Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, February 20 to 25, 2026

A winter storm impacted the Southern Seward Peninsula Coast, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1104AKST on February 20 through 0900AKST on February 24, 2026. At 1710AKST on February 20, the Nome Airport ASOS (PAOM) reported one-quarter mile visibility in heavy snow and freezing fog with sustained winds of twenty miles per hour gusting to thirty-two miles per hour. These conditions persisted through 1900AKST on February 20, with near-blizzard conditions occurring at times thereafter. The peak of the event occurred at 1818AKST on February 20, when the station reported one-quarter mile visibility in heavy snow and freezing fog with sustained winds of twenty miles per hour and a peak gust of thirty-two miles per hour. FAA webcams and airport observations confirmed near-blizzard and whiteout conditions in Nome through the evening of February 20. The Rocky Point SNOTEL reported eight inches of snow accumulation between February 20 and February 21. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

Blizzard conditions impacted the Bering Strait Coast, where a blizzard warning was in effect from 0431AKST on February 20 through 0843AKST on February 22, 2026. Local Storm Reports indicated blizzard conditions occurred in Wales. The Buckland Airport AWOS (PAIW) reported visibilities of less than one-quarter mile in heavy snow and freezing fog starting at 1741AKST on February 20. At that time, the station recorded sustained winds of forty-five miles per hour with gusts to fifty-one miles per hour. The Teller Airport AWOS (PATE) reported visibilities of one-quarter mile or less in heavy snow and freezing fog beginning at 0930AKST on February 21, with blizzard conditions continuing through 2320AKST. During the peak of the event at Teller at 0940AKST on February 21, the station measured sustained winds of sixty miles per hour with a peak wind gust of sixty-seven miles per hour while reporting one-quarter mile visibility in heavy snow and freezing fog. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

Blizzard conditions impacted Kivalina, where a Blizzard Warning was in effect from 0431AKST February 20 until 0843AKST February 22, 2026. The Kivalina Airport AWOS (PAVL) initially reported blizzard conditions at 2300AKST February 20, with blizzard conditions continuing through 0415AKST February 22. At 0046AKST February 21, PAVL reported one-quarter of a mile visibility in freezing fog with sustained winds of thirty-five miles per hour and a peak gust of fifty-six miles per hour. The Blizzard Warning verified at 0200AKST February 21, when PAVL reported a third hour of blizzard conditions with visibility less than one-quarter of a mile in freezing fog with sustained winds of thirty-seven miles per hour gusting to forty-eight miles per hour. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

Blizzard conditions impacted the Baldwin Peninsula, where a Blizzard Warning was in effect from 0431AKST on February 20 through 0843AKST on February 22, 2026. The Ralph Wien Memorial Airport ASOS (PAOT) in Kotzebue reported that blizzard conditions began at 0045AKST on February 21. The third hour of continuous blizzard criteria verified the warning at 0345AKST on February 21. During the peak of the event, PAOT measured visibilities of one-quarter mile in heavy snow, with sustained winds of forty-five miles per hour and a peak gust of sixty miles per hour. Blizzard conditions concluded at 1835AKST on February 21. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A significant winter storm impacted the Lower Kobuk Valley, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 0431AKST on February 20 through 2059AKST on February 22, 2026. The Robert Curtis Memorial Airport AWOS (PFNO) in Noorvik first reported visibilities reduced to one-half mile in snow and freezing fog with sustained winds of twenty-nine miles per hour gusting to thirty-five miles per hour at 0739AKST on February 21. During the peak of the event, the station measured sustained winds of twenty-three miles per hour with a peak gust of thirty-five miles per hour and one-half mile visibility in snow and freezing fog. The first verifying observation for the warning occurred at 0739AKST on February 21. Hazardous conditions, including blowing snow and reduced visibilities, persisted until the warning was downgraded on February 22. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

