Heavy Snow — Koyukuk-upper Kobuk Valleys, Alaska

1999-01-22 to 1999-01-24 · Koyukuk-upper Kobuk Valleys, Alaska

Wider weather episode

With an already moderate pressure gradient over western Alaska, a strong low pressure center moved from south of the Aleutian chain to Norton Sound the morning of the 23rd; to near Barrow on the Arctic Coast the evening of the 23rd. The associated occluded front moved northeast across Northern Alaska producing Blizzard Conditions over the West and North Coast, strong upslope precipitation over the Southern Slopes of the Brooks Range, and strong winds through passes of the Brooks Range and Alaska Range.Blizzard conditions occurred at Shishmaref, Deering, Selawik, Buckland, Kotzebue, Kivalina, Buckland (Zone 3), Golovin, Nome, Unalakleet (Zone 6), Gambell, Savoonga, Tin City (Zone 9), Emmonak (Zone 10), Kuparuk, Prudhoe Bay, and Barter Island (Zone 1).Snow amounts: Zone 4: Chandalar DOT Camp 7" 23rd, 7" 24th; Wiseman Co-op 28.5" 23rd, 12" 24th; Jim River DOT Camp 8" 23rd; Coldfoot DOT Camp 25" 24th; Bettles 15" 3pm 22nd to 3am 24th.Zone 5: Chandalar Lake 10.1" 23rdZone 8: Nulato Coop 7" 23rd; Ruby Co-op 10.2" 23rd; Kaltag Co-op 12.0" 23rdStrong Winds: Zone 7: Healy sustained 32kt, gusts 60 mph, Delta Junction: sustained 45 mph, gusts to 62 mphZone 2: Sag River DOT Camp: gusts to 60 mph on both the 23rd and 24th.Extreme Wind Chill: Deering (Zone 3) -81F (24th)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5681504. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.