Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Anchorage, Alaska

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

Event narrative

Several observation sites across Bristol Bay and the northern Alaska Peninsula recorded periods lasting several hours of northerly winds above 15 mph and wind chills lower than -40F. Naknek recorded the longest stretch with wind chills below -40F between 10 PM AKST 1/27 and 4 PM AKST 1/28.

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 1161407. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.