Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, April 9 to 13, 2024

Name: Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, April 9 to 13, 2024
Start: 2024-04-09T13:40
End: 2024-04-13T00:55
Location: Alaska

April 9 to 13, 2024 · NWS AFG · 15 events in 14 counties and zones

A strong Bering low pushed a front across the West Coast, Arctic Coast, and into the Interior of Alaska. This storm produced widespread areas of locally heavy snow, blowing snow, and blizzard conditions on the West coast, and Chinook winds in the Alaska and Brooks Range.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 15

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.

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 Apr 9, 3:41 AM AKST, 9 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 9, 3:41 AM AKST, 9 hours 59 minutes before

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
441 AM AKDT Tue Apr 9 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
A winter storm will roll into the West Coast and bring heavy snow
and blowing snow to large swaths of the coast, with the heaviest
snowfall looking to occur around Norton Sound, the Nulato Hills,
and south facing slopes of the Western Brooks Range. Snow and wind
will shift into the Western Interior with chinook winds then
developing across the Brooks Range and Alaska Range Wednesday into
Thursday. Elevated water levels of 2 to 4 feet will also push
across the YK Delta to Norton Sound and to the Bering Strait.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Upper Levels and Analysis...
There is a 478 arctic low near the North Pole with a strong lobe
of virticity snipping off it, now over the Alaska Peninsula, with
heights of that feature around 502 dam. That strong low brought
the recent cold snap with blowing snow over the West Coast. A
strong ridge is in place over the NPAC near the W Aleutian Islands
with a subtropical moisture stream moving north overtop that
ridge. At the surface the main low feature is a 993 mb low over
Cook Inlet with a 1020 mb high over the N Slope. The incoming
storm is currently deepening over the Sea of Okhotsk.

Model Discussion...
After days of complete model uncertainty and massive model changes
every single run, the numerical weather models have finally
settled down and overall impacts are much more certain. A gale
force front is projected to move into the Bering Strait and Norton
Sound tonight and Wednesday morning, with that low around 985 mb
as it moves north of Saint Lawrence Island. A trailing low will
move across Saint Lawrence Island as a 970 mb low Wednesday night
and then move to Kotzebue Sound at 976 mb, then to near Utqiagvik
at 978 mb Thu evening. That low is about -4.0 sigma SD, and from a
return interval perspective, is about as strong as it gets this
time of year. We favored a NAM nest to NAM blend for the winds as
this storm rips through, with a blend of all models for precip and
snow. We expect widespread gales out west and areas of significant
snowfall and blowing and drifting snow, with high winds across the
AK Range and Brooks Range.

Central and Eastern Interior...
Spotty snow showers continue today but will be more co-located
with higher terrain, with a skiff of snow possible. Otherwise,
drier with fairly nice and sunny skies for Wednesday with temps
shooting back into the 40s. A strong Chinook wind will develop
Wednesday afternoon across the AK Range and ramp up overnight.
With an expected gradient of 11-15 mb we expect winds to rip into
the high wind range of 80+ across the Alaska Range, thus we will
be issuing high wind warnings with this package. Moderate snow
will fall across the southern slopes of the Alaska Range Thursday
and may require winter weather advisories as we get closer. For
the Interior, it will also get windy on Thursday with gusty south
winds 15 to 25 mph. Snow moves into the Central Interior and
higher elevation Hills as early as Wed night but the bulk of it
comes Thu with 2 to 5 inches possible for the White Mtns and the
the highway summits. Heavy snow will fall over the S Brooks Range
with 6 to 12 inches for Coldfoot. The S Interior will mostly be
downsloped but a skiff of snow is possible Thu night as the AK
Range pressure gradient weakens.

