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Marine Thunderstorm Wind — Northern Chatham Strait, Gulf of Alaska

2008-08-30 · near Angoon, Northern Chatham Strait, Gulf of Alaska

35 EG

Magnitude

Event narrative

Several Trained Spotters reported numerous cloud to ground lightning strikes from 1525 to 1630. Pilot reports confirmed this event. A Special Marine Warning was issued to warn for this event minly for lightning and gusty winds.

Wider weather episode

Unstable air combined with daytime solar heating caused an unusual lightning event over a popular marine area on the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday afternoon, 8/30, a thunderstorm developed over Peril Strait as clear skies surrounding the area allowed the heating into the 60s. The trigger temperature for cumulonimbus development was in the upper 50s as per the Annette sounding of that day. Trained Spotters and pilots observed numerous cloud to ground strikes in that area for a period from 1525 to 1630 local time.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (57.4925, -135.1978)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 130316. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.