Winter Storm in Southern Seward Peninsula Coast, Alaska

A winter storm impacted the Southern Seward Peninsula Coast, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1104AKST on February 20 through 0900AKST on February 24, 2026. At 1710AKST on February 20, the Nome Airport ASOS (PAOM) reported one-quarter mile visibility in heavy snow and freezing fog with sustained winds of twenty miles per hour gusting to thirty-two miles per hour. These conditions persisted through 1900AKST on February 20, with near-blizzard conditions occurring at times thereafter. The peak of the event occurred at 1818AKST on February 20, when the station reported one-quarter mile visibility in heavy snow and freezing fog with sustained winds of twenty miles per hour and a peak gust of thirty-two miles per hour. FAA webcams and airport observations confirmed near-blizzard and whiteout conditions in Nome through the evening of February 20. The Rocky Point SNOTEL reported eight inches of snow accumulation between February 20 and 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.