A 975 mb low in the western Bering Sea, combined with a 1030 mb high in the North Pacific created a tight west to east gradient across the Aleutian Chain. A triple point front passed over Dutch Harbor the evening of April 8, causing a sharp increase in already gusty wind.
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.
The episode as NWS AFC wrote it up.
A 975 mb low in the western Bering Sea, combined with a 1030 mb high in the North Pacific created a tight west to east gradient across the Aleutian Chain. A triple point front passed over Dutch Harbor the evening of April 8, causing a sharp increase in already gusty wind. While warning criteria was not met at the relatively sheltered airport, a meteorologist aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley recorded a wind gust of 76 mph, with several gusts between 60 mph and 70 mph.
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 Apr 8, 3:42 AM AKST, 7 hours 18 minutes earlier.
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
442 AM AKDT WED APR 8 2015
.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
AN UPPER LEVEL NEGATIVELY TILTED TROUGH IS POSITIONED OVER THE
WESTERN GULF EXTENDING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN KENAI PENINSULA
INTO THE ALASKA RANGE. RADAR IMAGERY IS SHOWING NUMEROUS RAIN
SHOWERS ACROSS THE SOUTHCENTRAL REGION AND THE NORTHERN GULF
COASTAL AREAS. THE ANCHORAGE BOWL CONTINUES TO DOWNSLOPE-OUT
RESULTING IN DRIER CONDITIONS. WHILE...UPSTREAM THERE IS A WEAK
RIDGE OVER THE BRISTOL BAY REGION WITH A CLOSED LOW OVER THE
CENTRAL BERING SEA. THE SATELLITE IMAGERY IS SHOWING LOW STRATUS
OVER THE EASTERN BERING AND BRISTOL BAY REGION THIS MORNING.
WHILE...REFLECTED AT THE SURFACE...THERE IS A STORM FORCE LOW IN
THE WESTERN BERING SEA WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING THROUGH
THE PRIBILOF ISLAND SOUTHWARD EXTENDING THROUGH THE EASTERN
ALEUTIANS EAST OF DUTCH HARBOR THIS MORNING. THIS SYSTEM HAS GOOD
SUPPORT WITH A STRONG 160 KNOT ZONAL JET STREAM LOCATED FROM THE
WESTERN ALEUTIANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE LOWER CENTRAL/EASTERN
BERING SEA. THE SATELLITE IMAGERY IS SHOWING LARGE SWATH OF
MOISTURE WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED SYSTEM WITH RAIN/SNOW
MIXTURE ALONG THE ALEUTAINS. AS YOU MOVE FARTHER NORTH INTO THE
BERING THE PRECIPITATION TURNS TO ALL SNOW SHOWERS WITH GUSTY
WESTERLY WINDS AS THE KAMCHATKA LOW MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE
BERING.
&&
.MODEL DISCUSSION...
THE MODELS WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE STORM FORCE LOW OVER
THE WESTERN GULF AND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY POSITIONED OVER THE
PRIBILOF ISLAND THIS MORNING. THE NAM/GEM-REG WERE THE PREFERRED
MODELS. THE FORECAST CONFIDENCE REMAINS ABOVE AVERAGE HEADING INTO
THE END OF THE WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL PUSH THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA TODAY
FROM THE WEST. THIS SYSTEM IS FAIRLY COLD ALOFT AND WILL PROVIDE
GOOD CHANCES OF SNOW TO MUCH OF THE AREA. THE EXCEPTION IS THE
COPPER RIVER BASIN WHERE POPS ARE FAIRLY LOW...AS BY THE TIME THE
TROUGH REACHES THAT AREA (TONIGHT) IT WILL HAVE WEAKENED
CONSIDERABLY. A FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW RACING EASTWARD ACROSS
THE BERING SEA WILL MOVE INTO KODIAK ISLAND AND THE WESTERN GULF
THIS EVENING...THEN PUSH EAST INTO THE REST OF SOUTH CENTRAL LATE
TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THE LOW ITSELF WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE EAST
AND WILL BE CENTERED JUST NORTH OF KODIAK ISLAND BY LATE THURSDAY
NIGHT. THIS SYSTEM IS ALSO FAIRLY COLD (ALOFT) BUT DUE TO THE
LOCATION OF ITS TRACK AND ITS ORIENTATION THE FRONT ITSELF WILL
NOT PUSH VERY FAR INLAND. THIS CREATES A BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR
PRECIPITATION FORECASTS FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...IN JUST
HOW FAR NORTH THE PRECIPITATION WILL REACH.
&&
.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (TODAY THROUGH FRI NIGHT)...
PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL BE ON THE RISE LATE THIS MORNING AS A
RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE BERING SEA PUSHES
A FRONT ACROSS SOUTHWEST ALASKA THIS AFTERNOON. THE MAJORITY OF
THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL AS SNOW ACROSS SOUTHWEST
ALASKA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ALASKA PENINSULA WHERE SFC
TEMPERATURES SHOULD WARM ENOUGH ABOVE FREEZING TO MELT ANY SNOW TO
RAIN PRIOR TO REACHING THE GROUND. THE AFOREMENTIONED AREA OF LOW
PRESSURE WILL MOVE INLAND NEAR BRISTOL BAY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING
AND CONTINUE INTO SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA. AS THIS HAPPENS...THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL FLIP AND THE SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS SEEN WITH
THE FRONT MOVING INLAND WILL FLIP TO THE NORTHWEST AND BRING SOME
GUSTY WINDS TO THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND
PERSISTING INTO FRIDAY. WHILE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE MORE
SHOWERY AS COLDER AIR FILTERS IN AND MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE QUITE
UNSTABLE...THE GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS SHOULD CREATE SOME BLOWING
SNOW CONDITIONS ACROSS COASTAL REGIONS OF THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA.
