Aleutians Prep for Potentially Historic Storm

Lauren Rosenthal/KUCB

The Aleutian and Pribilof Islands are no stranger to strong winds and rough seas. And that’s exactly what they can expect Friday, when a high-powered storm hits the Bering Sea.

There’s no doubt that the low-pressure system charging across the Pacific Ocean right now is massive. And if it reaches its full potential.

“This could be the strongest storm to hit the Bering [Sea] in possibly decades,” said Dave Snider, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. He’s basing his judgment on barometric pressure, which should drop fast — breaking a record low set in Unalaska in 1977.

Besides that, though, the storm will follow a familiar pattern in the Bering Sea.

As pressure drops, winds will gather to hurricane force. And without any land in the way to block them, the gusts will create large waves — up to 50 feet on the open water.

Mariners are being asked not to take any chances.

Captain Joseph Deer is in charge of search and rescue for the Coast Guard in Alaska. For the past week, they’ve been broadcasting warnings to cargo ships and fishermen by radio. And now:

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Some of them are taking shelter in Unalaska, which shouldn’t be hit hard by the storm. And while it’s supposed to be worse in Adak, boats are tying up there, too.

For one thing, Adak has a well-protected harbor. But beyond that, city manager Layton Lockett [LOCK-it] says the 65-mile-per-hour gusts that are forecast for the central Aleutians on Friday and Saturday are nothing they can’t handle.

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Adak is a former naval base — home to hundreds of abandoned houses in varying states of disrepair. Flying debris can be an issue in some neighborhoods.

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Jokes aside, Lockett’s prepared to close Adak City Hall early if the weather gets too severe.

In the Pribilof Islands, the community of St. Paul is already planning to shut down their entire harbor. It’s positioned right in the path of oncoming swells.

Even if the harbor is empty, the 22-foot waves that are forecast this Friday could still have an impact in St. Paul.

Michael Roever [ROW-vurr] is the island’s public safety director.

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None of those spots are heavily populated. But the risk of flooding and erosion stretches beyond the Pribilofs. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for the entire southwest coast.

Once the storm passes, Coast Guard Captain Deer says the agency could conduct a flyover next week:

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Until then, the Coast Guard is focused on ensuring safety at sea. Two helicopters will be standing by in Unalaska and Cold Bay — with a cutter posted in between for emergencies.

And back in St. Paul, Roever is trying to make sure the bases are covered. He’s asking people to stock up on food, tie down loose objects in the yard — and above all, stay calm.

That’s been tougher than usual, considering how much attention the storm’s getting nationwide.

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It’s fine if it pushes them to take precautions. But at the end of the day, Roever is confident they’ll pull through. This isn’t the first big front to hit the region — and in all likelihood, it won’t be the last.