Blizzard — Northwest Arctic Coast, Alaska

2025-04-17 · Northwest Arctic Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

The Wainwright ASOS (PAWI) reported blizzard conditions developing in the morning hours and continuing into the late evening. A peak wind gust of 49 mph was reported during the later stages of the blizzard.

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 1257579. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.