Blizzard — Bristol Bay, Alaska

2023-12-13 · Bristol Bay, Alaska

Event narrative

Convective snow showers induced by cold air passing over the relatively warm sea surface temperatures of the Bering Sea led to a five hour period of blizzard conditions recorded at the Port Heiden AWOS on December 13, during which winds gusted as high as 37 knots (43 mph). This was preceded by intermittent periods of blizzard-like conditions on December 12 and into the morning of December 13, caused by the showery nature of the snowfall. Observations to the north and south along the Alaska Peninsula did not show visibility drop below 3/4 mile.

Wider weather episode

A low tracked into Prince William Sound on Dec 12 as it rotated around a deep upper-level trough centered over Western Alaska. Snow spread west from the Copper Basin as the trough became northwest-southeast oriented. Out west, the upper-level trough contributed to a strong push of cold air across the Bering Sea, which lead to blowing snow with widespread snow showers across the Alaska Peninsula.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1153681. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.