The combination of strong high pressure over the Arctic Ocean combined with an area of low pressure in the Bering Sea brought strong winds to the Arctic Coast resulting in blizzard conditions developing.
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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.
The combination of strong high pressure over the Arctic Ocean combined with an area of low pressure in the Bering Sea brought strong winds to the Arctic Coast resulting in blizzard conditions developing.
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 Jan 1, 6:09 AM AKST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier.
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion...CORRECTED
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
609 AM AKST Mon Jan 1 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
Strong easterly winds will impact the North Slope, West Coast, and
parts of the Interior for much of this week. Expect blowing snow
and snow drifts to form along the North Slope, West Coast, and
Interior summits. A series of lows will bring snow and blowing
snow to parts of the West Coast, primarily south of the Seward
Peninsula, for much of this week. Blizzard conditions along parts
of the West Coast possible. Blizzard conditions over the north
slope Tuesday through Friday.
.DISCUSSION...
Aloft...
Strong high pressure begins to build over the high Arctic and
lingers over the Arctic for much of the week. A low moves into
Bristol Bay on Monday, followed by another strong low on
Wednesday. Another low is progged to move in the Bering later
in the week as well. Models in good agreement in the short term,
as well as showing strong winds setting up over the north slope
Monday through Friday morning.
West Coast and Western Interior...
A strong low will bring snow and blowing snow to the Yukon Delta
and Saint Lawrence Island on Monday. Winds begin to ramp up over
the Yukon Delta and Saint Lawrence Island and northwest Alaska
late Monday afternoon. Winter Storm watches are in in effect for
these areas. A second, stronger storm will move into the southern
Bering Sea late Tuesday, and reinforce strong easterly winds from
the Yukon Delta north to Point Hope through Thursday. Wind gusts
in excess of 55 mph are possible in some places with large snow
drift formation possible. A third system is possible late next
week.
Central and Eastern Interior...
Strong easterly winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph will
develop late Monday night and continue into Thursday over much of
the Interior Summits due to a strong pressure gradient over much
of the state. A Special Weather Statement has been issued as well
as a Winter Storm Watch for portions of the Dalton Highway.
Blowing snow and low visibility will impact the much of the
Interior highways. The Tanana Valley Jet will also remain become
strong late Monday night into Wednesday. Coldest temps around -15
to -30 will be in the Yukon Flats and eastern Interior where
there will be less wind. Temperatures will moderate some by next
weekend as southerly flow ramps up over the Interior ahead of
another low moving into the west coast.
North Slope and Brooks Range...
Strong easterly winds begin to develop along the
western Arctic coast from Point lay west this morning and along
the rest of the Arctic coast by Tuesday morning. These winds will
strengthen Tuesday and Wednesday as the pressure gradient along
the North Slope and West Coast increases. Low visibility due to
blowing snow and low wind chills are a concern. Blizzard warnings
have been issued for the North Slope for winds gusts possibly
exceeding 60 mph, near zero visibility, and wind chills as low as
-50. Strong winds expected to last at least through Friday
morning.
Extended Forecast Days 4-8...
The strong Arctic high that is forming this weekend will peak
Wednesday and weaken considerably Thursday and Friday. Sustained
gale-force easterly winds with gusts higher than 60mph expected
along the Arctic Coast Tuesday and Wednesday. The strongest winds
will be along the Beaufort sea coast from Kaktovik to Utqiagvik.
Blowing snow will reduce visibility with blizzard like conditions
possible. Along the West Coast easterly winds gusting up to 55
mph are possible with the highest winds being through the Kotzebue
Sound and the Norton Sound into St. Lawrence Island. Intermittent
snowfall is expected along the West Coast with higher
accumulations in the Yukon Delta and blowing snow reducing
visibility.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...Sustained gale-force and
possibly storm-force easterly winds along the Beaufort Sea coast
from Barter Island to Utqiagvik with gusts in excess of 70 mph
are possible Tuesday through Thursday. Along the West Coast
easterly winds gusting up to 50 mph are possible with the
strongest winds through the Kotzebue and Norton Sounds and into
St. Lawrence Island.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Blizzard Warning for AKZ801.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ802>805.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ816-817.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ818-820.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ819.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ821.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ824.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ825.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ825.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ827.
Winter Storm Watch for AKZ832.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ801-850.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ802.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ802.
Gale Warning for PKZ803.
Gale Warning for PKZ804-852.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ805-816.
Gale Warning for PKZ806.
Gale Warning for PKZ807>810-853>856.
Gale Warning for PKZ811.
Gale Warning for PKZ812-857-858.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ813-859.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ814.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ815-861.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ817-851.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ860.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard conditions developed at Point Lay the morning of the first and continued through the morning of the second. Point Lay recorded a peak wind gust of 52 mph.
Blizzard condition developed the the morning of the second and continued through the morning of the 5th. Multiple sites reported blizzard conditions, including Alpine, Deadhorse, Kuparuk and Nuiqsut. Wind gusts as high as 58 mph were observed at Deadhorse.
Blizzard conditions developed early in the morning of the third and continued through the morning of the 5th. Point Thomson reported winds as high as 40 mph during this 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, January 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: 1157959, 1157960, 1157961.