The strongest storm in a decade for Western Alaska is expected this weekend, as Typhoon Merbok moves in from the west Pacific and becomes a strong non-tropical storm over the Bering Sea.A historic storm is bringing hurricane-force winds, 40-50-foot seas and coastal flooding not seen in decades to parts of western Alaska on Friday and Saturday.
As the powerful storm's fierce winds push the sea ahead, storm surge will rival that of typical hurricane impacts. A surge of 8-11 feet is expected in Nome starting late Friday, with 9-13 feet of surge expected near Golovin and 12-18 feet of surge along the coast from Elim to Koyuk. The highest waters are expected Saturday.
"The storm is massive," Merwin said. "It’s still holding on to all those characteristics from when it was a typhoon, but now it’s a cold-core system – a non-tropical storm – that’s going to blast Alaska with some very strong winds."Already Friday morning, a buoy south of Amchitka Island in the western Aleutians recorded 41-foot waves as the town of Adak registered multiple gusts to 75 mph.
"For most of those Alaskan communities, when a storm is bearing down, they don’t have the capability for evacuations. So, what they normally do is they’ll go to a community shelter, which is the safe option," said Jeremy Zidek, public information officer at Alaska’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Western Alaska braces for strong storm and possible floods | Alaska Public Media
Source: AKpublicnews - 🏆 387. / 55 Read more »
Source: AKpublicnews - 🏆 387. / 55 Read more »
Source: adndotcom - 🏆 293. / 63 Read more »
Source: AKpublicnews - 🏆 387. / 55 Read more »
Source: fox13seattle - 🏆 328. / 59 Read more »
Source: dothaneagle - 🏆 337. / 59 Read more »