High Wind in Cook Inlet, Alaska

A very strong front moving toward the Northern Gulf Coast was preceded by strong easterly winds.In advance of the front, wind gusts at Middleton Island peaked at an ASOS adjusted 91 mph at 8:15 am Friday, a few hours prior to frontal passage. Apparently the NOAA ship "Rainier" was to deploy a fixed buoy 46061 at Hinchenbrook Entrance to Prince William Sound, but got word of the storm and hid out in sheltered areas around Hinchenbrook Island. At the Cordova Boat Harbor, wind gusts reached 72 mph as measured by a Davis weather system. Strong winds, gusting to 65 mph, were recorded around Kodiak Island Wednesday morning.Brisk easterly winds, gusting from 45 to 60 mph across many exposed areas of the Kenai Peninsula triggered 55 power outages due to falling trees across power lines.