Blizzard — Western Arctic Coast, Alaska

2024-12-09 · Western Arctic Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

Blizzard conditions developed at Point Lay (PPIZ) during the early morning hours of December 9th. Winds gusted as high as 49 mph while visibility dropped below a quarter of a mile.

Wider weather episode

A strong low pressure system tracked from the north Pacific into the Bering Sea and eventually moved into the Arctic ocean. As the storm moved past, strong winds and heavy snowfall developed along the Bering coastline of western Alaska. Blizzard conditions eventually developed along the Northwest Arctic Borough coastline while strong gap winds developed farther east over the Alaska Range.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1227059. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.