Winter Weather — Bristol Bay, Alaska

2023-03-01 to 2023-03-02 · Bristol Bay, Alaska

Event narrative

Kipnuk AWOS reported visibility as low as 1/4 mile and 25 to 30 mph sustained onshore winds intermittently from 9 am to 3 pm 3/1. Similarly poor, near blizzard conditions were observed for several hours at the Port Heiden AWOS farther south along the Alaska Peninsula during about the same time frame, with 1/4 mile visibility or less at times with winds sustained at 30 to 45 mph out of the west.

Wider weather episode

A low moving onshore over the Yukon Delta brought a period of snow, gusty onshore winds and blowing snow along the coastal communities of portions of Southwest starting early in the morning on 3/1, with the worst conditions focused from Togiak north and west towards Mekoryuk.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1104565. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.