High Wind — Eastern Aleutians, Alaska

2017-11-23 · Eastern Aleutians, Alaska

Event narrative

Akutan AWOS measured 76 knot winds at 2:35 a.m. Warning level winds were also observed at Unalaska airport.

Wider weather episode

A 974 mb low moved southward across the Alaska Peninsula and into the Gulf of Alaska. Behind this low, a 1039 high was centered over the Western Aleutians. This caused a strong gradient with northerly flow over the Pribilof Islands, the eastern Aleutians, and the Alaska Peninsula. This storm strengthened in the Gulf of Alaska and moved onshore in the northern Panhandle. As a result, northerly gap winds intensified over the Prince William Sound.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 726768. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.