Alaska threatened by ‘one of the worst storms’ on record

November 8, 2011 – ALASKA – A rapidly intensifying powerful storm was approaching the west coast of Alaska late Monday and could become “one of the worst on record,” the National Weather Service said in an alert. The alert, issued by the NWS in Fairbanks at 10:37 p.m. AKST (2:37 a.m. ET Tuesday), said the “extremely dangerous” storm was 600 miles southwest of Shemya at the end of the Aleutian Islands. It is forecast to move to just west of the Bering Strait by Tuesday night and into the southern Chukchi Sea on Wednesday. The storm would likely be “life-threatening … one of the worst on record,” the service said. Storm surges were expected to cause tides of 8 to 10 feet above normal along the west coast from Cape Romanzof North to the Bering Strait including Saint Lawrence Island and Little Diomede, causing flooding. “All residents should take action now to prepare for the strong winds and coastal flooding,” it added. It advised people living along the coast from Cape Romanzof to the Bering Strait and from Cape Krusenstern to Point Hope to prepare for floods and beach erosion. The alert said “severe beach erosion is expected” in many parts and that areas containing ice may see ice pushed onshore. Southeast winds of 50 to 70 mph were expected along the coast beginning Tuesday night and into Wednesday, with gusts reaching 90 mph along parts of the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait and Saint Lawrence Island coasts. –MSNBC

contribution Sue -Luisport