Winter Storm in White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River, Alaska

A winter storm impacted the White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River, where a Winter Storm Warning was in effect from 1027AKST on February 21 through 1200AKST on February 24, 2026. The storm produced heavy snow and significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to the closure of Eagle Summit on the Steese Highway starting at 0952AKST on February 22. Local Storm Reports confirmed the hazardous travel conditions and extensive drifting. The first verifying observation for the warning occurred at 0952AKST on February 22. Conditions gradually improved over the following days, and the final verification for the event was marked when Eagle Summit was safely reopened to traffic at 1054AKST on February 25. 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.