The combination of a strong arctic high to the north and a deep Pacific low tracking into the Gulf of Alaska created a strong gradient across the state. This led to blizzard conditions developing as strong east winds combined with freshly fallen snow to create near whiteout conditions.
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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 a strong arctic high to the north and a deep Pacific low tracking into the Gulf of Alaska created a strong gradient across the state. This led to blizzard conditions developing as strong east winds combined with freshly fallen snow to create near whiteout conditions.
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 5, 4:31 AM AKST, 5 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
431 AM AKST Tue Nov 5 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
Generally quiet weather today in the Central/Eastern Interior but
light snow develops this afternoon/evening as a front moves north
over the AK Range. Winds have been ramping up in the AK Range
passes with gusts to 65 mph in Windy Pass today and up to 60 mph
in Isabel Pass. Otherwise, east/northeast winds increase along the
Arctic Coast with blowing snow and near blizzard conditions likely
in many locations. In SW AK, a low in Bristol Bay is prompting
light snow in the Yukon Valley with gusty winds. This may result
in areas of blowing snow and lower visibility as well.
KEY MESSAGES...
Central and Eastern Interior...
- Southerly winds through the AK Range with gusts to 65 mph in
Windy Pass through noon today, and up to 60 mph in Isabel Pass
through tonight.
- A Tanana Valley Jet has also developed with gusts to 45 mph
through tonight.
- Increasing winds across the Interior Summits today with snow
likely north of Fairbanks starting this afternoon.
- A Winter Weather Advisory for the Dalton Highway Summits through
midnight tonight for blowing snow and visibility to 1/2 mile or
less at times.
- Mild temperatures in the low to mid 30s are likely in the Middle
Tanana Valley on Wednesday, then temperatures drop through the
weekend.
North Slope and Brooks Range...
- East-northeast winds continue along the coast, promoting snow
shower chances today and tomorrow, especially west of Deadhorse.
- East to northeast winds across the Arctic coastline increase
again today. The strongest winds likely occur tonight into
Wednesday in the eastern Arctic and may gust as high as 55 mph.
Near-blizzard conditions are possible through Wednesday morning.
This has resulted in a Winter Storm Warning in the Eastern
Arctic and Winter Weather Advisories from Deadhorse west.
- A brief period of clearing over the Brooks Range today,
otherwise cloudy and mostly dry conditions there with above
normal temperatures. Light snow moves in tonight with 0.5-2
inches expected through tomorrow morning.
West Coast and Western Interior...
- Strong offshore winds from a low in Bristol Bay with areas of
light snow expected this morning in the YK Valley. Snow
accumulations of around an inch or 2 in the valleys and up to 3
inches in the higher terrain.
- There is a non-zero chance for a mixed freezing rain/sleet and
snow shower this afternoon west of McGrath, though most areas
will be drying out.
- There is also a chance for mixed precipitation showers on
Wednesday from the Seward Pen. south as high temps rise above
freezing.
- Northeast winds gusting 50-55 mph in St. Lawrence Island today
and tonight.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Analysis...
The main features at play are a 954 mb low in Bristol Bay and a
1033 mb high at 80N. This is resulting in a strong pressure
gradient across the state, thus resulting in wind which is one of
our largest weather impacts today. A pressure gradient across the
AK Range is producing wind gusts of 60-65 mph today in Isabel and
Windy Passes. There are also gusty winds of 40-45 mph expected in
Delta Junction and Interior Summits. Blowing snow is possible in
these locations, specifically the Dalton Highway Summits where we
have a Winter Weather Advisory for visibility to 1/2 mile or less.
The North Slope is no different when it comes to wind. Increasing
east-northeast winds are likely with the strongest being near
Kaktovik as gusts can get as high as 55 mph today into tomorrow.
The rest of the Arctic Coast will have wind gusts around 40-50
mph this evening through tomorrow evening. Blowing snow is likely
with near-blizzard conditions. Otherwise, conditions generally
improve everywhere by this weekend as temps cool.
Extended Forecast Days 4-7...
Temperatures will be cooling down this weekend into next week with
highs and lows in the single digits or below 0 for multiple days
in the Interior. Otherwise, the weather looks relatively mundane
with no siginifcant weather makers for the next 7 days. One thing
we will monitor as we get closer is the chance for a coastal storm
in the Bering late next week. Uncertainty is high, but there is a
chance for a strong low in the Bering by the Wednesday-Friday time
frame.
Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None.
&&
.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ801.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ802>804.
Wind Advisory for AKZ849.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ825-826-830.
Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ832.
Winter Storm Warning for AKZ805.
Wind Advisory for AKZ847.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ801-850.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ801.
Gale Warning for PKZ802-803-805-852-853.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ804.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ804-805.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ806.
Gale Warning for PKZ806-807.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ807-808-810>815-858>861.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ808.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ809.
Small Craft Advisory for PKZ810.
Gale Warning for PKZ811-857-858.
Gale Warning for PKZ812-813-859.
Gale Warning for PKZ814-815-860-861.
Gale Warning for PKZ816-856.
Gale Warning for PKZ817-851-854.
Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ855.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ856.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ857.
&&
BiancoThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds increased during the morning hours of November 5th, with gusts reaching 60 mph. Falling snow in conjunction with the strong winds resulted in blizzard conditions at Point Thompson (PAAD), where visibility dropped below a quarter of a mile.
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, November 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: 1222906.