High Wind in Alaska, October 22 to 24, 2000

A moderate front, that moved east across the Aleutians Sunday and Monday, and across the Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay Tuesday, was preceded by brisk southeasterly winds. Additionally, gusty southerly winds were reported around the southeast quadrant of the associated low, which moved to the south central Bering Sea close to the sole reporting Bering Sea buoy 46035 at 4 pm Tuesday at 974 mbs.Gusts reached 60 mph briefly at Atka just after 4 am ADT Monday and 73 mph at the Captain's Bay site (Dutch Harbor) Monday afternoon around 2 pm ADT. Wind gusts diminished below 60 mph across the Aleutians just before midnight Monday.Along the Alaska Peninsula, one pre-frontal gust of 60 mph was recorded at Sand Point between 7:15 and 7:35 am ADT Tuesday, however gusts from 50 to 60 mph were widespread across the Peninsula late Monday through Tuesday morning. In False Pass, however, a ship reported a synoptic observation of winds south at 86 mph (75 knots) and gusts of 115 mph (100 knots).Southerly wind gusts up to 76 mph were reported in the central Aleutians at Atka Tuesday, on the southeast quadrant of the low. Winds above 60 mph began at Atka just after 10 am ADT Tuesday, peaking between 2:55 pm ADT and 3:15 pm ADT, then diminishing below 60 mph, as winds turned more to the southwest at 3:35 pm ADT Tuesday. Around Dutch Harbor, at the Captain's Bay site, peak winds of 61 mph were recorded Thursday morning as the low drifted east southeast through the Pribilof Islands. At the Dutch Harbor Spit, however, strong low level circulations moving southeast down Mount Balleyhoo produced wind gusts of 78 mph between 3 and 3:30 pm ADT Thursday.