Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Anchorage, Alaska

2024-01-25 to 2024-01-29 · Anchorage, Alaska

Event narrative

Numerous observation sites across the Kuskokwim Delta recorded wind chills persistently between -40 and -50F, mostly between 1/27 and 1/29 with northerly winds between 10 and 20 mph. The coldest wind chill values were recorded in Eek, where values dipped to -51F during the early morning hours of 1/29.

Wider weather episode

Strong high pressure over Siberia pushed a very cold Arctic air mass south over mainland Alaska on Jan 26 & 27. Low pressure in the Gulf helped draw colder air southward and kept a modest northerly wind across much of Southwest Alaska, leading to cold wind chills below -40F at several locations across Bristol Bay and the Kuskokwim Delta for multiple days near the end of January.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1161406. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.