Weather Strikes Again
11-08-11, 05:16 PM
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Weather Strikes Again
A major storm is poised to hit Alaska. One of the factors in places like Nome is permafrost. Buildings are built on pilings to keep them off the permafrost. So, the storm can get underneath them. Plus, soil on top of the permafrost is very thin.
These folks are a long way from help and it is winter so I'm hoping the damage will be minimal.
This is the NWS bulletin:
ALASKA WEST COAST TO BE HIT BY ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE BERING SEA STORMS ON RECORD..
A POWERFUL AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM OF NEAR RECORD OR RECORD MAGNITUDE IS BEARING DOWN ON THE WEST COAST OF ALASKA.
AT 9 AM THIS MORNING THE STORM CENTER WAS LOCATED ABOUT 600 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND. THE STORM IS FORECAST TO MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH THE CENTER MOVING ACROSS THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA TONIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY THE STORM WILL TAKE A NORTHWESTWARD TRACK INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA. THE STORM WILL BRING EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS TO ALL OF THE ALASKA WEST COAST BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON OVER ST LAWRENCE ISLAND AND BEGINNING THIS EVENING OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE WEST COAST.
ACCOMPANIED BY WIDESPREAD MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING AND SEVERE BEACH EROSION OVER MANY PARTS OF THE COASTLINE. THE WIND WILL PUSH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER INTO NORTON SOUND, RAISING SEA LEVELS TO 7 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL IN NORTON SOUND AND ALONG THE BERING STRAIT COAST. THE EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE HIGH WAVES WHICH WILL PUSH THE HIGH WATER FARTHER INLAND, OVER THE BERING STRAIT COAST AND ST LAWRENCE ISLAND.
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 75 MPH WITH MAXIMUM GUSTS OF 90 TO 100 MPH. ALONG THE CHUKCHI COAST...WIND SPEEDS OF 65 TO 70 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 90 MPH ARE EXPECTED. IN THE NOME AREA...SUSTAINED WINDS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED...WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH. ALMOST ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE WEST COAST WILL EXPERIENCE MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 50 TO 60 MPH. WIDESPREAD MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING AND SEVERE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
1. THE BERING SEA COAST FROM CAPE ROMANZOF TO POINT ROMANOF...ESPECIALLY THE WEST FACING SHORES.
2. ALL AREAS ALONG THE EASTERN AND NORTHERN SHORE OF NORTON SOUND WESTWARD TO AND INCLUDING THE BERING STRAIT COAST AND LITTLE DIOMEDE ISLAND.
3. SOUTH AND WEST FACING COASTLINE OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND.
4. THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST FROM CAPE KRUSENSTERN TO POINT HOPE. THIS INCLUDES THE VILLAGES OF NOME AND KIVALINA WHERE MAJOR DAMAGE FROM COASTAL FLOODING AND STRONG WINDS IS EXPECTED. THE VILLAGE OF SAVOONGA ON THE NORTH SHORE OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND WILL BE PROTECTED FROM COASTAL FLOODING BUT WILL EXPERIENCE EXTREMELY STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS. ADDITIONALLY.
HIGH SEA LEVELS IN NORTON SOUND WILL CAUSE COASTAL FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THE SOUTHERN SHORE. THE STORM WILL PRODUCE BLIZZARD OR NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER MOST AREAS OF THE WESTERN ALASKA MAINLAND...WITH VISIBILITY REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. PEOPLE ARE URGED TO SEEK SHELTER NOW AND POSTPONE TRAVEL INTO THE BACK COUNTRY UNTIL THE STORM ABATES. ALL BOAT OPERATORS SHOULD
SEEK SAFETY IN PORT IMMEDIATELY IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO. IN AREAS WHERE BEACH EROSION AND COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED...SMALL BOATS AND PERSONAL PROPERTY SHOULD BE MOVED WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORE AND TO HIGHER GROUND. AGAIN...THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING STORM OF AN EPIC MAGNITUDE RARELY EXPERIENCED. ALL
PEOPLE IN THE AREA SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR LIVES AND PROPERTY.
These folks are a long way from help and it is winter so I'm hoping the damage will be minimal.
This is the NWS bulletin:
ALASKA WEST COAST TO BE HIT BY ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE BERING SEA STORMS ON RECORD..
A POWERFUL AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM OF NEAR RECORD OR RECORD MAGNITUDE IS BEARING DOWN ON THE WEST COAST OF ALASKA.
