High Surf — Central Beaufort Sea Coast, Alaska

2014-09-03 · Central Beaufort Sea Coast, Alaska

Wider weather episode

A 998 mb low pressure center moved from the high Arctic south toward Barrow on the 3rd then east toward Banks Island on the 4th. The low brought gusty west to northwest winds along the Arctic coast from the 3rd through the morning of the 5th.

Zone 202 - West winds gusted to 38 kts (44 mph). At Barrow, significant erosion to Stevenson Street which had to be closed from the end of the former Naval Arctic Research Laboratory to Niksirak. Damage amount is a rough estimate.

Zone 203 - Minor beach erosion was reported during the morning of the 3rd by the Dockmaster at Prudhoe Bay.

Zone 204 - At Kaktovik, winds at the Barter Island AWOS gusted as high as 46 kts (53 mph). The Barter Island runway sustained some flooding...along the lagoon side as well as the west end of the runway. There has been some erosion of the surface of the runway. Damage amount is a rough estimate.

Zone 206 - Heavy snow combined with strong winds created blizzard condition across portions of the north slopes of the Eastern Brooks Range at times from the early morning of the 3rd through the early morning of the 4th. The Imnaviat Creek SNOTEL site reported 6 inches of snow accumulation from 2300AKST on the 2nd to 0800AKST on the 3rd. The strongest winds occurred during this time, likely resulting blizzard conditions. wind gusts reached 34 kt (40 mph). State of Alaska DOT reports on the morning of the 3rd indicated blizzard conditions along the Dalton Highway from mileposts 285 to 356.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 534508. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.