High Wind — Northeast Prince William Sound, Alaska

2024-01-16 to 2024-01-18 · Northeast Prince William Sound, Alaska

Event narrative

A Department of Transportation (RWIS) observation site along the Richardson Highway in Thompson Pass recorded a gust to 83 mph at 9:30 PM AKST 1/17. Gusts as high as 70 mph were also recorded at multiple sites in the port of Valdez from the evening of 1/17 to very early morning of 1/18.

Wider weather episode

A surge of deep northerly flow and strong cold air advection brought strong and gusty gap winds to much of Southcentral Alaska between 1/17 and 1/18. The strongest wind gusts as high as 83 mph occurred through Thompson Pass on the evening of 1/17 at the peak of the northerly wind event.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1161405. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.