A fierce winter storm with the magnitude of a category 3 hurricane is impacting Alaska today. The storm will bring blizzard conditions to the Chugach Mountains.
“A major storm is moving through the Bering Sea. This infrared image was captured by a polar-orbiting satellite Saturday afternoon. Here are the “stats” on this system as of 4am Sunday morning. The sting jet wrapping into the center of the low is a localized area of the most intense winds. It was responsible for a 122 mph gust reported at Adak Island. To give some perspective, this is equivalent to a category 3 hurricane. The highest seas were recorded on buoy 46072 and the lowest pressure was recorded by buoy 46618. This will remain a very strong storm through Sunday as it tracks north into the Bering Strait.” – NOAA Anchorage, AK today
Blizzard Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM AKST MONDAY FOR PORTAGE VALLEY AND TURNAGAIN ARM... * LOCATION...PORTAGE VALLEY AND TURNAGAIN ARM. * SNOW...5 TO 10 INCHES. * VISIBILITY...REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE AT TIMES. * WIND...EAST WIND INCREASING TO 25 TO 40 MPH DURING THE EVENING. * TIMING...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP BY EARLY EVENING BEFORE INCREASING IN INTENSITY AFTER MIDNIGHT. WINDS WILL DIMINISH BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF. * IMPACTS...DRIVING WILL BE DIFFICULT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL VERY DIFFICULT. ALL TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.
