Blizzard — Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

2024-02-15 to 2024-02-16 · Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

Event narrative

Toksook Bay AWOS (PAOO) experienced blizzard conditions from 11:15 AM AKST 2/15 through 9:40 PM 2/14 with 1/4 mile visibility and winds gusting up to 50 mph. Visibility gradually improved going into the overnight hours of 1/15 even as heavier snow continued to fall, with rapid improvement in conditions on the morning of 1/16 as winds began to diminish.

Wider weather episode

A strong ridge of high pressure in place over Northern Canada and extending into mainland Alaska worked in tandem with a deep upper trough over the Bering Sea to draw moisture north along an atmospheric river that remained in place across the Alaska Peninsula and into Southwest Alaska from 2/14 through 2/16. A series of shortwave troughs driving northward led to several rounds of heavy precipitation across Southwest Alaska. There were two main shortwaves - the first brought snow to the south side of the Alaska Peninsula beginning early on 2/14, pushing north into Bristol Bay and the Kuskokwim Delta, and westward along the Alaska Peninsula. The second arrived during the afternoon/evening of Feb 15, bringing warmer air and reinforced heavier precipitation.

The most severe conditions with this event were focused over the Kuskokwim Delta, where up to a foot of snow fell near Bethel while blizzard conditions occurred for many hours along the coast between 2/15 and 2/16.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1163205. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.