Blizzard — Central Beaufort Sea Coast, Alaska

2026-01-27 to 2026-01-29 · Central Beaufort Sea Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

A long duration blizzard set in along the central Arctic coastline during the morning hours of the 27th. The Deadhorse ASOS (PASC) reported persistent wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph for almost two full days, resulting in blowing snow and visibility readings at or below 1/4 mile. The winds eventually subsided enough after 45 hours to allow for a gradual improvement in the visibility.

Wider weather episode

A deep upper-level low over the Eastern Arctic tracked southwest toward the Bering Strait during the last week of January. This system pushed a cold front across the region, producing very strong winds along and immediately behind the boundary. These winds triggered initial blizzard conditions along the Northwest Arctic coast, which then spread westward toward the western Seward Peninsula.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1313565. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.