:05 AM AKST to 6:55 PM AKST
- Where
- Yukon Delta forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS
Winds increased the evening of the 19th as the front approached from the south. Blizzard conditions developed in the early morning hours of the 20th. The visibility improved the evening of the 20th as winds decreased. Cape Romanzof reported wind gusts as high as 87 mph during the event. Elsewhere, winds gusted as high as 62 mph in Chevak, 58 mph in Scammon Bay, 51 mph in Marshall and 54 mph in St. Mary's.
Blizzard, St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait
- When
- March 20, 1:30 AM AKST to March 21, 5:00 AM AKST
- Where
- St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
Winds began to increase the evening of the 19th as the front approached the St. Lawrence Island and the Bering Strait Coast. Blizzard conditions developed as snow associated with the front began falling just after midnight on the 20th, with blizzard conditions continuing through the early morning hours of the 21st. During the event, winds gusted as high as 67 mph at Gambell, 67 mph at Tin City, 60 mph at Teller, 59 mph at Savoonga and 45 mph at Bervig Mission.
Blizzard, Srn Seward Peninsula Coast
- When
- March 20, 6:09 AM AKST to 5:51 PM AKST
- Where
- Srn Seward Peninsula Coast forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
Winds began to increase late in the evening of the 19th as the front approached from the south. Blizzard conditions develop in Nome the morning of the 20th as snow moved into the area. The visibility improved as the winds died down late in the afternoon. The winds in both Nome and Golovin gusted as high as 54 mph during the event, while winds gusted as high as 52 mph in White Mountain.
- 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.
- Flooding and Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 20 to 26, 20233 deaths · 63 kt wind · 16 events
- Flood and Heavy Snow in California, March 20 to 22, 2023$25,000 · 70 kt wind · 29 events
- Frost and Freeze in Alabama, March 20 to 21, 202310 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Utah, March 20 to 21, 20232 events
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, March 20 to 22, 20232 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Idaho, March 20 to 21, 20232 events
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, March 20 to 23, 20232 events
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, March 20 to 21, 20231 event
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: 1090821, 1090820, 1090817.