Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, November 15 to 17, 2023

Name: Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, November 15 to 17, 2023
Start: 2023-11-15T01:53
End: 2023-11-17T11:00
Location: Alaska

November 15 to 17, 2023 · NWS AFG · 13 events in 10 counties and zones

A strong Bering Sea low moved onshore the West Coast of Alaska and then pushed into the Interior, bringing yet another round of strong winds, heavy snow, blowing snow, and mixed precipitation.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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 strong Bering Sea low moved onshore the West Coast of Alaska and then pushed into the Interior, bringing yet another round of strong winds, heavy snow, blowing snow, and mixed precipitation.

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 Nov 14, 3:35 PM AKST, 10 hours 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 14, 3:35 PM AKST, 10 hours 18 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 high wind, 4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, St. Lawrence Island

When: November 15, 1:53 AM AKST to 8:13 AM AKST
Where: St. Lawrence Island forecast zone
Measured: 67 kt (77 mph) measured gust
Reported by: C-MAN Station
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Savoonga Marine Exchange (SVXA2) CMAN site reported wind gusts to 77 mph.

High Wind, Northern Denali Borough

When: November 15, 2:40 AM AKST to 3:20 AM AKST
Where: Northern Denali Borough forecast zone
Measured: 74 kt (85 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 63.789, -150.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Antler Creek (ACRA2) reported wind gusts up to 85 mph.

High Wind, Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp

When: November 15, 3:05 AM AKST to 11:35 AM AKST
Where: Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp forecast zone
Measured: 74 kt (85 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 63.751, -143.251 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Texas Condo (TCOA2) reported wind gusts up to 85 mph.

High Wind, Middle Yukon Valley

When: November 15, 3:21 AM AKST to 9:21 AM AKST
Where: Middle Yukon Valley forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 65.700, -152.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Shaktoolik River (SHKA2) RAWS site reported winds gusts up to 62 mph.

High Wind, Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp

When: November 15, 3:45 AM AKST to 12:00 PM AKST
Where: Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp forecast zone
Measured: 85 kt (98 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 63.751, -143.251 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Donnelly Dome (K24KX) USARRAY site reported wind gusts up to 85 mph.

High Wind, Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp

When: November 15, 4:30 AM AKST to 11:25 AM AKST
Where: Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp forecast zone
Measured: 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 63.751, -143.251 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Air Force Tower (AFTA2) site reported gusts up to 76 mph.

Heavy Snow, Central Interior

When: November 15, 5:00 AM AKST to November 17, 6:00 AM AKST
Where: Central Interior forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 65.700, -152.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tanana AP COOP observer reported 9 inches of new snow accumulation.

High Wind, Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp

When: November 15, 6:25 AM AKST to 11:25 AM AKST
Where: Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 63.751, -143.251 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Texas (TEXA2) site reported wind gusts up to 72 mph.

High Wind, Lower Yukon River

When: November 15, 7:33 AM AKST to 9:03 AM AKST
Where: Lower Yukon River forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by: C-MAN Station
Coordinates: 61.991, -164.553 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Gambell Marine Exchange (GBXA2) CMAN site reported gusts up to 81 mph.

Heavy Snow, Dalton Highway Summits

When: November 15, 9:00 AM AKST to November 17, 11:00 AM AKST
Where: Dalton Highway Summits forecast zone
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 65.700, -152.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Gobblers Knob (GOBA2) SNOTEL site reported new snow accumulation of 7 inches in 24 hours by 09:00 11/16/2023 and a storm total accumulation of 15 inches through 11:00 11/17/2023.

Heavy Snow, Upper Koyukuk Valley

When: November 15, 2:00 PM AKST to November 16, 2:00 PM AKST
Where: Upper Koyukuk Valley forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 65.700, -152.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Bettles Field (BFLA2) SNOTEL reported 0.70 inches of precipitation in 24 hours, using a 10:1 snow ratio, an estimated 7 inches of snow fell in 24 hours. The estimated storm total accumulation was 10 inches through 11/17/2023.

High Wind, Bering Strait Coast

When: November 15, 3:55 PM AKST to 8:55 PM AKST
Where: Bering Strait Coast forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of up to 62 mph were observed at the Tin City (PATC) AWOS.

Heavy Snow, Upper Kobuk Valleys

When: November 15, 4:00 PM AKST to November 16, 4:00 PM AKST
Where: Upper Kobuk Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 66.833, -161.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Dahl Creek (DHLA2) SNOTEL reported 0.70 inches of precipitation, using a 10:1 snow ratio, an estimated 7 inches of snow fell in 24 hours.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1148211, 1148216, 1148217, 1149359, 1148220, 1148221, 1148209, 1148219, 1148212, 1148210, 1148208, 1148213, 1148207.