Cold/Wind Chill — Kodiak Island-eastern Alaska Peninsula, Alaska

1999-02-01 to 1999-02-13 · Kodiak Island-eastern Alaska Peninsula, Alaska

Wider weather episode

Wind chills as low as 107 degrees below zero continued at Cantwell, in the northern Susitna Valley, briefly improving from the 2nd to the 4th as the cold snap went into its second week. Around Anchorage, temperatures remained below 20 degrees from the 25th of January until the 13th of February. Temperatures on the east side of Anchorage in low lying, un-populated areas reached 43 below zero..while International Airport readings as cold as 28 below were reported.The extreme cold also impacted Cook Inlet by causing increased/new ice growth. During the cold snap, movement of this ice caused damage to a urea barge and the pier it was moored at. A deck barge was ripped from its anchorage by the heavy ice flow. The Coast Guard cutter "Roanoke Island" reported that they were pinned to their moorings in 3-6 inches of ice, unable to depart without the assistance of an icebreaking tug (the low in Homer was -10 degrees F). From February 1 - 12, strong northwest winds were reported across Kodiak Island. Gusts reached 92 mph at a remote site on Kodiak Island (Booth Lake). On the 7th, Sunday, wind gusts reached 59 mph at the Kodiak airport on the Coast Guard Base between 6 and 8am. Additionally during this cold spell, frozen pipes were reported in Ouzinkie and Larsen Bay, small villages on the Island. A frozen water main was also reported in Old Harbor, affecting the school and office buildings. Frozen pipes were also reported at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife housing units in Kodiak. Problems with the cold were reported even across parts of the Alaska Peninsula and adjacent offshore islands. Sand Point reported problems with their water system, as residents let their taps run to prevent freezing. The unseasonable cold caused several problems across Southcentral Alaska as the cold air reached well south of the western and central Gulf of Alaska. Frozen pipes were reported in at least one Kodiak island village. heavy ice caused damage to at least one urea vessel in Cook Inlet and to the Nikiski dock. Fuel problems were reported in Seldovia.There were also scattered reports of fuel gelling problems (number 2 diesel) due to the frigid air. As a matter of fact, this gelling of number 2 diesel fuel is a significant problem at many Gulf of Alaska Coastal communities and Alaska Peninsula villages when unusually cold air penetrates these areas..not only for home/business heating, but for electric generating systems that many of these communities rely on. Both Port Alsworth and Ouzinkie needed special fuel deliveries. Also from February 1 - 12, winds ranging from 50 to locally 69 mph were reported around Prince William Sound and the Central North Gulf Coast. Reporting sites with strong winds included Seward, Valdez and at several remote sites in the Sound. The highest winds (81 mph) were reported at the NWS official observation site at the Whittier Boat Harbor from midnight to 9am on the 7th. Locally stronger winds (90+ mph), however, were reported by residents around Whittier. The winds caused damage to several boats, including a lost bimini, radar torn loose from fittings, canvasses torn off of boats, inflatables removed by the wind, sail damage due to unfurling and winds ripping and fraying material and fender damage. The cold (down to -20 F) caused major freezeups at Whittier Manor. Frozen pipes were also reported at the Begich Tower complex where incoming pipes froze even below the 8 foot depth. February 3rd saw yet another fatality in the coastal waters of Resurrection Bay. The F/V Northern Aurora capsized in rough seas and heavy freezing spray. Two fishermen on board. One survived and was rescued by the USCG. The other died. On scene reports by the USCG.. "north winds 45 to 50 kts and seas to 8 feet with heavy fog and wind chills to 65 below". From 4am AST Friday, February 5th through Saturday, February 6th, wind chills calculated down as low as 107 below zero at Sparrevohn airport. The strong outflow winds through the Alaska range and Chugach and Wrangell Mountains continued through Saturday, February 13th. Several areas adjacent to Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula were affected. High wind warnings and extreme wind chill warnings were issued for much of Southcentral Alaska during the first week of February.Temperatures finally began to return to normal during the weekend of 2/12 - 2/14. Several low temperature records were either tied or broken across Southcentral Alaska.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5679090. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.