Coastal Flood — Western Arctic Coast, Alaska

2022-10-06 to 2022-10-08 · Western Arctic Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

Water levels began rising early in the morning hours on the 6th. Water levels peaked in Point Lay at approximately 6 feet above the normal high tide line in the early morning hours on the 7th. The high water levels in the village of Point Lay caused salt water to enter the freshwater lagoon that is the source of the village's dinking water. The increased wave action caused damage to a dock in Point Lay.

Wider weather episode

On October 5th, 2022 a strong area of low pressure moved over far eastern Russia, reaching the Chukchi Sea late in the evening on the 5th. The low strengthened to 955 millibars as it passed over the Wrangel Island in the early morning hours on the 6th of October. The low slowly moved to the northwest and weakened as it moved across the Chukchi Sea through the night of October 7th. A front associated with the low passed over St. Lawrence Island on the afternoon of the 5th. This front continued to push east across the Chukchi Sea the night of the 5th and Arctic Coast of Alaska on the 6th. The strongest winds were associated with this front. Winds became more southwesterly behind the front, causing water levels to rise from the Seward Peninsula to Utqiagvik. A second front moved from west to east across the Arctic Coast on the 7th, with the southwest winds shifting to become westerly behind the front.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1060693. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.