Blowing Snow across Northwest Alaska
NWS WFO Fairbanks, AK, forecasted blowing snow across northwestern Alaska, where the region would experience strong and gusty winds of ~50-60 mph from 6-8 March 2026. On the afternoon of 8 March 2026, the high winds led to the existing snowpack becoming dislodged, then picked up and blown across the remote landscape. Blowing snow and reduced visibility reports were identified in northwest Alaska, specifically at the Kotzebue (PAOT) and Buckland (PABL) airports. The two airports also observed gusty, northwesterly winds and reduced visibilities as low as 1/2 of a mile. Blowing snow can be hazardous and impact travel, especially for the aviation industry (and motorists). Refer to the five hour, surface observation animation from 8-9 March 2026. Note, reduced visibilities due to blowing snow were also seen in northeast Alaska, near Deadhorse, AK, (PASC).
Surface Observations from ~21 UTC, 8 March 2026 to ~2 UTC, 9 March 2026
JPSS polar-orbiting satellites observed the blowing snow across northwest Alaska during the afternoon of 8 March 2026. The VIIRS Blowing Snow RGB depicts the blowing snow in light purple-bluish colors with a northwest-to-southeast orientation. In the RGB animation below, the swaths of blowing snow can be seen advecting across sea ice (i.e., over Kotzebue Sound) and snow covered surfaces, moving towards the Alaskan Interior. Note, the RGB can only be utilized during the daytime, as it employs visible and near-infrared channels within its spectra. The RGB has a 375-m spatial resolution.
VIIRS Blowing Snow RGB from ~21 UTC, 8 March 2026 to ~2 UTC, 9 March 2026
During the event, NWS WFO Fairbanks, AK, highlighted the VIIRS RGB on social media, and provided a corresponding photo of the blowing snow (via Buckland Airport – FAA webcam) that was captured at ~22Z, 8 March 2026.