An impressive storm system developed over the Bering Sea about 36 hours ago and during last night brought the system pushed hurricane-force winds onshore across southern Alaska as the central pressure from this winter-like monster plunged to 974 mb. Winds topped 70 to near 90 mph across Anchorage and surrounding hillsides. Power was cut to as many as 25,000 across the Anchorage area.
Pressure was reportedly down to 974mb and unofficially, winds were clocked at 131 mph in the Glen Alps region according to a NWS broadcast meteorologist.
There was reports across Anchorage and south-central Alaska of trees and powerlines down as well as some minor damage to properties.
This storm wouldn’t be all that unusual oif it were in winter but for so early into fall, the pressure was lower than usual. These winds also blowing through leaved trees also presented it’s own problems and trees tend to come down much easier with the weight of leaves rather than during winter when the wind blows through the trees.
Interestingly, while the often turbulent Bering Sea bore host to an unusually strong early fall storm system, so too did the far North Atlantic where a storm which departed Newfoundland, Canada on Saturday, bombed out just east of Iceland. Pressures yesterday morning reportedly fell to 968mb. Even lower than the North Pacific system. The mid-latitude storm track has been very active lately with deeper than normal low pressure systems. Perhaps a greater than normal thermal contrast between north and south. Warmer and colder SST’s, El Nino or even the cold PDO verses the warm AMO?
NWS Anchorage
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