VISIBILITIES COULD OCCASIONALLY DROP TO ONE MILE OR LESS AT
TIMES...BUT NOTHING SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN ADVISORY OR
WARNING AT THIS TIME.
&&
.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (TODAY THROUGH FRI NIGHT)...
THE MAIN FEATURE OF NOTE IN THE SHORT-TERM IS A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE CURRENTLY SITUATED NEAR 57N 180. WHILE THE
INTENSITY OF THE LOW (973 MB) IS NOTHING TOO UNUSUAL FOR THE
BERING SEA...A VERY POTENT 500 MB JET (130 KT) AND 300 MB JET
(160+ KT) WILL AID IN BRINGING DOWN STRONG WINDS TO THE SURFACE.
MUCH OF THE BERING SEA WILL OBSERVE GALE FORCE WINDS BUT AREAS
JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE LOW WILL FEEL THE IMPACT OF THE JET
STREAK WITH 50 TO 55 KT WINDS AT THE SFC. THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS
WILL HAVE A PERIOD OF BLOWING SNOW AS SNOW INTENSITY AND WINDS
GUSTING UPWARDS TO 50 MPH WILL DROP VISIBILITIES TO ONE MILE OR
LESS. THE ONE SAVING GRACE PREVENTING AN ADVISORY OR WARNING IS
THAT SFC TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE NEAR OR ABOVE FREEZING
WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE SNOW WET AND HARDER TO BLOW AROUND.
FOLLOWING THE LOW MOVING INLAND...A MUCH COLDER AIR MASS FROM
SIBERIA WILL BE ADVECTED OVER THE BERING SEA. THIS WILL
DESTABILIZE THE AIR MASS AND KEEP NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS IN THE
FORECAST OVER MUCH OF THE BERING SEA THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
WEEK.
&&
.LONG TERM FORECAST (DAYS 3 THROUGH 7)...
MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE ONSET OF UPPER LEVEL ZONAL FLOW
THU NIGHT THROUGH SUN. A 120 TO 150 KT JET WILL REMAIN NEAR 45N
AND EXTEND FROM NORTHERN JAPAN TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THIS
FEATURE WILL KEEP CYCLONIC FLOW OVER THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH SUN. AT THAT TIME THE JET WILL BUCKLE...AND THE CYCLONIC
CIRCULATION WILL BREAK DOWN INTO A RIDGE OVER THE MAINLAND AND A
DEEP TROUGH SOUTH OF THE BERING BEGINNING ON MON. AT THE
SURFACE...A LOW CROSSING THE AKPEN WILL MOVE TO THE NORTHERN GULF
THU NIGHT. MODELS ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME DETERMINING A TRACK
FOR THIS LOW. WPC USED AN ENSEMBLE APPROACH THAT BY FRI NIGHT
MOVES THE LOW WELL SOUTH OF CAPE SAINT ELIAS AND THEN BROADENS IT
OVER THE NORTH GULF COAST THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN THE
WEST...WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW WILL PERSIST OVER THE BERING AND
ALEUTIANS INTO NEXT WEEK. THE FORECAST UTILIZED THE EC UNTIL FRI
EVENING AND THEN TRANSITIONED TO WPC GUIDANCE.
SNOW SHOWERS WILL PERSIST OVER THE BERING...ALEUTIANS...AND SW AK
WITH WIDESPREAD GALE FORCE WINDS GRADUALLY DIMINISHING TO SMALL
CRAFT BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN THE EAST...RAIN IS EXPECTED ALONG THE
COAST...WITH DAYTIME RAIN SHOWERS AND NIGHTTIME SNOW SHOWERS
CROSSING THE KENAI AND CHUGACH MOUNTAINS. THESE WILL DIMINISH IN
INTENSITY AT THE END OF THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS
THE MAINLAND.
&&
.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORM WARNING 170 173.
GALE WARNING 119 120 125 130 131 132 150 155
160 165 171 172 174175 176 177 178 179 180 181.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...PD
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...BL
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...MC
LONG TERM...DSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK 710 AM AKDT WED APR 8 2015 AKZ101-111-145-090315- ANCHORAGE-MATANUSKA VALLEY-SUSITNA VALLEY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANCHORAGE...EAGLE RIVER...INDIAN... EKLUTNA...PALMER...WASILLA...SUTTON...CHICKALOON...TALKEETNA... WILLOW...CANTWELL 710 AM AKDT WED APR 8 2015 ...SNOW TO IMPACT TRAVEL CONDITIONS LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON OVER PARTS OF SOUTHCENTRAL... SNOW IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT TRAVEL TODAY ACROSS ANCHORAGE AS WELL AS PARTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY AND LOWER SUSITNA VALLEY AS A STRONG DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN STEADY IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S ACROSS THE AREA WHILE SNOW IS FALLING...RESULTING IN ACCUMULATIONS ON MANY AREA ROADWAYS. SNOW SHOULD END BY EARLY TO MID-AFTERNOON ACROSS THE ANCHORAGE BOWL...AND BY LATE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE MATANUSKA VALLEY AND LOWER SUSITNA VALLEY. TRAVELERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE EXTRA CAUTION DURING THIS WEATHER EVENT.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Meteorologist on the US CGC Alex Haley, while in port at Dutch Harbor.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alaska in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, April 2015
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: 573459.