High Wind in Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp, Alaska

Strong winds developed early in the morning through Isabel Pass and continued into the late afternoon hours of January 16th. From mid morning until late afternoon wind gusts consistently reached 50 mph or higher. The Texas Condo Mesonet (TCOA2) registered a peak wind gust of 85 mph late morning and saw several additional gusts of 80 mph or greater into the afternoon hours.

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.