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Gulf of Alaska Storms
Fri Nov 21, 2003
Listen in RealAudio 
As mid-Autumn days turn noticeably darker, frigid arctic air again descends from the Alaskan
interior to meet the warm water currents east of the Aleutian Islands. From this union, the
northwestern corner of the Gulf of Alaska becomes a breeding ground for great marine storms.
Hi, I’m Bryan Yeaton for The Weather Notebook.
The Gulf of Alaska is one of several preferred locations for extratropical storm development
around the globe. Where the contrasting cold and warm air masses collide, strong frontal zones
develop within the semi-permanent, Aleutian Low pressure region that dominates winter in the
North Pacific.
This combination spins out storm systems that travel southeastward toward the Pacific
Northwest, in a train of successive storms: a new one every three or four days. As the Gulf of
Alaska storms follow each other almost without break, they are unlike winter storms which
parade across eastern North America, where large high-pressure ridges usually split up the
storms and give several days respite in between.
Without those high pressure ridges, the Alaskan systems drive into coastal regions of
Washington and British Columbia like a freight train of almost identical box cars, with only
quick glimpses of light between each, and no caboose in sight.
Over the ocean, the waters become decidedly un-Pacific. Winds, often near hurricane force,
plus high seas, and heavy precipitation threaten mariners and fishermen. When the storms hit
mountainous coastal areas of Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington, they often dump
rainfall measured in feet and snow in yards.
But these prodigious rains have a beneficial side: they water the great temperate rainforests
for which the Northwest is so well-known.
Thanks to Dr. Keith Heidorn for today’s story. The Weather Notebook is produced by the Mount
Washington Observatory, with support from The National Science Foundation, and Subaru of
America.
Today's Links
Alaska mariners have witnessed their share of mighty storms:
http://www.adn.com/adn/intern/hollystorms.html
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