Blizzard — Pribilof Islands, Alaska

2023-02-08 to 2023-02-10 · Pribilof Islands, Alaska

Event narrative

The Saint George AWOS began reporting blizzard conditions around 5 PM AKST 2/9 and lasted at least intermittently all the way until about 9 AM AKST 2/10. Snow and blowing snow with 1/4 mile visibility and north to northeast wind sustained at 40 to 55 mph with gust as high as 70 mph occurred during this time period. Conditions at Saint Paul remained much better, where there was little falling/blowing snow and slightly weaker winds.

Wider weather episode

A strong low pressure and frontal system moved up from the North Pacific and along the Aleutians while it's associated front moved up the Alaska Peninsula, then past Kodiak Island and into the southern Mainland. Various impacts were felt across large portions of the southern Alaska and Bering areas, ranging from blizzard conditions across the Pribilof Islands and Kuskokwim Delta to heavy snow and blowing snow across Bristol Bay, Kodiak Island and much of the Kenai Peninsula. Well entrenched Arctic air sitting in place across most of Mainland Alaska out ahead of this system helped to support a large baroclinic zone along and ahead of this system's frontal feature, supporting the moderate snowfall totals observed across Bristol Bay, Kodiak Island and portions of the Kenai Peninsula.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1100038. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.