Alaska, 2009Lightning Strike in Alaska, May 26, 2009
May 26, 2009 · NWS AFC · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Thunderstorms along the Chugach Mountains occurred the late afternoon and evening of May 26th. Two hikers were struck by lightning in Arctic Valley.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Thunderstorms along the Chugach Mountains occurred the late afternoon and evening of May 26th. Two hikers were struck by lightning in Arctic Valley. One hiker was able to hike out the other required rescue from the Anchorage Fire Department.
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 May 26, 1:00 PM AKST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 26, 1:00 PM AKST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
200 PM AKDT TUE MAY 26 2009
.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA REMAINS
STATIONARY...ALTHOUGH IT IS BEGINNING TO WEAKEN. RIDGING REMAINS OVER
THE CENTRAL BERING...WITH A SMALL UPPER LOW NORTH OF SHEMYA. A ROBUST
TROUGH DROPPING SOUTHEAST OUT OF THE ARCTIC IS CURRENTLY OVER THE
BERING STRAIT.
AT THE SURFACE...THE LOW COMPLEX REMAINS OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA. A
THERMAL TROUGH EXTENDS OVER THE ALASKA AND ALEUTIANS RANGES. HIGH
PRESSURE IS OVER THE CENTRAL BERING...WITH A WEATHER FRONT AFFECTING
THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS. ELSEWHERE...A FRONT IS OVER NORTHWESTERN AK.
.MODEL DISCUSSION...
MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH FRIDAY. MAIN DIFFERENCES ARISE
CONCERNING THE DETAILS OF THE BERING SEA RIDGE BREAKING DOWN WITH THE
APPROACH OF A BROAD SURFACE LOW. DIFFERENCES ALSO EXIST WITH REGARDS
TO THE LOW COMPLEX IN THE GULF DISSIPATING...AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS
IN FROM THE EAST. THE GFS AND NAM WERE USED ONCE AGAIN FOR THE
AFTERNOON PACKAGE...WITH LITTLE CHANGE TO THE ONGOING FORECAST.
.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
.SOUTHCENTRAL...
THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE THERMAL TROUGH WILL BE WINDING DOWN
TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE
TOMORROW ALONG THE ALASKA RANGE AS THE TROUGH RETREATS NORTHWARD.
COOL AND MOIST SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL BE DEVELOPING WEDNESDAY...BRINGING
WIDESPREAD SHOWERS TO THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY.
.SOUTHWEST...
THE THERMAL TROUGH RESPONSIBLE FOR TRIGGERING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS WILL BEGIN TO RETREAT NORTHWARD
TONIGHT. SHOWERS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY AS THE AFOREMENTIONED
TROUGH AND ACCOMPANYING SURFACE FRONT DROP SOUTH FROM THE ARCTIC.
SHOWERS WILL ALSO BE TRIGGERED AS THE FRONT OVER THE BERING SEA
SPREADS MOISTURE INLAND ON SOUTHWEST FLOW. HIGHEST CHANCE FOR SHOWERS
WILL BE OVER THE MOUNTAINS...BRISTOL BAY...AND THE AKPEN.
.BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS...
RAIN AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL AFFECT THE ISLANDS THROUGH
THURSDAY AS A FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO
STALL AND GRADUALLY DISSIPATE OVER THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS THROUGH THE
END OF THE WEEK.
.LONG TERM FORECAST...
MODELS CONTINUE TO TREND AT A PATTERN CHANGE TOWARDS THE END OF THE
WEEK...WITH A TROUGH OVER THE BERING AND A RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE
GULF OF ALASKA. THEREFORE EXPECT WET AND UNSETTLED CONDITIONS OUT
WEST WITH WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS OVER THE SOUTHERN MAINLAND.
.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE
MARINE...NONE
FIRE WEATHER...NONE
NRH MAY 09
Lightning, Anchorage Muni to Bird Creek
- When
- May 26, 5:30 PM AKST
- Where
- Anchorage Muni to Bird Creek County, 13.41 mi ENE of Anchorage
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Newspaper
- Coordinates
- 61.260, -149.505
Two hikers observed the building storm and decided to hike up to the ridge to storm watch. At around 630 PM AKDT lightning struck near them knocking the man and women unconscious. Upon waking up the male companion was 15 feet from his female companion. They called emergency services to facilitate the rescue of the female as she was unable to walk out on her own. The male was able to walk out. His shoes appeared melted and he suffered a cut on his forehead. The female was taken to the hospital.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flash Flooding in North Carolina, May 26, 2009$2.6 million · 5 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 26 to 27, 2009$133,000 · 2 in hail · 55 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in Ohio, May 26, 2009$438,000 · 1 in hail · 4 events
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, May 26, 2009$30,000 · 50 kt wind · 3 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 26, 2009$20,000 · 53 kt wind · 5 events
- Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 26, 2009$13,000 · 52 kt wind · 5 events
- Hail in Texas, May 26, 20091.25 in hail · 9 events
- Drought in Texas, May 26 to 31, 20098 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, May 26, 2009$2,000 · 1 in hail · 6 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in South Atlantic Coastal Waters, May 26, 200952 kt wind · 6 events
- Flash Flooding and Flood in North Carolina, May 26, 2009$10,000 · 5 events
- Flash Flooding in Virginia, May 26, 20095 events
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: 161218.