High Wind in Alaska, October 23, 2019

Name: High Wind in Alaska, October 23, 2019
Start: 2019-10-23T04:53
End: 2019-10-23T10:00
Location: Alaska

October 23, 2019 · NWS AFC · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A rapidly developing low pressure system moved from the North Pacific into Bristol Bay. The central pressure decreased from 973mb to 963mb as it crossed the Alaska Peninsula.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 rapidly developing low pressure system moved from the North Pacific into Bristol Bay. The central pressure decreased from 973mb to 963mb as it crossed the Alaska Peninsula. The attached front crossed the Kenai Peninsula and brought warning level winds to Turnagain Arm and the Anchorage Hillside.

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 Oct 23, 4:18 AM AKST, 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 23, 4:18 AM AKST, 35 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 23, 3:25 AM AKST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

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Event by event

2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Wrn P.W. Snd & Kenai Mtns

When: October 23, 4:53 AM AKST to 7:53 AM AKST
Where: Wrn P.W. Snd & Kenai Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

Portage ASOS measured a peak wind of 81 mph.

High Wind, Anchorage Muni to Bird Creek

When: October 23, 7:20 AM AKST to 10:00 AM AKST
Where: Anchorage Muni to Bird Creek forecast zone
Measured: 68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

McHugh Creek RWIS station reported a gust to 78 mph.

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 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Alaska, October 2019

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: 858664, 858663.