Alaska, 1996

High Wind in Alaska, February 20 to 23, 1996

February 20 to 23, 1996 · NWS AFC · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A stregthening low moved by Saint Paul Island, deepening to 970 mbs near the entrance of Kuskokwim Bay late Wednesday morning. The low then moved inland just east of Bethel Wednesday afternoon, beginning to weaken and turn east.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$100,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS AFC wrote it up.

A stregthening low moved by Saint Paul Island, deepening to 970 mbs near the entrance of Kuskokwim Bay late Wednesday morning. The low then moved inland just east of Bethel Wednesday afternoon, beginning to weaken and turn east. By Friday morning, the low had weakened and moved to 60 miles south of Cape Yakataga, however strengthening high pressure from Bristol Bay into the central Alaskan interior kept strong north winds going in and near Prince William Sound. Wind gusts on Tuesday reached 54 mph at Cape Romanzof. On Wednesday, gusts reached 64 mph at Cold bay, 60 mph at Port Heiden, 59 mph at Togiak, 54 mph at Saint Paul, 53 mph at Sand Point, 47 mph at Saint Mary's, 43 mph at King Salmon and 40 mph at Dillingham. On Thursday, gusts reached 63 mph at the Valdez airport and 54 mph in town, 51 mph at Hayes River, 45 mph at Iliamna, 43 mph at Seal Island and 40 mph at both Big River Lakes and Puntilla. On Friday, gusts of 75 mph were recorded at Cape Newenham, 69 mph at Seward and 56 mph at Middleton Island. This same vigorous low caused extremely strong winds around Kodiak. Numerous trees were downed, one blowing into a car by Lilly Lake, boats flipped off of trailers, several house tops blown away and at least one report of windows blown out of a car. A tree took out the antenna that Peggy Dyson, an NWS contractor, uses to broadcast marine forecasts. The International Seafood Cannery lost their roof. Wind gusts at the National Weather Serivce site reached 83 mph at 5:51 pm AST, however numerous gusts from 90 - 100 mph were recorded by Kodiak residents and gusts in excess of 90 mph were reported at the Float Plane Ramp in the downtwon channel. The highest reported (unofficial) gust occurred at Saint Paul Harbor by the Kodiak Harbormaster...a whopping 131 mph. The Kodiak Sealand dock recorded a peak gust of 101 mph.

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway

When
February 20, 12:00 AM AST to February 23, 11:59 PM AST
Where
Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)

High Wind, Haines Borough and Lynn Canal

When
February 20, 12:00 AM AST to February 23, 11:59 PM AST
Where
Haines Borough and Lynn Canal forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)

High Wind, Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area

When
February 20, 12:00 AM AST to February 23, 11:59 PM AST
Where
Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)

High Wind, Glacier Bay

When
February 22, 5:51 PM AST to 5:52 PM AST
Where
Glacier Bay forecast zone
Measured
72 kt (83 mph)
Property damage
$100,000

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alaska in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5541059, 5541060, 5541062, 5541061.