Blizzard — Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys, Alaska

2021-12-04 to 2021-12-06 · Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys, Alaska

Event narrative

Blizzard conditions and high winds occurred across lower Noatak River Valley with near blizzard conditions in the lower Kobuk Valley. The weather station in the village of Noatak reported a visibility near zero along with very strong winds. A peak wind gust from the southeast to 60 mph was observed at Noatak in the morning of December 5th. Red Dog Mine also reported near zero visibility and peak wind gusts to 47 mph on December 5th.

Wider weather episode

A very strong low pressure system moved north through the Bering Sea and across the Chukotsk Peninsula and Bering Strait December 4th through the 6th. The central pressure of the low dropped to 949 millibars as it moved across the eastern Chukotsk Peninsula the afternoon of December 5th and then weakened as it continued to track north into the Chukchi Sea. A strong weather front associated with this system swept across the West Coast, Interior, and the North Slope of Alaska. This resulted in heavy snow, strong winds, blizzard conditions, and minor coastal flooding at some locations along the Bering Sea coast.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1000793. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.