Alaska Megastorm Update III: Winds as High as 85 mph, 40-Foot Waves Reported

Images (click to enlarge): Water levels and wind speeds through 12:00 AKST, November 9, 2011 at Nome, Alaska; Peak wind gusts along western Alaska coast through 8 am AKST, November 9, 2011, from National Weather Service

The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts as high as 85 mph were observed from the Bering Sea storm at Tin City, Alaska. The maximum gust at Wales was 84 mph. Waves as high as 40 ft. were reported in the Bering Sea.

The storm moved over the northeastern tip of Russia early this morning with a minimum barometric pressure of 946 mb., heading into the Chukchi Sea. This makes it "one of the deepest systems in recent history to move through the Bering Sea."

Other peak wind reports (mph) include:

CAPE LISBURNE(AWOS)                   75                     
KOTZEBUE/RALPH WIEN (ASOS)            73                     
KIVALINA ARPT                         71                     
POINT HOPE (AWOS)                     69                     
CAPE ROMANZOFF (AWOS)                 60                     
ST MICHAEL                            58                     
TELLER                                58                     
EMMONAK                               56                     
NOME (ASOS)                           55                     
BETHEL AIRPORT (ASOS)                 54                     
SAVOONGA AIRPORT                      54