Alaska, 1998

High Wind in Alaska, December 9 to 10, 1998

December 9 to 10, 1998 · NWS AJK · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A rapidly intensifying Pacific low center moved into the southeastern Gulf of Alaska just offshore of Prince of Wales Island and brought strong, gusty winds to the southern portion of the panhandle. A few hours later, this system developed into a vigorous storm, and the bent-back portion of the occlusion moved northward through the inner channels of Southeast Alaska producing very high winds…

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 AJK wrote it up.

A rapidly intensifying Pacific low center moved into the southeastern Gulf of Alaska just offshore of Prince of Wales Island and brought strong, gusty winds to the southern portion of the panhandle. A few hours later, this system developed into a vigorous storm, and the bent-back portion of the occlusion moved northward through the inner channels of Southeast Alaska producing very high winds across the region. Peak winds of 60-70 mph occurred in Ketchikan, Annette, Hydaberg, Kake, Sitka, and Juneau. Cape Decision reported 80 mph winds.

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-Coastal Area

When
December 9, 4:00 PM AST to December 10, 2:00 AM AST
Where
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-Coastal Area forecast zone
Measured
71 kt (82 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Cape Decision to Cape Fairweather-Coastal Area

When
December 9, 4:00 PM AST to December 10, 2:00 AM AST
Where
Cape Decision to Cape Fairweather-Coastal Area forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Southern Southeast Alaska Ernest Sound to Dixon Entrance

When
December 9, 4:00 PM AST to December 10, 2:00 AM AST
Where
Southern Southeast Alaska Ernest Sound to Dixon Entrance forecast zone
Measured
88 kt (101 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Frederick Sound-Kupreanof-Wrangell Islands to Ernest South

When
December 10, 1:00 AM AST to 9:00 AM AST
Where
Frederick Sound-Kupreanof-Wrangell Islands to Ernest South forecast zone
Measured
64 kt (74 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Juneau Borough-Admiralty Island-Icy Strait Area

When
December 10, 1:00 AM AST to 9:00 AM AST
Where
Juneau Borough-Admiralty Island-Icy Strait Area forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Lynn Canal-Glacier Bay

When
December 10, 1:00 AM AST to 9:00 AM AST
Where
Lynn Canal-Glacier Bay forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, December 1998

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: 5677755, 5678076, 5678080, 5678077, 5678078, 5678079.