High Wind — Cook Inlet, Alaska

2000-03-28 to 2000-03-29 · Cook Inlet, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A moderate 969 mb low, 180 miles south of Dutch Harbor at 9 am Tuesday, moved to the southwest tip of Kodiak Island early Wednesday afternoon as a 978 mb center.On Tuesday, brisk northeast winds were observed on the north side of the low.Gusts at Dutch Harbor reached at least 60 mph midday Tuesday, peaking at 75 mph at the airport Tuesday evening. Winds gradually shifted to the northwest as the low moved off, and gusts finally diminished below 60 mph around the Dutch Harbor/Unalaska area by 4:30 am Wednesday.Blizzard conditions were observed along the western Alaska Peninsula Tuesday afternoon, along with wind gusts up to 51 mph, as reported at Chignik. Visibilities at Cold Bay and Chignik frequently reached 1/4 mile in snow and blowing snow.The front, associated with the low, continued to sweep northeast into the Gulf of Alaska late Tuesday and early Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon, the front extended in a long arc from just east of Bethel to Minchumina to Black Rapids (in the eastern Alaska Range) to 60 miles east of Yakutat then southward. The front was preceded by brisk east to northeast winds. At the Augustine Island C-Man site, northeast wind gusts reached 74 mph at 10 pm Tuesday, diminishing below 60 mph early Wednesday morning. Gusts at the Portage ASOS peaked at 82 mph between 1 am and 2 am Wednesday. In the Anchorage area, wind gusts reached 62 mph at Glen Alps between 3 pm and 4 p m Wednesday. Gusts at the Portage ASOS peaked at 82 mph between 1 am and 2 am Wednesday.Further up in the Matanuska Valley, northeast wind gusts of 69 mph were recorded at the Wasilla Fire Station between 6 am and 6:30 am Wednesday.Well behind the original front, arctic air began to move toward Cook Inlet and the Susitna Valley. By 3pm Thursday, the arctic front extended from Fairbanks to just east of Talkeetna into lower Cook Inlet and just east of Kodiak. The front was preceded by locally brisk south winds. Along and immediately behind the front, heavy snows were locally reported.From 7 am Wednesday to 7 am Thursday, 12 inches of new snow was reported 12 miles north of Seward. Gusty south wind to 30 mph also produced low visibilities due to blowing snow. During the night, thunder and lightning accompanied the heavy snow squalls that moved through the area.From Thursday night to Friday morning (7 pm to 7 am) 6 to 10 inches of new snow was reported around Cantwell (MP 210) on the Parks Highway.Lesser amounts of snow were also reported further south along the Sterling Highway around Ninilchik and Homer where 6 inches of new snow fell from 7 am Thursday to 7 am Friday.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5132000. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.