Blizzard conditions impacted the Western Arctic Coast. The Point Lay LRRS Airport AWOS (PPIZ) reported visibility of one-quarter mile or less in heavy snow and freezing fog beginning at 0800AKST on February 21, 2026. The third hour of continuous blizzard conditions was met at 1100AKST. During the peak of the event, PPIZ measured sustained winds of thirty-eight miles per hour with a peak gust of forty-eight miles per hour. While the Point Hope ASOS (PAPO) lacked a functional visibility sensor to verify blizzard criteria, the station frequently recorded wind gusts exceeding fifty miles per hour. Additionally, the Cape Lisburne LRRS Airport (PALU) recorded a peak wind gust of eighty-seven miles per hour during the height of the storm. Observations at Point Lay indicated blizzard conditions through 1625AKST on February 21, followed by a brief improvement until 1735AKST. Visibilities fell below one-quarter mile again at 1741AKST, with occasional gusts over thirty-five miles per hour continuing through 1830AKST. The event concluded at 1934AKST. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A significant winter storm impacted the Northwest Arctic Coast, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1145AKST February 20 through 2101AKST February 22, 2026. While AWOS stations at Wainwright Airport (PAWI) and Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr. Memorial Airport (PATQ) were offline during the storm, nearby reports from the Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport ASOS (PABR) in Utqiagvik indicated that the area likely received record or near-record precipitation. A remote observation station northeast of Wainwright (NDBCWRXA2) measured wind gusts between thirty and forty miles per hour during the period of heaviest precipitation. Based on these wind speeds and the high moisture content of the storm, it is highly probable that Wainwright and Atqasuk experienced significant blowing snow and reduced visibilities. The first verifying observation for the warning occurred at 1029AKST on February 21, when visibilities at Utqiagvik dropped to one-half mile in snow; the final verifying observation occurred at 1210AKST on February 22. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A record-breaking winter storm impacted the Northern Arctic Coast, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1145AKST February 20 through 2101AKST February 22, 2026. The ASOS located at Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport (PABR) in Utqiagvik measured daily record precipitation on February 21 and February 22. Total liquid equivalent precipitation for the event exceeded three tenths of an inch, surpassing the entire monthly average for February of twenty-one hundredths of an inch. The storm produced hazardous conditions including periods of visibility reduced to one-half mile in snow and significant durations with visibility below one mile. The first verifying observation for the warning occurred at 1029AKST on February 21, when visibility at Utqiagvik dropped to one-half mile. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A winter storm impacted the White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1200AKST on February 24, 2026. The storm produced heavy snow and significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to the closure of Eagle Summit on the Steese Highway starting at 0952AKST on February 22. Local Storm Reports confirmed the hazardous travel conditions and extensive drifting. The first verifying observation for the warning occurred at 0952AKST on February 22. Conditions gradually improved over the following days, and the final verification for the event was marked when Eagle Summit was safely reopened to traffic at 1054AKST on February 25. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted the Middle Yukon Valley, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1121AKST on February 21 through 2112AKST on February 23, 2026. The Galena SNOTEL reported snow accumulation of seven inches between 0600AKST and 1800AKST on February 23. The verifying observation occurred at 1800AKST on February 23. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A winter storm impacted the Lower Yukon River, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1121AKST on February 21 through 2112AKST on February 23, 2026. The St. Mary's Airport AWOS (PASM) reported twelve hours of one-quarter mile visibility in unknown precipitation with wind gusts between twenty and twenty-five miles per hour. Additionally, the Russian Mission Airport AWOS (PARS) reported liquid equivalent precipitation in excess of one-tenth of an inch on February 23. The first verifying observation occurred at 1450AKST on February 23, with the final verifying observation at 1833AKST on February 23. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted Eielson Air Force Base and Salcha, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1159AKST on February 24, 2026. A trained spotter reported eight and eight-tenths inches of snow accumulation between the evening of Sunday, February 22, and 2130AKST on Monday, February 23. During the event, the Eielson Air Force Base Airport (PAEI) reported visibilities as low as one-half mile in heavy snow and freezing fog. The first verifying observation for the heavy snow occurred at 2130AKST on February 23. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted Nenana, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1159AKST on February 24, 2026. The Nenana SNOTEL recorded a seven-inch increase in snow depth between 0300AKST on February 23 and 0300AKST on February 24. At 1712AKST on February 23, the Nenana Airport AWOS (PANN) reported one-quarter mile visibility in heavy snow and freezing fog. The first verifying observation for the heavy snow occurred at 0300AKST on February 24. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted the Lower Koyukuk Valley, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1121AKST on February 21 through 2112AKST on February 23, 2026. A report from the Hozatka Lake SNOTEL confirmed eight inches of snow accumulation between 0000AKST on February 23 and 0300AKST on February 24. The first verifying observation for the heavy snow occurred at 0300AKST on February 24. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted the Upper Chena River Valley, where a winter storm warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1159AKST on February 24, 2026. At the Upper Chena Dome, the snow depth was measured at thirty-eight inches at 2200AKST on February 21, increasing to forty-four inches at 2200AKST on February 22, and reaching fifty inches at 2200AKST on February 23. Additionally, the Munson Ridge SNOTEL recorded a snow depth increase from forty-four inches at 0800AKST on February 23 to fifty-three inches at 0800AKST on February 24. At the peak of the event, the station recorded a snowfall rate of one inch in one hour between 0700AKST and 0800AKST on February 24. The first verifying observation for heavy snow occurred at 0800AKST on February 24. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted Two Rivers, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1159AKST on February 24, 2026. A Local Storm Report indicated that eighteen inches of snow accumulation occurred five miles east of Fox. The Ladd Army Airfield ASOS, located at Fort Wainwright, reported visibilities of one-half mile in snow during the peak of the event at 1255AKST on February 23. The first verifying observation occurred at 1010AKST on February 24. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A heavy snow event impacted the Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills, where a winter storm warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1159AKST on February 24, 2026. The Keystone Ridge Cooperative Observer site (KERA2) recorded an increase in snow depth from thirty-three inches at 1200AKST on February 21 to thirty-five inches at 1200AKST on February 22, then reaching forty-one inches at 1200AKST on February 23. A public report northwest of Ester confirmed thirteen and one-half inches of snow accumulation. The peak of the event occurred at 1716AKST on February 22 at the Fairbanks International Airport (PAFA), where the station reported three-quarters of a mile visibility in light snow and mist. The first verifying observation for the heavy snow occurred at 1155AKST on February 24. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A blizzard impacted the Eastern Alaska Range South of Trims Camp on February 25, 2026. The Department of Transportation reported whiteout conditions in Isabel Pass south of Trims Camp. Due to the dangerously low visibility and blowing snow, the Richardson Highway was closed in both directions from mile marker one hundred eighty-six to mile marker two hundred eighteen. All lanes remained closed for the duration of the event as hazardous conditions persisted. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.