Trends in Storminess Along Alaska's West Coast

Intense low pressure systems that move into mainland Alaska from the Bering Sea can do significant damage in terms of coastal erosion, flooding, and storm surge. This is especially the case if the coast is not protected by sea ice thereby producing a large fetch. A good example of one such storm occurred in October of 2004 in which Nome experienced storm damage, including flooding, from a deep Bering Sea cyclone. Hourly pressure and wind data from climate observing stations along the Bering Sea and Arctic coast of Alaska were analyzed to investigate changes in storminess. Variations were found in which the frequency of extreme low pressures increased and extreme high pressures decreased. There was also a seasonal variability with changes in winter of greater magnitude than changes in summer. This correlates with the observed changes in temperature for this part of Alaska with strong warming in winter and little change in summer.