Ice Storm and High Wind in Alaska, October 4 to 6, 2000

Name: Ice Storm and High Wind in Alaska, October 4 to 6, 2000
Start: 2000-10-04T20:15
End: 2000-10-06T09:00
Location: Alaska

October 4 to 6, 2000 · NWS AFC · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

Gusts above 60 mph were recorded at Middleton Island from just after 8 pm ADT Wednesday through 2:35 am ADT Thursday. Peak winds reached 66 mph at the site around 1 am ADT Thursday.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 moderate frontal system, moving north from the Gulf of Alaska was preceded by moderately strong east winds.Gusts above 60 mph were recorded at Middleton Island from just after 8 pm ADT Wednesday through 2:35 am ADT Thursday. Peak winds reached 66 mph at the site around 1 am ADT Thursday. Frontal passage shifted winds south and southeast with speeds dropping to less than 20 mph. Gusty winds from 40 to 50 mph were reported at other sites around Prince William Sound late Wednesday through early Thursday in advance of the front.Further west in the Cook Inlet and Susitna Valley, locally strong northeast winds were reported. At the Augustine site, wind gusts above 60 mph were recorded between 9 pm ADT Wednesday and 4 am ADT Thursday. Peak winds at the site reached 69 mph between midnight and 1 am ADT Thursday.Wind gusts at the Wasilla Fire Station of 60 mph or higher were reported from just after 1 am ADT Thursday through 8 am ADT Thursday...peaking at 67 mph there between 2:15 am and 2:30 am ADT. Additionally, freezing rain was reported Wednesday, prompting a travel advisory by the Department of Transportation,along the Parks Highway from Chulitna to Denali National Park and also along parts of the Richardson Highway in theCopper River Basin. Vehicles were reported sliding off roads and trucks were advised to 'use chains on all hills'.

Event by event

3 high wind, 2 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Central Gulf Coast

When: October 4, 8:15 PM AST to October 5, 2:35 AM AST
Where: Central Gulf Coast forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Cook Inlet

When: October 4, 10:00 PM AST to October 5, 5:00 AM AST
Where: Cook Inlet forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Ice Storm, Susitna Valley

When: October 5, 12:00 AM AST to October 6, 9:00 AM AST
Where: Susitna Valley forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

Ice Storm, Copper River Basin

When: October 5, 12:00 AM AST to October 6, 9:00 AM AST
Where: Copper River Basin forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

High Wind, Susitna Valley

When: October 5, 2:00 AM AST to 9:00 AM AST
Where: Susitna Valley forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 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.
Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Alaska in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, October 2000

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: 5157256, 5157257, 5157259, 5157260, 5157258.