Disasters · Arctic coast blizzardWestern Arctic blizzard warning: 65 mph gusts forecast for Alaska’s coastAired October 23, 2026 at 6:13 PM UTCWritten October 23, 2026 at 6:16 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07Alaska's western Arctic coast faces forecast gusts reaching 65 miles an hour.0:12Blowing snow could cut visibility below a quarter mile, and the warning calls for0:16emergency-only travel.0:18The question now is whether the approaching storm will produce that dangerous0:21combination of wind and severely reduced visibility.0:24Cape Lisburn, Point Lay, and Point Hope are explicitly named in the Western Arctic0:29Coast warning.0:30People in these coastal locations are being urged to postpone ordinary trips before0:34conditions deteriorate.0:36The warning applies to this forecast zone.0:38The warning first went out Thursday afternoon, was updated that evening, and was0:43updated again early Friday.0:44By Friday morning, its scheduled start was still ahead.0:47Gusts could reach 65 miles an hour Friday afternoon into early Saturday.0:52Those winds could drive blowing snow across travel roads and cause power outages.0:57The danger comes from the wind and lost visibility as well as the snowfall.1:01The written warning begins at 1 p.m., Friday, October 23rd, and runs until 7 a.m.1:06Saturday.1:07Those are Alaska daylight time.1:09That puts the scheduled danger window across Friday afternoon, overnight, and into1:13early Saturday, a total of 18 hours.1:15The latest snowfall forecast is reportedly up to 3 inches, compared with up to 21:20inches in Thursday's alerts.1:21The 3-inch figure replaces the earlier total.1:24It covers expected accumulation during the warning period, while the forecast gusts1:28remain unchanged.1:29Blowing snow could reduce visibility below 1/4 mile and make travel very difficult.1:34Even with a forecast of only a few inches of new snow, the warning calls for1:37restricting travel to emergencies.1:39Strong winds can make that limited snowfall dangerous.1:46The alert reportedly carries a message expiration time of 4 p.m.1:50Friday, 15 hours before the written hazard end.1:53That field hasn't been confirmed.1:55A weather message can expire before the hazard ends, so that timestamp doesn't1:59provide an all-clear Friday afternoon.2:01Thursday's initial forecast also called for snow to change to rain.2:04Saturday morning, later guidance hasn't confirmed that transition.2:08The written warning Saturday morning endpoint remains the scheduled end, subject to2:12further updates.2:13Whether the forecast blizzard conditions develop is still uncertain as the warning2:17window approaches.2:17The travel advice is to avoid non-emergency trips.2:20Anyone who must travel should carry a winter survival kit.2:24Strong winds could also interrupt electricity during the warning period, adding2:27another possible consequence for the named coastal locations.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