Coastal communities in the US state of Alaska are bracing for major flooding and high winds as the remnants of a typhoon approach, bringing wind gusts up to 90 miles per hour and potentially the worst flooding in nearly 50 years, the National Weather Service (NWS) Fairbanks said in a notice
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2022) Coastal communities in the US state of Alaska are bracing for major flooding and high winds as the remnants of a typhoon approach, bringing wind gusts up to 90 miles per hour and potentially the worst flooding in nearly 50 years, the National Weather Service (NWS) Fairbanks said in a notice.
"The strongest storm in over a decade is moving into the Bering Sea. Impacts may exceed the 2011 Bering Sea Superstorm, and some locations may experience their worst coastal flooding in nearly 50 years," NWS Fairbanks said late Thursday.
Water levels along the Bering Strait coast are expected to rise between 3-8 feet above normal high tide levels, and rise between 12-18 feet from the towns of Elim to Koyuk, according to the notice. Peak water levels will persist for 10-14 hours before water recedes, the notice also said.
Persistent winds between 40-60 miles per hour are expected, with gusts as high as 90 miles per hour in some places, NWS Fairbanks said in a separate notice. Winds will peak Saturday, but begin Friday, the notice said.
Loose objects may be blown away, structures damaged and power lines knocked down, the notice added.
NWS Fairbanks on Friday posted buoy station footage from off the Aleutian Islands showing 41 foot waves. Adak Island at the chain's southwest end has recorded multiple gusts of 75 miles per hour so far, NWS Fairbanks also said.
The typhoon remnant could possibly undergo a process called explosive cyclogenesis as it moves across the Bering Sea and hits the Alaskan coast. The storm could strengthen as pressure drops rapidly.
