Blizzard — Bristol Bay Coastal, Alaska

2000-02-03 · Bristol Bay Coastal, Alaska

Wider weather episode

An 'arctic type' low, moved out of the north central Pacific Wednesday, deepening to a 973 mb center around Saint George Island early Thursday. A moderate cold front trailed south from the center. By Thursday afternoon, the low was located 200 miles northwest of Saint Matthew Island where it had weakened to 984 mbs. The front had begun to weaken significantly...extending from the low to just west of Nunivak Island to Sand Point.Brisk south to southeast winds were observed along the eastern Aleutians, the western Alaska Peninsula and the Pribilofs.Peak winds of 61 mph were recorded at the Dutch Harbor airport late Wednesday and early Thursday.Along the western Alaska Peninsula, gusts of 60 mph were recorded at Cold Bay early Thursday just before 3 am. Across the Pribilofs, strong southeast wind gusts late Wednesday peaked at 67 mph at Saint George early Thursday just before 2 am.Portions of the southwest Alaskan coast were also impacted by significant winds Thursday, although gusts there remained just below 60 mph. Loose snow contributed to scattered blizzard conditions from Togiak westward and along the immediate Kuskokwim Delta coast.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5127607. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.