Alaska, 2005

High Wind and Strong Wind in Alaska, November 8 to 9, 2005

November 8 to 9, 2005 · NWS AFG · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Stationary High Pressure of 1042 mb over Far East Russia and Low pressure along the Alaska Peninsula and Gulf of Alaska created a strong pressure gradient across the state, but especially over the northwest area. In this region the pressure gradient increased even more on the night of the 8th through the 9th as the High strengthened to 1052 mb.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$200
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 AFG wrote it up.

Stationary High Pressure of 1042 mb over Far East Russia and Low pressure along the Alaska Peninsula and Gulf of Alaska created a strong pressure gradient across the state, but especially over the northwest area. In this region the pressure gradient increased even more on the night of the 8th through the 9th as the High strengthened to 1052 mb. This increased the northeast winds even more. Strong Wind was reported at:Zone 217: At Ambler, it was noted that pieces of roofing material were blown off buildings. Damage of these materials is roughly estimated at $200. The Ambler AWOS reported gusts to 44 knots (51 mph). The Upper Noatak Remote Automated Weather Station reported maximum gusts to 47 knots (54 mph).High Wind was reported at:Zone 207: Kivalina AWOS gust to 53 knots (61 mph).Zone 208: Red Dog Mine reported gusts to 53 knots (61 mph).Zone 213: Gambell AWOS reported gusts to 58 knots (67 mph); Tin City AWOS reported gusts to 55 knots (63 mph).

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 8, 5:14 AM AST, 4 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 8, 5:14 AM AST, 4 hours 2 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
514 AM AST TUE NOV 8 2005

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THIS MORNING. THE BIG STORY THIS
MORNING IS THE WINDS OVER MUCH OF THE WEST COAST AND NORTHERN
INTERIOR. HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD IN OVER FAR EAST RUSSIA
WHILE A LOW TREKKING EASTWARD IN THE NORTHERN PACIFIC TO THE GULF
OF ALASKA CONTINUES TO DEEPEN. THIS IS CAUSING A VERY SIGNIFICANT
PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER NORTHERN ALASKA. THESE STRONG WINDS ARE
AIDED BY THE FACT THAT COLD ADVECTION WILL BE FLOWING THROUGH THE
BERING STRAIT AS WELL WITH THE NORTHERLY WIND FLOW.

WINDS ARE PRESENTLY GUSTING TO NEAR 55 MPH ON SAINT LAWRENCE
ISLAND AND WINDS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP STRONGER IN THE NOATAK
VALLEY. WINDS WILL START TO DIMINISH BY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

ASIDE FROM THE WINDS...THE INTERIOR OF THE STATE CONTINUES TO
MUDDLE AROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF A LONG WAVE TROUGH WITH SIGNIFICANT
COLD AIR OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN ALASKA. WITH THE GULF LOW SPINNING
UP POCKETS OF MOISTURE THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS IT WILL NOT
BE UNCOMMON TO SEE OCCASIONAL FLURRIES IN THE EASTERN INTERIOR IN
THE OVERRUNNING SCHEME.

AS THE GULF LOW BEGINS TO WEAKEN AND THE HIGH IN FAR EAST RUSSIA
WEAKENS SLIGHTLY ANOTHER SHOT OF COLDER AIR IS POISED AND AWAITING
TO BRING ITS ONSLAUGHT SOUTHWARD BUT WILL ONLY STRIKE A GLANCING
BLOW TO THE FAR EASTERN PORTION OF THE STATE MORE THAN A WEEK OUT.

THE STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER FAR EAST RUSSIA WILL CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE A STRONG TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ALONG THE WESTERN HALF OF
THE STATE THROUGH THE WEEK AHEAD. THE EASTERN INTERIOR WILL RETURN
TO MORE OF A SEASONABLE TEMPERATURE REGIME DURING THIS TRANSITION.

WITH THE COLD ADVECTION OVER THE BERING SEA AND AROUND SAINT
LAWRENCE ISLAND THIS WILL CONTINUE NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS OVER
ZONE 213 FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ206-AKZ217.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ220-AKZ221.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ213.

HIGH WIND WARNING FOR AKZ217.

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225-
PKZ230.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ230.

STORM WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ220.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225.
&&

CF NOV 05

Event by event

3 high wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait

When
November 8, 9:16 AM AST to November 9, 10:55 PM AST
Where
St Lawrence Is. Bering Strait forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Chukchi Sea Coast

When
November 8, 7:00 PM AST to November 9, 4:30 AM AST
Where
Chukchi Sea Coast forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Upper Kobuk and Noatak Vlys

When
November 9, 12:00 AM AST to 10:30 AM AST
Where
Upper Kobuk and Noatak Vlys forecast zone
Measured
44 kt (51 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$200
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind, Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys

When
November 9, 11:30 AM AST to 12:30 PM AST
Where
Lower Kobuk & Noatak Valleys forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alaska in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, November 2005

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: 5481432, 5481433, 5481431, 5481434.