Blizzard in Baldwin Peninsula, Alaska

Blizzard conditions impacted the Baldwin Peninsula, where a Blizzard Warning was in effect from 0431AKST on February 20 through 0843AKST on February 22, 2026. The Ralph Wien Memorial Airport ASOS (PAOT) in Kotzebue reported that blizzard conditions began at 0045AKST on February 21. The third hour of continuous blizzard criteria verified the warning at 0345AKST on February 21. During the peak of the event, PAOT measured visibilities of one-quarter mile in heavy snow, with sustained winds of forty-five miles per hour and a peak gust of sixty miles per hour. Blizzard conditions concluded at 1835AKST on February 21. No fatalities, injuries, or property damage were reported.

A winter storm system tracked across the West Coast, North Slope, and Interior Alaska from February 20 through February 25, 2026. The episode began with widespread blizzard conditions impacting the West Coast and North Slope regions, where powerful winds and significant blowing snow reduced visibilities to near zero. As the system pushed inland, it transitioned into a heavy snow event for the Central and Eastern Interior. Notable snowfall reports included thirteen and one-half inches measured northwest of Ester and nearly nine inches reported by storm spotters in the Tanana Valley. Additionally, measurements from the Nenana Snotel indicated a seven-inch snow depth increase over a twenty-four-hour period during the height of the storm. These conditions created hazardous travel and significant impacts to infrastructure across the state. No fatalities or injuries were reported during this episode.