Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Lower Kobuk Valley-northern Seward Peninsula, Alaska

2000-02-02 · Lower Kobuk Valley-northern Seward Peninsula, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A large low pressure system moved north into the eastern Bering Sea on 01 Feb. A break-off center moved northeast from the Yukon Delta to the Arctic Slope on 02 Feb. A third center moved north from the Pribilofs to the Gulf of Anadyr on 03 Feb. A wide variety of winter weather broke out in advance of the lows, and strong south winds followed the second. The third center caused blizzard conditions and high winds on the west coast of Alaska. Heavy Snow occurred at: Koyukuk and Upper Kobuk Valleys: Wiseman 10" 2/2, 8" 2/3Lower Yukon Valley: Galena 8.3" 2/2; Kaltag 8.0" 2/2Tanana Valley: McKinley Park (Denali National Park) 6.2" 2/3.Blizzard conditions occurred at:St. Lawrence Island-Bering Strait: Gambell, SavoongaKoyukuk and Upper Kobuk Valleys: Ambler, HusliaYukon Delta: Cape Romanzof, Saint Marys.Highest winds reported at:Tanana Valley: Healy 32 mph sustained, gust 60 mph; Delta Junction ASOS 58 mph sustained, gust 82 mph; Minchumina AWOS 37 mph sustained, gust 54 mph.North Slopes of the Brooks Range: Anaktuvuk Pass AWOS 36 mph sustained, gusts 55 mph.St. Lawrence Island-Bering Strait: Gambell AWOS 45 mph sustained, gust 56 mph.Extreme Wind Chills reported at:Arctic Slope Coastal: Point Lay -92F ( wind 17-24 mph)Northern Seward Peninsula and Lower Kobuk Valley: Point Hope -80F (wind 25 mph)Damage from High Winds at Delta Junction included roof damage to various commercial buildings including a Building Supply ($60,000), Diner ($5,000), Greenhouses at a nursery ($10,000); various damage at Fort Greeley Army Installation ($100,000); entire roof off of a two-story house ($15,000), Mobile home blown over ($25,000), Separate Shop building blown down ($35,000), with remainder of damages mainly to roofs or portions of roofs.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5134769. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.