High Wind — Anchorage, Alaska

2025-01-07 · Anchorage, Alaska

Event narrative

A weather station (PMHA2) on the Anchorage Hillside reported a peak wind gust of 82 mph at 12:52 AM AKST January 7th. More gusts of over 70 mph were reported by this same station for the next 30 minutes afterwards. Other stations nearby reported wind gusts exceeding 70 mph near the same time period. Winds peaked just after midnight as the low moved inland and pressure began to rise.

Wider weather episode

A series of weather systems impacted Southcentral from January 6th to January 7th. Southerly flow from a surface low brought warmer air into the region, increasing temperatures, particularly aloft, which made conditions favorable for mixed precipitation including freezing rain. A trough with its associated front pushed into the Southcentral coast the morning of the 6th, bringing heavy precipitation and even more warm air to Southcentral. Locations including Valdez, Thompson Pass, Anchorage, the Matanuska Valley and West Kenai Peninsula saw mixed precipitation including freezing rain that led to difficult driving conditions and accidents. This was followed by a strong low that pushed into the Gulf in the afternoon hours of the 6th, which brought hurricane force winds to Southcentral. The Anchorage Hillside, Portage, and East Turnagain Arm areas received very strong winds that gusted in excess of 75 mph.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1234079. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.