High Wind — Aleutian Islands, Alaska

2000-10-20 to 2000-10-22 · Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A deepening low 180 miles south southwest of Dutch Harbor at 4pm ADT Friday moved to 90 miles southeast of Chignik as a 970 mb low at 4pm ADT Saturday. The low then moved northeast toward Middleton Island, weakening to a 988 mb center 60 miles southwest of Middleton Island at 10 pm ADT Sunday. Locally, easterly winds near 60 mph were observed in advance of the front associated with this low, which was located just south of Dutch Harbor at 4 pm ADT Friday and just south of Middleton Island at 4pm ADT Saturday. Very strong north winds, however, were reported on the northwest side of the low Friday and Saturday...slowly diminishing Sunday.At Atka, northerly wind gusts above 60 mph began on Friday with the 1:55 pm ADT observation, peaking at 97 mph several hours later between 3:30 pm ADT and 4:00 pm ADT. The last reported wind gust above 60 mph was recorded just before 1 am ADT Saturday.Further east, around Dutch Harbor, easterly, pre-frontal winds briefly reached 61 mph with the 2 am ADT Friday Spit observation. This was the peak wind at the site Friday, however as the low moved east of the area, very strong northerly winds began. By 2:30 am ADT Saturday, peak winds above 60 mph were frequently reaching 89 mph several times at the Dutch Harbor Spit. The strongest wind, however, was a gust of 98 mph just before 12:30 am ADT Sunday. The last strong wind gust of 60+ mph occurred just before 4pm ADT Sunday.Along the north-central Gulf Coast, peak winds of 67 mph were recorded at Middleton Island between noon and 6pm ADT Saturday in advance of the front. Winds diminished rapidly there as the front moved by.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5156231. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.