West Coast and Western Interior...
A strong Bering low will push a front into the West Coast Tthis
evening and tonight then shift inland Wendnesday. A second low
moves into the Bering Strait and then Chukchi coast Wednesday
night into Thursday. Right now the strongest core of winds looks
to be from the Bering Strait north with southeast gusts to 60 mph.
Farther south across Norton Sound to the YK, southeast gusts as
high as 45 to 50 mph are likely. Further west over Saint Lawrence
Island, it looks slightly less windy, with southeast gusts to 45
mph. Heavy snow will blanket most of the West Coast with 6 to 15
inches for the Seward Peninsula, 5 to 9 inches for the YK Delta
and Lower Yukon, and 4 to 10 inches for the Yukon Valley, with 12
to 20 inches for the W Brooks Range. 5 to 7 inches is expected for
Saint Lawrence Island with 2 to 4 inches for the N Seward
Peninsula to Point Hope and into the Selawik Valley. This snow
will also blow significantly with a lot of drifting snowfall. We
will be issuing blizzard warnings for the Bering Strait and YK
Delta with several winter storm warnings for heavy snow and
blowing snow. We will issue winter weather advisories for the
Kotzebue to Kivalina to Point Hope corridor.

In addition, elevated water levels of 2 to 4 feet will move into
the YK Delta and Norton Sound, which may cause water over ice to
occur, and may break up some of the shorefast ice. This will occur
Wednesday and Thursday, peaking Thursday.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
High pressure settled in tonight and cold temps persist today
and then attention turns to a major winter storm moving to the
West Coast Wednesday and Thursday. This storm will bring heavy
snowfall to the S Brooks Range with 6 to 15 inches of snow Wed
through Thu along with crest winds of 60+ mph. Chinook winds will
develop on the N side of the Brooks Range with gusty south winds
and blowing snow to 35 mph. Point Hope will see the worst
conditions with southeast winds gusting to 45 mph Wednesday, then
NW winds gusting to 50 mph Thu afternoon as the low crosses over
the Brooks Range. NW winds develop to Utqiagvik by Thu night as
the low lifts offshore.

Extended Forecast Days 4-8...
The storm is shifting east and weakening as it moves across the
state Friday, with snow chances across the Interior along a
trailing cold front. A much stronger arctic cold front surges east
over the N Slope and Arctic coast Saturday with continued chances
for snow there. Snow chances over the Interior continue into next
week as a large arctic low sets up over the Arctic Ocean and weak
waves of energy move inland underneath it.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...South to southwest winds
increase along the YK Delta into Norton Sound Wednesday afternoon
and Thursday as a Bering low moves to near Saint Lawrence Island
then to Cape Lisburne. This will likely bring elevated water
levels of 2 to 4 feet above the normal high tideline, which may
bring water over the top of ice near the shore.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Storm Watch for AKZ801-815>817.
     High Wind Watch for AKZ849.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ812-813.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ814.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ820-821.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ822-825.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ823.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ824.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ826.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ827.
     High Wind Watch for AKZ847.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ801.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ802.
     Gale Warning for PKZ802-806-807-850-853-856.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ805.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ808-809-855.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ810.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ811-857.
     Gale Warning for PKZ816-817-851.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ852.
     Gale Warning for PKZ854.
&&

Ahsenmacher

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 blizzard, 4 high wind, 2 winter storm, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Bering Strait Coast

When: April 9, 1:40 PM AKST to April 10, 6:19 PM AKST
Where: Bering Strait Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the evening hours of April 9th at Wales (PAIW) and during the morning hours at Tin City (PATC) and Teller (PATE). Wind gusts to 60 mph were reported at Wales, to 56 mph at Tin City, and to 52 mph at Teller. These winds were accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

Blizzard, St. Lawrence Island

When: April 9, 4:07 PM AKST to April 10, 3:05 AM AKST
Where: St. Lawrence Island forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the afternoon hours on April 9th at Savoonga (PASA). Wind gusts to 48 mph were reported, accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

Blizzard, Yukon Delta Coast

When: April 10, 12:52 AM AKST to April 11, 2:00 PM AKST
Where: Yukon Delta Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 61.991, -164.553 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed after midnight on April 10th at Cape Romanzof (PACZ). Wind gusts to 64 mph were reported, accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

Winter Storm, Southern Seward Peninsula Coast

When: April 10, 7:00 AM AKST to April 12, 12:00 AM AKST
Where: Southern Seward Peninsula Coast forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard to near blizzard conditions developed at Nome, Golovin, and White Mountain on April 10th. In addition to the blizzard conditions, heavy snow fell. The Nome City Clerk Office reported almost 12 inches of snow around town, causing schools to be canceled and difficulty clearing roads. At Rocky Point Snotel (RPTA2) an increase in snow depth of around 17 inches in around 14 hours.

