Blizzard — St. Lawrence Island-bering Strait Coast, Alaska

2000-01-15 to 2000-01-18 · St. Lawrence Island-bering Strait Coast, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A frontal system over Kamchatka moved over the north Bering Sea on the 15th, with a low pressure center forming on the front over the Seward Peninsula early on the 16th. The complex weakened and drifted south to lie over Norton Sound on the evening of the 16th. Between the 16th and 20th a series of frontal systems moved from the North Pacific across teh southwest interior of Alaska before dissipating along the central Brooks Range. These weather systems brought local blizzards and high winds to the west coast of Alaska, and heavy snows and freezing precipitation to Alaska's west coast and interior.Blizzard conditions occurred at:St. Lawrence Island-Bering Strait Coast: Savoonga: 15th; Gambell 17th; 18th-19th.Southern Seward Peninsula and Eastern Norton Sound: Golovin 15th-16thTanana Valley: Healy 18thHigh Wind occurred at:St. Lawrence Island-Bering Strait Coast: Gambell AWOS 17th and 18th-19th: gust 53 mphHeavy Snow occurred at (24 hour amounts):Southern Seward Peninsula and Eastern Norton Sound: Koyuk 16th 10.0".Lower Yukon Valley: Ruby 17th: 10.0" and 18th 7.0"Tanana Valley: Eielson AFB 18th: 7.1" NWS climo site (fai ap#2) 18th: 8.6" Ester Dome: 17th: 6.7"; 18th: 6.3" Upper Gilmore Trail 18th: 10.7" Keystone Ridge 18th: 9.9" Haystack Mountain 18th: 6.6" Minchumina 18th: 11.0" Becker Ridge 18th: 8.8" Kobe Hill 17th: 8.1"; 18th: 9.3"; 19th 6.3". Healy 17th: 6.0"; 18th: 8.0" Ft. Knox Mine 18th: 6.0" Two Rivers 18th: 8.2" McKinley Park 18th: 6.2" North Pole 18th: 7.5" Gilmore Creek 18th: 7.2" Chena Ridge 18th: 11.4" Fox 18th: 8.0" Moose Creek 18th: 7.8" W Chena Ridge 18th: 8.8" Anderson 18th: 7.0" College 5NW 18th: 6.1" College Observatory 18th: 6.0" Goldstream 18th: 8.3" Salcha 17th: 7.0 "; 18th: 8.0 "Freezing Precipitation occurred at:Tanana Valley: Minchumina Lake reported Glaze on the morning of the 18th; Healy reported freezing Rain on Parks Highway in remarks section of observation sent at 2148 on the 18th.Lower Yukon Valley: Minchumina Lake reported glaze on morning of 18th, it's likely freezing rain falle over Kuskokwim Mountains at times during the period. Southern Seward Peninsula and Eastern Norton Sound: Unalakleet. reported freezing drizzle.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5127876. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.