Winter Storm — Nrn & Intr. Seward Peninsula, Alaska
2009-02-12 to 2009-02-14 · Nrn & Intr. Seward Peninsula, Alaska
Wider weather episode
On the morning of the 12th a 963 mb low in the western Bering Sea tracked slowly northeast and weakened to 996 mb east of Saint Lawrence Island through the evening of the 13th. The storm moved inland and filled on the 14th. The storm brought high winds, heavy snow, and blizzard conditions to much of the west coast.
Zone 208: Heavy snow was observed by the Noatak cooperative observer during the early morning hours of the 12th through the early morning hours of the 13th. Six and a half inches of snow was observed from midnight on the 12th through midnight on the 13th.
Zone 209: Periods of heavy snow that reduced the visibility to one quarter of a mile were observed at Kotzebue during the day on the 13th. 7.5 inches of snow was observed at the Weather Service Office in Kotzebue. Blizzard conditions were observed from 6 pm Thursday through noon on Friday. The visibility was reduced to one quarter of a mile at times in snow and blowing snow. The wind gusted to 43kt/50 mph at the Kotzebue ASOS during the morning of the 13th.
Zone 210: Heavy snow was observed along the coast during the early hours of the 13th. Kotzebue reported 7.5 inches of snow. Snow began
at the Deering and Buckland ASOS's Thursday evening through Friday afternoon.
Zone 211: Heavy snow was observed at Nome during the evening hours of the 12th through noon on Friday of the 13th. A total of 8.9 inches of snow was observed at the Nome Weather Service Office. The visibility was also frequently reduced to one half mile or less in snow and blowing snow. The wind gusted to 31 kt/36 mph at the Nome ASOS. Two men suffered injuries in the Tesoro Iron Dog Race, each in separate instances, when the snowmobile they were driving hit hit a snowdrift
Zone 212: Heavy snow was observed along the coast during the early hours of the 13th. Estimated snowfall criteria of 6 inches was met
at the end of the event, based on Nome's total of 8.9 inches and assuming this zone was in warmer air to begin with, so snow production
was somewhat less. A man suffered injuries 25 miles from Koyuk when the snowmobile he was driving in the Tesoro Iron Dog Race hit a snowdrift.
Zone 213: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions were observed at Gambell and along the Bering Strait coast. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less from Thursday the 12th through Friday the 13th at the Gambell AWOS, and the wind gusted to 48 kt/55 mph.
Zone 214: Heavy snow and blizzard conditions were observed at Scammon Bay and Cape Romanzof during the day on Friday. Visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less at times during the day on Thursday the 12th through 9 am on Friday the 13th. The wind gusted to 50 kt/58 mph at Scammon Bay during the early morning hours of the 13th.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 146891. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.