Blizzard — Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys, Alaska

2003-11-27 · Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A low pressure center moved from northern Kamchatka, inland along the Bering Sea coast of Russia on the 26th to the Chukotsk Peninsula early on the 27th, having deepened to 970 mb. the low continued northeast over the southern Chukchi Sea and then dissipated while a secondary low formed over the Chukotsk Peninsula the afternoon of the 27th at 972 mb and proceeded to move slowly east across the Seward Peninsula, weakening, and eventually dissipating on the evening of the 28th. The frontal system associated with the first low pressure center moved across the west coast of Alaska on the night of the 26th and during the 27th, bringing storm surge conditions to certain localities of the west coast of Alaska like Diomede City and at Elim. Other coastal locations in Northern Alaska were spared the strong wave action because significant sea ice over inner waters as well as the southern Chukchi Sea had formed rapidly from the 19th to the 26th. The frontal system also brought blizzard conditions to much of the west coast, and strong winds to some western Alaska places...as well as through the Alaska Range on the night of the 27th. Coastal Flooding occurred at:Zone 212 - Elim reported no damage, but significant movement of sea ice chunks onto the shore/beach, blocking the ability to travel on the sea ice as villagers normally do during the winter, once the sea ice is thick enough. This condition will constrict all winter travel by snowmobile to land areas near the village.Zone 213 - City of Diomede reported their seawall washed out. Property Damage amount unknown. Waves 15 to 17 ft high were observed.Blizzard conditions were reported at:Zone 201 - Cape LisburneZone 207 - Point Hope; KivalinaZone 208 - NoatakZone 209 - Kotzebue, SelawikZone 211 - GolovinZone 213 - Gambell, Savoonga, Tin CityZone 214 - Cape RomanzofHigh Winds were reported at:Zone 201 - Cape Lisburne AWOS, gust to 67 knots (77 mph).Zone 207 - Point Hope AWOS, gust to 61 knots (70 mph); Shishmaref AWOS gust to 58 knots (67 mph).Zone 210 - Deering ASOS, peak wind around 52 knots (60 mph).Zone 213 - Tin City AWOS, gust to 60 knots (69 mph).Zone 226 - U.S. Army Mesonet stations: Texas Range - gust to 55 knots (63 mph); OP10A gust to 52 knots (60 mph).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5336277. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.