Blizzard — Bristol Bay, Alaska

2024-04-01 to 2024-04-03 · Bristol Bay, Alaska

Event narrative

Local observations noted 3 hours of 1/4SM +SN or less with winds gusting 32 kt or greater beginning 030228Z, peaking at 44kts. Winds dropped out at PAPM during the worst conditions, with higher gusts having been likely. Winds diminished gradually as snow tapered off leading to improving visibility just after midnight.

Wider weather episode

A frontal boundary pushing into the western Bering and a second low east of the Kuril Islands and south of Attu affected the Kuskokwim Delta Coast, Nunuvak Island, Western Capes and Shemya April 2-3, 2024. The first low brought gusty winds, snow and low visibilities, along with cold air for this time of year, to the western and central Bering. A second low bombed out (with the surface low pressure decreasing more than 24 mb in 24 hours) as the low moved towards Attu and Shemya. By Tuesday afternoon, April 2 the pressure gradient force field spanned from St Matthew Island and Nunivak to Attu. This led to a small corridor of sustained hurricane force winds for the for the western Aleutian Islands, including Shemya.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1176697. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.