High Wind in Alaska, March 1 to 3, 2007

Name: High Wind in Alaska, March 1 to 3, 2007
Start: 2007-03-01T00:00
End: 2007-03-03T11:00
Location: Alaska

March 1 to 3, 2007 · NWS AFC · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

An intense pressure gradient along with a strong Jet Stream and deep cold air resulted in the typical high gap and channeled wind across south central Alaska.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $15,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

An intense pressure gradient along with a strong Jet Stream and deep cold air resulted in the typical high gap and channeled wind across south central Alaska.

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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 28, 12:00 PM AKST, 12 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 12:00 PM AKST, 12 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST WED FEB 28 2007

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT.

UPPER AIR...
THE UPPER TROUGH OVER THE YUKON TERRITORY WILL DIG SOUTHWARD INTO THE
EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA THURSDAY AND WILL FORM AN UPPER LOW OVER THE
GULF FRIDAY. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL RIDGE WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE OVER
THE GULF OF ALASKA THURSDAY AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH FRIDAY. A
NORTHERLY JET OVER THE CENTER PART OF THE STATE WILL WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP MOST OF MAINLAND
ALASKA CLEAR AND CLOD THROUGH FRIDAY. GUSTY NORTH SURFACE WINDS
SUPPORTED BY THE UPPER JET WILL DEVELOP DOWN THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND
THROUGH MOUNTAIN PASSES ALONG THE ALASKA RANGE AND CHUGACH MOUNTAINS.

AT SURFACE...
EAST DOMAIN...
AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE CENTRAL MAINLAND TONIGHT
AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH FRIDAY. A LOW OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF
ALASKA WILL MOVE TO KETCHIKAN FRIDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA WILL TIGHTEN THROUGH THE FRIDAY WITH STRONG WINDS
DEVELOPING OVER THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND COOK INLET AND THROUGH
CHANNELED TERRAIN ALONG THE CENTRAL GULF COAST AND ALASKA RANGE. LOW
WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES WILL DEVELOP IN THE WINDIER AREAS.

LIGHT SNOW OVER KODIAK ISLAND WILL END THIS AFTERNOON THEN SKIES WILL
CLEAR THROUGH TONIGHT. OTHERWISE CLEAR AND COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH FRIDAY.

WEST DOMAIN...
THE MODERATE LOW SOUTH OF THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS WILL START TO DRIFT
SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTH PACIFIC THURSDAY AND WILL DISSIPATE FRIDAY.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTH FROM THE CHUKCHI SEA INTO THE NORTHERN
AND EASTERN BERING SEA FRIDAY.

AREAS OF RAIN ALONG THE ALEUTIANS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY THEN
DIMINISH THURSDAY NIGHT.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THOMPSON PASS AND THE COPPER RIVER.
         DELTA.
         HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE MATANUSKA VALLEY.
MARINE...GALE 120, 121, 125, 138, 140 141, 155, 170, 171, 172, 175,
         176, 179, 185
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY 120, 121, 125, 129, 130, 138, 140, 141,
         185
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

NM FEB 07

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Nern P.W. Snd

When: March 1, 12:00 AM AKST to March 3, 3:00 AM AKST
Where: Nern P.W. Snd forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Department of Highways

High Wind, Sern P.W. Snd

When: March 1, 12:00 AM AKST to March 3, 11:00 AM AKST
Where: Sern P.W. Snd forecast zone
Measured: 74 kt (85 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee

Wind gusts for the Copper River Delta are estimated from the pressure gradient and nearby surface observations.

High Wind, Matanuska Valley

When: March 1, 8:40 AM AKST to March 2, 3:00 AM AKST
Where: Matanuska Valley forecast zone
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

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

Every storm in Alaska in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, March 2007

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: 10205, 10206, 10207.