High Wind — Denali, Alaska

2021-12-05 to 2021-12-06 · Denali, Alaska

Event narrative

Strong southerly Chinook winds were observed through Alaska Range passes. The AKDOT Road Weather Information System observation along the Parks Highway at Antler Creek reported a peak gust of 78 mph during the early afternoon of December 6th.

Wider weather episode

A very strong low pressure system moved north through the Bering Sea and across the Chukotsk Peninsula and Bering Strait December 4th through the 6th. The central pressure of the low dropped to 949 millibars as it moved across the eastern Chukotsk Peninsula the afternoon of December 5th and then weakened as it continued to track north into the Chukchi Sea. A strong weather front associated with this system swept across the West Coast, Interior, and the North Slope of Alaska. This resulted in heavy snow, strong winds, blizzard conditions, and minor coastal flooding at some locations along the Bering Sea coast.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1001021. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.