High Wind — Upper Koyukuk Valley, Alaska

2006-10-09 · Upper Koyukuk Valley, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A 1040 mb high pressure center over the Arctic Ocean remained stationary while several weather fronts moved north over Alaska, causing high winds across the Arctic Coast, as well as at several locations in the interior. At Prudhoe Bay, dust and dirt was kicked up by the wind and covered the high-voltage insulators at the 13 power substations in the area. Rain during the period caused the resulting mud to be caked onto the insulators, making them fail and creating a power outage that lasted for several days beginning 3am AST on the 10th. Oil production during this time dropped to 10% of the normal 350,000 barrels per day.

In zone 221, off the Parks Highway just south of the Rex Bridge, the Cooperative Observer at Kobe Hill reported the wind blew down large trees on the night of the 8th and on the 9th. One building on the property (assumed to be a shed or outbuilding) was crushed when a tree fell on it.

High Winds were reported at:

Zone 202: Barrow ASOS gust to 58 knots (67 mph).

Zone 203: Deadhorse ASOS gust to 58 knots (67 mph); Kuparuk gust to 55 knots (62 mph); Nuiqsut ASOS gust to 53 knots (61 mph).

Zone 204: Barter Island (Kaktovik) AWOS gust to 71 knots (82 mph).

Zone 219: Gobbler's Knob (a water and snow measuring site maintained by the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service) maximum gust 54 knots (62 mph).

Zone 221: Strong wind at Kobe Hill. Estimated gust of 45 knots (52 mph) based on observed wind from mesonet site at Healy recording 46 mph gust.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 2072. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.