Blizzard in Southern Seward Peninsula Coast, Alaska

The Golovin AWOS site (PAGL) first reported blizzard conditions at 15:13L on 2/16 and continued to report blizzard conditions through 23:56L on 2/16. Blizzard conditions were met at 18:25L on 2/16. Winds were consistently greater than 35 mph with visibilities at or below 1/4 miles for well over 3 hours. A peak observation was recorded at 21:13L on 2/16 with sustained winds at 40 mph gusting to 55 mph, heavy snow, freezing fog, and visibility at 1/4 miles.

A strong Bering Sea low moves into the Gulf of Anadyr, allowing for a strong front to move into Western Alaska. As the front approached the West Coast, strong east/southeast winds brought blizzard and whiteout conditions to much of the Seward Peninsula south. A secondary push of moisture brought by a shortwave system pushed off the Bering Sea low allowed for widespread heavy snow across St. Lawrence Island, the southern Seward Peninsula, and parts of the Western Interior. As the front pushed eastward across the state, snow squalls developed over portions of the Central Interior, leading to periods of heavy snowfall and gusty winds.