A low moved north of the Western Arctic Coast dragging a front north of the Brooks Range to the North Slope. As the front lifted north, strong easterly winds developed along the Arctic Coast.
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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.
A low moved north of the Western Arctic Coast dragging a front north of the Brooks Range to the North Slope. As the front lifted north, strong easterly winds developed along the Arctic Coast. The strongest winds occurred over the Eastern Beaufort Sea coast resulting in blizzard conditions at Point Thomson.
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 26, 11:55 AM AKST, 11 hours 40 minutes earlier.
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1255 PM AKDT Tue Mar 26 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
An active weather pattern will persist over the west coast
of Alaska as a series of fronts will bring strong winds,
snow and blowing snow through Friday. Blizzard conditions expected
over the Eastern north slope late tonight into Wednesday.
Snow chances increase for the Interior Wed night into
Thursday and again on Sunday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Analysis and Model Discussion...
Upper level low persists over the western Bering and weak
chinook flow over the Interior. Troughing will dig over the
west coast and swing shortwaves through the west coast and
into the western Interior. A shortwave will also come up from
the southeast of the Interior Wed night into Thursday. A
stronger low is progged to develop over the Southern
Bering Thursday into Friday.
Central and Eastern Interior...
Weak chinook flow continues over the Interior through Today.
Winds will be 15 mph or less with the exception of Alaska
Range passes, where southerly gap winds gusting to 40 mph this
afternoon. Mid 40s again for highs today for the Interior then
cooler on Wed and Thursday. Chinook flow will weaken on Wed and a shortwave
could bring some precip over the Interior late Wed night
into Thursday morning. Mostly snow expected but could start as rain.
Accumulations of snow around one inch expected. Another chance
of snow for the Interior on Sunday.
North Slope and Brooks Range...
The North Slope will have slightly above normal temperature
through Wednesday then see above normal temperatures later this
week. The North Slope will have east winds gusting 40 to 55 mph
causing blowing snow with low visibility developing over the
Western Arctic Coast today, spreading east to Demarcation Point
late tonight. Blizzard warnings are in effect for the Eastern
North slope Tonight through Thursday morning.
West Coast and Western Interior...
A cold front will be the focus of snow showers over the west
coast Today into Wed morning. Another low will impact Saint
Lawrence Island Wed afternoon into Thursday morning. Winter
Weather Advisory has been issued for that area. A stronger
system will move into Bristol Bay Thursday night into Friday
bringing snow and blowing snow to the Yukon Delta then spread
further north Friday into Sat.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...Strong Easterly over
the Eastern north slope Wednesday into Thursday morning.
Extended Forecast For Days 4 Through 7...
A stronger low is progged to develop over the Southern Bering
Thursday into Friday bringing snow and blowing snow
to the Yukon Delta Coast. A mix of precip possible over the Interior
on Sunday, but expecting mostly snow over the Central Interior
at this point. Another strong low could impact the west coast
early next week, the track and timing still uncertain,
will continue to monitor.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ801.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ802.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ803.
Blizzard Warning for AKZ804.
Blizzard Warning for AKZ805.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ827.
PK...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ801.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ802.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ807.
Gale Warning for PKZ811.
Gale Warning for PKZ812.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ813-859.
Gale Warning for PKZ814.
Gale Warning for PKZ815-860.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ816.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ850.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ851.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ854-856.
Gale Warning for PKZ857.
Gale Warning for PKZ858.
Gale Warning for PKZ861.
&&Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1209 AM AKDT Wed Mar 27 2024 AKZ847-849-280815- Northern Denali Borough-Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp- Including Healy, Denali National Park, Kantishna, Anderson, The Parks Highway from MP 237 to MP 288, Black Rapids, Donnelly Dome, and The Richardson Highway from MP 224 to MP 259 1209 AM AKDT Wed Mar 27 2024 ...Very Strong Winds in the AK Range Passes... A strong storm will be moving into Alaska this weekend with very strong southerly winds pushing through the Alaska Range Passes Saturday Afternoon through Sunday Night. Exact timing and strength are still being determined but wind gusts upwards of 70 mph or more are possible during this time. BB
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1232 AM AKDT Wed Mar 27 2024 AKZ811-812-831>834-837>846-280845- South Slopes Of The Eastern Brooks Range- South Slopes Of The Central Brooks Range-Upper Koyukuk Valley- Dalton Highway Summits-Yukon Flats- White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River- 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- Including Arctic Village, Wiseman, Coldfoot, Chandalar DOT Camp, Iniakuk Lake, the Dalton Highway from MP 165 to MP 232, Allakaket, Bettles, Evansville, Alatna, Gobblers Knob, Prospect Creek, Finger Mountain, The Yukon River Bridge, The Dalton Highway from MP 39 to MP 164, Fort Yukon, Venetie, Circle, Central, Stevens Village, Beaver, The Steese Highway north of MP 124, 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, 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, and Lake Minchumina 1232 AM AKDT Wed Mar 27 2024 ...Snow and Colder Weather Incoming... After a very mild stretch of weather, winter will be returning. First, widespread light snow will move through the Interior Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning with 1 to 3 inches expected. After this clears out, high temperatures in the 30s to near 40 are expected through this weekend but we will see a change during the beginning of next week with highs dropping into the 20s and lows into the single digits to near 0F. There will be several chances for snow, including a potentially impactful event Sunday. The exact track of this storm is still uncertain, but it will be crucial to figuring out where we see accumulating snow. BB
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard conditions developed during the late evening hours on March 26th at Point Thomson (PAAD). East winds with gusts to 48 mph were reported, resulting in blizzard conditions developing. Conditions improved during the early morning hours of March 28th.
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, March 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: 1167967.