Blizzard in Northwest Arctic Coast, Alaska

Steady snowfall combined with strong winds overnight to produce blizzard conditions at Atqasuk (PATQ) during the early morning hours of December 13th. These conditions persisted into the early afternoon before visibility improved above one quarter mile. East winds consistently gusted to around 40 mph during the blizzard.

A low pressure system tracked north from the Gulf of Alaska on December 12th and settled over the interior of central Alaska on December 13th. A nearly stationary band of moderate to heavy snowfall set up over portions of the central and eastern Interior producing an extended period of accumulating snowfall. At the same time a strong Arctic High to the north produced very strong winds along the North Slope which resulted in blowing snow and blizzard conditions.