STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 1 FOR POWERFUL BERING SEA WINTER STORM
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD
400 AM EST TUE NOV 08 2011
 
...INTENSE LOW PRESSURE CENTER PASSING WEST OF ST LAWRENCE
ISLAND...
 
WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND BLIZZARD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE
WESTERN PORTION OF ALASKA FROM BETHEL NORTHWARD TO NOME AND
KOTZEBUE.
 
HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE ALSO IN EFFECT ALONG THE BERING SEA COAST.
 
FOR A DETAILED GRAPHICAL DEPICTION OF THE LATEST
WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES...PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV

AT 300 AM EST...A 943MB... 27.85 INCHES... LOW PRESSURE CENTER WAS
LOCATED ABOUT 100 MILES WEST OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND IN THE BERING
SEA. THIS IS ONE OF THE DEEPEST SYSTEMS IN RECENT HISTORY TO MOVE
THROUGH THE BERING SEA. THE LOW WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT
ABOUT 30 MPH. WAVE HEIGHTS OVER THE BERING SEA HAVE BEEN OBSERVED
AS HIGH AS 40 FT. AN OCCLUDED FRONT EXTENDED OUT FROM THE LOW
PRESSURE THROUGH THE EASTERN BERING SEA AND WAS COMING ASHORE WEST
OF BETHEL WHILE BANDS OF HEAVIER SNOW CONTINUED TO ROTATE INLAND
THROUGH NORTHWESTERN ALASKA.     

...SELECTED STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL IN INCHES FROM 700 AM EST TUE NOV
08 THROUGH 300 AM EST WED NOV 09...

...ALASKA...
NOME (AIRPORT)                        0.5 THRU 2PM AKST       

...SELECTED PEAK WIND GUSTS IN MILES PER HOUR EARLIER IN THE
EVENT...

...ALASKA...
CAPE LISBURNE (AWOS)                  83                     
TIN CITY AFS (AWOS)                   79                     
WALES                                 76                     
GAMBELL (AWOS)                        74                     
HOOPER BAY (AWOS)                     69                     
SCAMMON BAY                           67                     
POINT HOPE (AWOS)                     64                     
ST MICHAEL                            64                     
KOTZEBUE/RALPH WIEN (ASOS)            62                     
MARSHALL                              62                     
NOME (ASOS)                           61                     
EMMONAK                               60                     
SAVOONGA AIRPORT                      59                     
BETHEL AIRPORT (ASOS)                 56                     


THE MAIN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS FAR NORTHEASTERN
RUSSIA AND INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA LATER TODAY AS IT SLOWLY WEAKENS.
HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON THE
EAST SIDE OF THE STORM OVER WESTERN ALASKA. THIS WILL CAUSE
CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW ALREADY ON THE GROUND
WITH VISIBILITIES NEAR ZERO AT TIMES IN ADDITION TO POWER AND
TELEPHONE OUTAGES. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE FROM THE TEENS TO NEAR
FREEZING AS RELATIVELY MILDER AIR PUSHES INLAND BEFORE COLDER AIR
WORKS BACK IN FROM THE WEST. SNOWFALL WILL AVERAGE THREE TO SIX
INCHES FROM THE YUKON DELTA NORTHWARD WITH MORE THAN A FOOT
POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE SEWARD PENINSULA. SUBSTANTIAL
COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE ON SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FACING
AREAS OF NORTON SOUND AND ALSO ON THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST. THE
PRECIPITATION... WIND... AND STORM SURGE WILL SUBSIDE LATER
TONIGHT FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST.   

THE NEXT STORM SUMMARY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
PREDICTION CENTER AT 1000 AM EST. PLEASE REFER TO YOUR LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS
EVENT.

FRACASSO