Blizzard in St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

The Savoonga AWOS (PASA) reported blizzard conditions throughout the morning hours and into the afternoon as local observations revealed heavy snow and visibilities at or below 1/4 mile. Winds were routinely in the 40 to 45 mph range with a peak gust of 58 mph recorded just prior to midday.

Following a period of dry, Arctic conditions across Central Alaska, a potent weather shift occurred on Thursday, January 15. A strong low-pressure system entering the North Pacific coupled with high pressure over Western Canada to funnel a stream of warm, moist air into the region. As the associated warm front tracked north over the Alaska Range, it produced heavy snowfall and high winds, resulting in widespread blizzard conditions. Simultaneously, strong winds to the west triggered blizzards along the West Coast. In the wake of the front, colder air returned alongside a series of upper-level disturbances. By Friday and Saturday (January 16'17), these systems produced additional heavy snowfall across the Interior.