High Surf — Chukchi Sea Coast, Alaska

2019-08-03 to 2019-08-04 · Chukchi Sea Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

Storm surge ranged from 3 to 5 feet above the normal high tide line along the Chukchi Sea coast. The high surge combined with southwest to west winds 30 to 45 mph resulted in high surf and significant wave runup. The storm caused major erosion to the sanitation road that leads to Shishmaref's landfill. A lot of earth, rock, rip rap, cement blocks, and boulders were dislodged from the shoreline and the road structure. In addition, some subsistence fish racks were damaged by the wind and waves.

Wider weather episode

A strong low pressure center tracked north through the Bering Sea across St. Lawrence Island, the Bering Strait, and into the Chukchi Sea between Aug 2-4th, 2019. This was the strongest in a series of weather systems associated with an atmospheric river which developed over the Bering Sea from late July and into August. This early fall storm resulted in coastal flooding, high surf, erosion, and riverine flooding due to heavy rainfall. Impacts included minor flooding of homes, seasonal subsistence camps damaged, road washouts, and coastal lagoons flooded.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 854514. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.