High Wind in Bristol Bay, Alaska

South-southeast winds came up ahead of a strong, storm force front higher than expected in Port Heiden. Stronger winds (65-75 mph gusts) began right around Midnight AKST on the evening of 11/6 at the Port Heiden AWOS, then picked up into High Wind Warning levels by about 2:30 AM AKST. Strong winds lasted a remarkable amount of time, with gusts hitting near/above warning criteria for about 9 hours, or from 12 AM to 9 AM AKST 11/7. The strongest gust recorded of 86 mph occurred at 8:20 AM AKST 11/7. Local terrain enhancement from gaps in the Aleutian Range south of Port Heiden likely played a role in this event.

A very potent frontal system progressed across the eastern Bering on the evening of 11/6 into the morning of 11/7, sending a surge of deep, strong southerly flow into the Alaska Peninsula. The highest wind gusts occurred at higher elevations and where strong southerly flow funneled through gaps in terrain, with peak gusts pushing above 80 mph in a couple locations. Warm air advection was strong enough to turn most falling precipitation along the front over to rain, even farther north and east along coastal portions of Bristol Bay.