AT 9 AM THIS MORNING THE STORM CENTER WAS LOCATED ABOUT 600 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND. THE STORM IS FORECAST TO MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH THE CENTER MOVING ACROSS THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA TONIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY THE STORM WILL TAKE A NORTHWESTWARD TRACK INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA. THE STORM WILL BRING EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS TO ALL OF THE ALASKA WEST COAST BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON OVER ST LAWRENCE ISLAND AND BEGINNING THIS EVENING OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE WEST COAST.
ACCOMPANIED BY WIDESPREAD MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING AND SEVERE BEACH EROSION OVER MANY PARTS OF THE COASTLINE. THE WIND WILL PUSH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER INTO NORTON SOUND, RAISING SEA LEVELS TO 7 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL IN NORTON SOUND AND ALONG THE BERING STRAIT COAST. THE EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE HIGH WAVES WHICH WILL PUSH THE HIGH WATER FARTHER INLAND, OVER THE BERING STRAIT COAST AND ST LAWRENCE ISLAND.
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 75 MPH WITH MAXIMUM GUSTS OF 90 TO 100 MPH. ALONG THE CHUKCHI COAST...WIND SPEEDS OF 65 TO 70 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 90 MPH ARE EXPECTED. IN THE NOME AREA...SUSTAINED WINDS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED...WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH. ALMOST ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE WEST COAST WILL EXPERIENCE MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 50 TO 60 MPH. WIDESPREAD MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING AND SEVERE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
1. THE BERING SEA COAST FROM CAPE ROMANZOF TO POINT ROMANOF...ESPECIALLY THE WEST FACING SHORES.
2. ALL AREAS ALONG THE EASTERN AND NORTHERN SHORE OF NORTON SOUND WESTWARD TO AND INCLUDING THE BERING STRAIT COAST AND LITTLE DIOMEDE ISLAND.
3. SOUTH AND WEST FACING COASTLINE OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND.
4. THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST FROM CAPE KRUSENSTERN TO POINT HOPE. THIS INCLUDES THE VILLAGES OF NOME AND KIVALINA WHERE MAJOR DAMAGE FROM COASTAL FLOODING AND STRONG WINDS IS EXPECTED. THE VILLAGE OF SAVOONGA ON THE NORTH SHORE OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND WILL BE PROTECTED FROM COASTAL FLOODING BUT WILL EXPERIENCE EXTREMELY STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS. ADDITIONALLY.
HIGH SEA LEVELS IN NORTON SOUND WILL CAUSE COASTAL FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THE SOUTHERN SHORE. THE STORM WILL PRODUCE BLIZZARD OR NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER MOST AREAS OF THE WESTERN ALASKA MAINLAND...WITH VISIBILITY REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. PEOPLE ARE URGED TO SEEK SHELTER NOW AND POSTPONE TRAVEL INTO THE BACK COUNTRY UNTIL THE STORM ABATES. ALL BOAT OPERATORS SHOULD
SEEK SAFETY IN PORT IMMEDIATELY IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO. IN AREAS WHERE BEACH EROSION AND COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED...SMALL BOATS AND PERSONAL PROPERTY SHOULD BE MOVED WELL AWAY FROM THE SHORE AND TO HIGHER GROUND. AGAIN...THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING STORM OF AN EPIC MAGNITUDE RARELY EXPERIENCED. ALL
PEOPLE IN THE AREA SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR LIVES AND PROPERTY.
11-09-11, 10:05 AM
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Holy Cow! And I thought Chicago weather was rough.
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When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
11-09-11, 11:15 AM
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I knew there was a good reason for not moving to Nome!
11-09-11, 01:13 PM
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Warming due to climate change has almost totally eliminated pack ice in that area. Pack ice dampens wave efffect from storms like this. Over the generations people have relied on the pack ice to protect them. Some places have sea walls but most do not. Some people and small towns are literally being washed away. Without the pack ice waves get very big and very destructive.
11-10-11, 05:06 PM
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The effects of the storm on Nome and surrounding villages continues. It truly is a big one. Even here about 550 miles away we are getting snow from it. It will probably be some time before all the effects are checked out.
Oh yes, this is a bicycle forum; so what about cycling? None to speak of out there.
Oh yes, this is a bicycle forum; so what about cycling? None to speak of out there.
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