Blizzard in Alaska
Every blizzard event the National Weather Service has filed in Alaska, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
The most significant on the map
The most significant blizzard episodes in Alaska.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 1,981
- Deaths
- 7
- Injuries
- 5
- Damage
- $436,000
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, November 20 to 21, 2023A hurricane-force 964 mb low lifted out of the North Pacific and into the Gulf of Alaska through the early morning hours of November 20, 2023.
- Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, March 16 to 19, 1999An extremely intense storm moved up toward the extreme Western Aleutians late Tuesday continuing to just south of Adak as a 946mb center 9pm Wednesday.
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, February 17 to 19, 2009A 970 mb low in the central Bering Sea on the afternoon of the 17th tracked to the southern Chukchi Sea on the afternoon of the 18th, and then along the arctic coast on the 19th. This storm system brought heavy snow and blizzard conditions to much of northern Alaska.
- Blizzard and Avalanche in Alaska, February 1 to 3, 2012A large intense north Pacific storm moved across Kodiak Island into the lower Cook Inlet and south central region of Alaska the afternoon of February 1st.
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, February 10 to 12, 2001A storm as low as 961 mb moved north over the Bering Sea on the 10th, filling to 983 mb by the time it reached the western Chukchi Sea on the evening of the 11th.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, December 24 to 26, 2004With strong high pressure of 1049 mb covering the interior of Alaska, an occluded weather front moved north over the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea on the night of the 24th through the 25th.Blizzard conditions observed at:Zone 206 - likely at Anaktuvuk Pass AWOS.Zone 207 - likley at…
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, December 25 to 27, 1999Blizzard conditions were reported across much of the southwest Alaskan coast, Bristol Bay, the eastern Aleutians and Pribilofs Sunday. Wind gusts reached close to 50 mph in places, with local wind chills to 70 below calculated in the southwest interior.
- Blizzard in Alaska, December 8, 2001Two Coast Guard crew from the cutter "Firebush" were "...apparently blown off a ridge by strong winds". A request for air support was made from the Alaska State Troopers just after midnight Saturday.
- Storm Surge and Blizzard in Alaska, December 23 to 28, 2015A strong low pressure system entered the Aleutian Islands at 976 mb the morning of 6/23. It rapidly strengthened to 955 mb and moved across the Bering Sea.
- Blizzard and Avalanche in Alaska, February 7 to 10, 2020A chain of storms developed in the North Pacific and moved northward along the Alaska Peninsula. The successive storms brought cold air behind them, which caused high winds through the Aleutians, blizzards along the west coast, and wind and blizzards in Southcentral.
- Blizzard in Alaska, January 22 to 24, 2011A strong storm produced strong wind and snow across the Pribilof Islands and Kuskokwim Delta resulting in blizzard conditions.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 8 to 12, 2005On January 7th, a low pressure center moved north over the Chukotsk Peninsula. as it moved over the Russian Arctic Ocean it deepened rapidly and the cold front associated with the original low strengthened and swept east across the North Slope on the 8th, bringing strong west…
- Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Alaska, November 2 to 4, 2004The "Election Day" storm originated as a large Bering Sea storm. This system produced a strong pressure gradient as it moved toward the Gulf Coast of Alaska. It intensified as it moved through the Eastern Aleutians and approached the Bristol Bay coastline.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, December 12 to 14, 2015A storm moved from north of Japan and rapidly intensified over the Aleutians, reaching 924 mb near the central Aleutians. This storm brought significant winds to the central Aleutians and 53 foot seas to the Bering Sea.
- Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, November 11 to 14, 2013A complex low pressure center of 993 mb over Kamchatka on the morning of the 12th moved to the southeast Beaufort Sea near Barter Island on the morning of the 14th deepening to 979 mb.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 1 to 4, 2022A ridge of high pressure aloft shifted northeast out of the western Bering Sea on December 31, 2021, strengthening over northern Alaska January 1-3, 2022.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, December 3 to 7, 2009Two powerful north Pacific storms moved across the eastern Aleutians beginning December 4th continuing through December 7th.
- Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, November 8 to 11, 2013A large and persistent area of high pressure which developed over the North Pacific forced the jet stream northward, which directed a series of very strong low pressure systems into the Bering Sea from the 6th through the 14th of November.
- Blizzard and Coastal Flood in Alaska, February 24 to 26, 2009An intense hurricane force storm moved across the Aleutians into the eastern Bering Sea February 24th and 25th. This storm produced hurricane force wind as it moved through the region.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, December 17 to 18, 2011An intense storm brought high wind to the south central region of Alaska and Prince William Sound. Along with the high wind, snow and blowing snow in Portage Valley and Thompson Pass produced blizzard conditions.
- Blizzard and Extreme Cold in Alaska, February 1 to 4, 2000A large low pressure system moved north into the eastern Bering Sea on 01 Feb. A break-off center moved northeast from the Yukon Delta to the Arctic Slope on 02 Feb. A third center moved north from the Pribilofs to the Gulf of Anadyr on 03 Feb.
- Blizzard and Debris Flows in Alaska, November 1 to 2, 2020Deep low pressure tracked northward along the outer coast causing impacts across Southeast Alaska beginning Halloween night through November 2nd.
- Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, November 17, 2001A moderate ridge, building northwestward from Canadian British Columbia into Prince William Sound, accompanied by moderate pressure rises (2.5 - 4.5 mbs/hour) and a northwestward moving arctic front in the area, produced locally very gusty easterly winds around Turnagain Arm,…
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, March 20 to 22, 2005Strong high pressure over eastern Siberia on the 18th moved to the eastern Arctic Ocean through the 20th and strengthened to 1055 mb. this created a strong pressure gradient over northern Alaska with cold air and strong gusty northeast winds spreading southwest over the state.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 24 to 27, 2004Strong high pressure over the Arctic Ocean on the 24th moved southeast to the Yukon Territory of Canada on the 25th.
More
Sources
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.