Blizzard, Baldwin Peninsula

When: April 10, 3:50 PM AKST to April 11, 8:10 AM AKST
Where: Baldwin Peninsula forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 66.833, -161.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the afternoon hours of April 10th at Kotzebue (PAOT). Wind gusts to 50 mph were reported, accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

High Wind, Interior Seward Peninsula

When: April 10, 5:56 PM AKST to April 11, 4:56 AM AKST
Where: Interior Seward Peninsula forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds developed during the afternoon hours at the Hoodoo Hills (HDOA2). Wind gusts up to 62 mph were reported.

Winter Storm, South Slopes of the Western Brooks Range

When: April 10, 8:22 PM AKST to April 12, 2:38 PM AKST
Where: South Slopes of the Western Brooks Range forecast zone
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 66.833, -161.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong winds and heavy snow developed during the afternoon and evening hours of April 10th at Kaluich (KAUA2), Salmon River (SRWA2), and Redstone River (E19KX). Wind gusts to 62 mph were reported at Kaluich and to 63 mph at Redstone River. Salmon River reported an increase in snow depth of 9.6 inches in 24 hours, with a storm total accumulation of 13.7 inches.

High Wind, Middle Yukon Valley

When: April 11, 3:10 AM AKST to 9:05 AM AKST
Where: Middle Yukon Valley forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 65.700, -152.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds developed during the early morning hours of April 11th at Poorman USARRAY site (J19KZ). Wind gusts up to 59 mph were reported.

High Wind, Central Brooks Range

When: April 11, 5:20 AM AKST to 9:30 AM AKST
Where: Central Brooks Range forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 69.251, -152.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds developed during the morning hours at the Anaktuvuk Pass USARRAY site (E22KX). Wind gusts up to 67 mph were reported.

Heavy Snow, South Slopes of the Central Brooks Range

When: April 11, 7:15 AM AKST to April 12, 7:15 AM AKST
Where: South Slopes of the Central Brooks Range forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 65.700, -152.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wiseman COOP observer reported 7.2 inches of snow fell in 7 hours with a 24 hours snowfall total of 14.9 inches. Coldfoot reported 15 inches of snow.

Blizzard, Bering Strait Coast

When: April 11, 3:53 PM AKST to April 12, 3:55 AM AKST
Where: Bering Strait Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 64.833, -163.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the afternoon hours of April 11th at Tin City (PATC). Wind gusts to 53 mph were reported, accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

Blizzard, Western Arctic Coast

When: April 11, 4:06 PM AKST to 11:45 PM AKST
Where: Western Arctic Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 69.251, -152.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the afternoon hours of April 11th at Point Hope (PAPO). Wind gusts to 43 mph were reported, accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

High Wind, Howard Pass and the Delong Mountains

When: April 11, 5:45 PM AKST to 7:50 PM AKST
Where: Howard Pass and the Delong Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 69.251, -152.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds developed during the afternoon hours at the Lisburne Hills USARRAY site (C16KX). Wind gusts up to 69 mph were reported.

Blizzard, Northern Seward Peninsula

When: April 12, 1:10 AM AKST to 4:56 PM AKST
Where: Northern Seward Peninsula forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 66.833, -161.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the morning hours at Deering (PADE) and Buckland (PABL) on April 12th. Wind gusts to 64 mph were reported at Deering and to 48 mph at Buckland. These strong winds were accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

Blizzard, Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast

When: April 12, 3:15 PM AKST to April 13, 12:55 AM AKST
Where: Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 69.251, -152.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard conditions developed during the afternoon hours of April 12th at Point Thomson. Wind gusts to 40 mph were reported, accompanied by visibility in blowing snow of less than a quarter of a mile.

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.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, April 2024

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: 1173787, 1173781, 1173798, 1173791, 1173779, 1173800, 1173789, 1173790, 1173799, 1173788, 1173776, 1173778, 1173797, 1173777, 1173780.