Blizzard — Western Arctic Coast, Alaska

2025-04-17 to 2025-04-18 · Western Arctic Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

Strong winds developed in the mid morning hours and eventually began gusting to between 35 and 45 mph creating blizzard conditions for over 12 hours at Point Lay (PPIZ).

Wider weather episode

A strong low from the North Pacific moved into Bristol Bay sending a warm front north through the Interior where strong Chinook winds developed through the Alaska Range gaps and up into the central interior of Alaska. Meanwhile strong high pressure over the Beaufort Sea helped produce strong east winds along the Arctic coastline of the North Slope resulting in blizzard conditions across much of the arctic coastline of Alaska.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1257575. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.