A strong area of high pressure over the Arctic Ocean combined with an area of low pressure moving northward through the Bering Sea brought strong winds and blizzard conditions to the North Slope.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 strong area of high pressure over the Arctic Ocean combined with an area of low pressure moving northward through the Bering Sea brought strong winds and blizzard conditions to the North Slope.
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 20, 2:44 PM AKST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
244 PM AKST Tue Feb 20 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
Chinook flow will bring warmer temperatures to the Interior on
Today, as well as high winds in the Alaska Range. Slightly cooler
over the Interior on Wed and Thursday. A slight chance of snow
on Wednesday for the Interior along with a slight chance of
freezing rain over the southern Interior. Snow and blowing snow
for the west coast continues as well as Blizzard conditions will
continue for the Arctic slope through Wednesday, as a series of
lows move up the coast. Snow continues in the Nulato Hills.
Turning colder for the weekend over the Interior.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Analysis and Model Discussion...
Upper level ridging giving way to southerly flow over the Interior
through Tuesday. The models are in better agreement regarding a
series of fronts, surface lows, and shortwaves that will move
across Western Alaska Tuesday and Wed, keeping the West Coast and
Western Interior in an active pattern consisting of snow and some
blowing snow. Strong pressure gradient over the north slope will
produce blizzard conditions through Wednesday. The shortwaves
pushing against the high pressure ridge will ramp up winds along
the Alaska Range as well, and High Wind Warnings and Advisories
are expected to continue into Wednesday.
Central and Eastern Interior...
Chinook flow will set up over the Interior today and persist into
Wednesday night. Expecting winds to gust up to 60 mph near Delta
Junction and along the Parks highway near Healy, and up to 70 mph
for the Richardson Highway north of Trims Camp. Strong southerly
chinook winds blowing across the Alaska Range have caused
temperatures to rise well above freezing today over most of the
Middle Tanana Valley. High temperatures in the low to mid 40s
around Fairbanks and mid to upper 40s near the Alaska Range this
afternoon. These warm temperatures will cause walking and driving
surfaces to become slippery. Slightly cooler on Wednesday, with
high temps in the low to mid 30s and back in the 20s on Thursday.
There is a chance periods of light snow to spread into portions of
the Central Interior through Wednesday. There is also a slight
chance of freezing rain over the southern Interior on Wednesday,
but most areas will see snow.
North Slope and Brooks Range...
High pressure exists over the Chukchi Sea and low pressure over
northwest Alaska, producing a tight pressure gradient over the
northwest coast and across the north slope. This will keep strong
northeasterly winds over the area, promoting areas of blizzard
conditions through Wednesday afternoon.
West Coast and Western Interior...
A front followed by two surface lows move over the West Coast and
Western Interior through Wednesday. Snow is expected to be
continuous, with heaviest snow Tuesday into Wednesday morning with
the second low primarily falling from the Nulato Hills south to
Russian Mission. Snow will continue in the upslope areas through
Wednesday evening. A second low will bring snow and blowing snow
to Saint Lawrence Island and the Yukon Delta coast on Wednesday.
Winter storm Warnings have been issued. Winter Storm Warnings
remain in effect for the inland areas along the Nulato Hills.
Snow showers will linger over the west coast Thursday and Friday.
Extended Forecast For Days 4 Through 7...
Longer range models and ensembles all indicate the ridge
weakening middle to end of next week as troughing over the
Aleutians and Bering strengthens. Warmer than average temperatures
will continue through the end of the week, but guidance points to
temperatures dropping again next week.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Blizzard Warning for AKZ801.
Blizzard Warning for AKZ802-803.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ816-819-828-832.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ825>827.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ829.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ830.
Blizzard Warning for AKZ804-805.
Wind Advisory for AKZ837-847.
High Wind Warning for AKZ849.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ801.
Gale Warning for PKZ802.
Gale Warning for PKZ803-852.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ804.
Gale Warning for PKZ805-806-817-853.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ807.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ808>810-855.
Gale Warning for PKZ811.
Gale Warning for PKZ812.
Gale Warning for PKZ813.
Gale Warning for PKZ814-859.
Gale Warning for PKZ815-860.
Gale Warning for PKZ816.
Gale Warning for PKZ850.
Gale Warning for PKZ851.
Gale Warning for PKZ854.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ856.
Gale Warning for PKZ857.
Gale Warning for PKZ858.
Gale Warning for PKZ861.
&&Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 113 PM AKST Tue Feb 20 2024 AKZ834>850-210900- White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River- 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- Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp- Eastern Alaska Range South of Trims Camp- Including Livengood, Circle Hot Springs, Eagle Summit, Twelvemile Summit, The Steese Highway from MP 85 to MP 124, The Elliott Highway from MP 32 to MP 134, The Dalton Highway from MP 0 to MP 38, 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, The Parks Highway from MP 202 MP 237, Black Rapids, Donnelly Dome, The Richardson Highway from MP 224 to MP 259, Trims Camp, and The Richardson Highway from MP 202 to MP 224 113 PM AKST Tue Feb 20 2024 ...Temperatures well Above Freezing Today Over The Interior... Strong southerly chinook winds blowing across the Alaska Range have caused temperatures to rise well above freezing today over most of the Middle Tanana Valley. High temperatures in the low to mid 40s around Fairbanks and mid to upper 40s near the Alaska Range this afternoon. These warm temperatures will cause walking and driving surfaces to become slippery. Slightly cooler on Wednesday, with high temps in the low to mid 30s and back in the 20s on Thursday.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard conditions developed the evening of the 20th and persisted through the morning of the 21st. Deadhorse reported a peak wind gust of 52 mph during the event.
Blizzard conditions developed the evening of the 20th and persisted through the morning of the 21st. Point Lay reported a peak wind gust of 55 mph during the event.
Blizzard conditions developed the evening of the 20th and continued through the early afternoon of the 21st. Atqasuk reported a peak wind gust of 47 mph during the event.
Blizzard conditions developed the evening of the 20th and continued through the morning of the 21st. Point Thomson reported a peak wind gust of 58 mph during the event.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, February 2024
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: 1161876, 1161875, 1161878, 1161877.