Blizzard — Bristol Bay, Alaska

2021-04-11 · Bristol Bay, Alaska

Event narrative

The central inland area of the Bristol Bay region experienced blizzard conditions for much of the day on April 11th.

Koliganek (PAJZ) was in continuous blizzard conditions from around 5 AM AKDT through 3 PM AKDT, but likely past this time since the ASOS stopped reporting at 3 PM. The peak of this event was around Noon AKDT with Zero visibility and East-Southeast winds 49 mph with gusts to 66 mph.

New Stuyahok (PANW) also had continuous blizzard conditions from around 10 AM until 3 PM AKDT. Peak conditions there was 1/4SM visibility in snow and blowing snow with winds gusting to 54 mph.

Wider weather episode

A low tracked across the eastern Bering Sea and intensified as it crossed the Aleutian Range and into the northern Gulf of Alaska. In the peak of the storm the low was just southeast of Prince William Sound at around 982 mb with the high near the Yukon Delta at 940 mb. In addition to the strong pressure gradient, unseasonably cold air was associated with this system enhancing the winds.

On April 10, a new low in the Bering Sea sent a front over Southwest mainland Alaska which brought blizzard conditions to the Kuskokwim Delta as the new front pushed into the arctic airmass.

While temperatures were nothing nearing a warning level, many locations across Southern Alaska (and the Interior) saw daily record low temperatures with the high pressure.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 948923. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.