'Bomb cyclone' builds in Aleutian Islands, becoming strongest storm on record to hit Alaska

[malaise]

Clearly 2020 is making its last statement
--------------------------------
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/weather/2020/12/31/bomb-cyclone-heading-toward-aleutian-islands-becomes-strongest-storm-ever-to-hit-alaska/

A powerhouse storm explosively intensifying in the northern Pacific could rank as the strongest nontropical cyclone observed in that ocean basin.

The storm’s pressure has already dropped to 921 millibars on New Year’s Eve, which is even lower than extreme cyclones that formed in the same vicinity in 2014 and 2015. It now qualifies as the strongest storm on record to hit Alaska, according to Rick Thoman, a climate scientist at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.

The lower the pressure, generally, the stronger the storm. The two northern Pacific cyclones that set records in 2014 and 2015 saw their pressures level off at around 924 millibars, which means this storm has eclipsed their intensities.

On Thursday morning, the National Weather Service’s Ocean Prediction Center confirmed that the storm is already generating 110 mph winds. On satellite imagery, the storm appears as a giant comma-shaped swirl of clouds, a textbook appearance for a strong nontropical weather system.

[msongs]

1. oddly enuff there are very few weather warnings out for alaska today - satellite view here

https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G17§or=np&band=GEOCOLOR&length=24

[malaise]

2. Looks like one of our hurricanes

[Lochloosa]

15. It is.

[malaise]

16. Will have to research this

There's no warm water so how do these form?

[Lochloosa]

19. From the article...

Unlike hurricanes, these large and powerful storms go unnamed,” Capital Weather Gang’s severe-weather expert Jeff Halverson wrote in describing these storms in 2015. “And unlike hurricanes, they derive their energy from an entirely different process. While hurricanes extract heat from the ocean, maritime cyclones create energy by drawing together warm and cold air masses. When the warm air rises and cold air sinks, the kinetic energy of swirling wind is generated.”

Halverson continued: “The juxtaposition of warm and cold air is also what powers the polar jet stream - and indeed, maritime cyclones and the jet stream are inextricably linked - the one feeding back upon, and enhancing, the other.”

[malaise]

3. Amazing that this hasn't made national news

Skeleton staff for the holidays I guess

[LiberalArkie]

5. There are hurricane force warnings for that area in Alaska

[malaise]

7. I've never seen this ever

Damn!

[NutmegYankee]

26. Southern New England had high wind warnings for one of these on Christmas morning.

But that is probably the issue - a storm undergoing bombogenesis is a weekly event in winter for New England.

[LiberalArkie]

8. KTUU

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Hurricane force wind warnings are in effect for portions of the Aleutians, as what could become the strongest storm on record in the North Pacific moves into the Bering Sea. While the storm is still strengthening, as it drifts northward it will begin to quickly dissipate towards the evening hours. However, winds along the Yukon Delta and Seward Peninsula could still gusts upwards of 45 mph into the weekend. As a result winter weather advisories and winter storm watches have been issued.

Snip


https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/weather/

[malaise]

9. Scary stuff

for a very cold place

[LiberalArkie]

11. Mainland doesn't seem bothered at all about it.

Now if I was offshore on something, I .... Well I don't know what I would do. I am a hot weather person. I break out a parka when it gets to 40 deg

[malaise]

12. I hate the cold and it hates me

Happy New Year LiberalArkie

[LiberalArkie]

13. Same to you...

[TexasTowelie]

4. Time to deploy Jim Cantore!

[malaise]

6. He should be there already

Happy New Year- hope you're recovering well TexasTowelie

[TexasTowelie]

10. I've been extremely busy the past week or so. Lots of ends to get tied up

like monthly, quarterly, and annual reports. Next week will start another round of paper work.

Thanks for the New Year wishes and I hope you have a great year ahead.

[2naSalit]

14. I was just looking at that about an hour ago...

Looks ominous.

[Xolodno]

17. Deadliest Catch...

...is going to have an interesting season.

[malaise]

18. They did cross my mind but they don't crab in winter do they?

That would be deadly
Happy New Year Xolodno

[Xolodno]

21. Yes they do.

I remember a few episodes where they spent Christmas, etc. on the boat. Not too mention, a few really cold winters where the artic ice nearly covering up their pots. I read, various crab seasons start anywhere from October to January...and they can still fish until March to reach their quota.

I like the show because, way back in my college days, saw an add in the university paper to head up Alaska (they paid for it) and work in the fisheries for an insane amount of money. I considered it, but realized I would have to miss a couple of quarters and decided against it. After seeing the show the first time....damn, that was a good decision.

And Happy Hangover to you as well, Malaise!

[Brother Buzz]

20. This rip-roaring jet stream is likely to carry weather disturbances into the Pacific Northwest and..

even California over the next week.

I heard we were entering a wet period in California, but, Boy Howdy, it looks like I'll need to batten down the hatches for this ripsnorter.

[malaise]

22. Just read this

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214786212

[NutmegYankee]

28. WOOHOO!

Follow Judah Cohen @judah47 on twitter for more information. Bottom line - this give New England a nice snow season.

[Brother Buzz]

29. I saw that and I'm scratching my head

I understood, when the Polar Vortex breaks down it mostly impacts the Midwest, and points east, but it looks like the West coast is going to get clobbered too.

I fear local flooding, evacuation centers, and this fucking Covid19 could become the story.

[malaise]

32. On the positive side that means California won't

burn this season.
Happy2021 Brother Buzz

[Brother Buzz]

36. I wish it worked that way, but....

more rain translates to more fuel, and everything will be bone dry for the fire season. At best, a wet season stalls the fires by a month.

It is what it is.

However, heavy rains following last year's fires is a receipt for disaster, and translates to a boatload of mudslides.

Hekate, downthread, mentioned the Montecito mudslide following a fire. It was an extraordinarily bizarre event, and hopefully we won't see that, but I can envision a bunch of secondary roads in Northern California closed due to mudslides.

[malaise]

38. I did think about the possibility of mudslides

What a mess

[Hekate]

23. Wonder how far down the coast the wet will come? This is amazing. nt

[Brother Buzz]

24. I understand it will impact Northern California

I don't know about Southern California. Hang tight, hopefully you'll only experience unsettled weather.

[Hekate]

27. After what happened to Montecito 3 years ago, we don't want any weather bombs...

However, some rain would be awfully nice.

[BlueCanine]

25. In '93 I Traveled...

...down the Aleutian chain in October. Contracted by Exxon to video/photo document on their community outreach efforts to appease and polish the company's response to the Valdez spill.

Being from So Cal I had no idea of the structure of the indigenous community there. What struck me was once we went west of Dutch Harbor the small community gatherings that were scheduled were only receptive of the companies message when the indigenous elder was presented with a hunting rifle. I still remember when our community liaison advisor, who grew up on Kiska, said that she didn't know how we'll be greeted on Attu. Until we had the community meeting and had presented the elder with the rifle we were treated not so very nice.

Kind of to be expected but I was only a contract vid/photog. So I captured images of angry, happy and beautiful people in images that, unfortunately for my career were the property of Exxon.

[Duppers]

31. Ah, you should've made copies.

Bet they were great pics.

[Hortensis]

35. Just looked up Attu, and then read some history of the last 100 years.

Seems like anyone who lives on these islands normally should be able to handle this typhoon. Hope so. Amazing that Attu is America, too, though sounds like they their own opinions and definitions. How great for you to be there. Happy 2021.

[Delphinus]

39. Sounds like an adventure.

Welcome to DU!

[BlueCanine]

43. Thank You for the Welcome

I've been here for quite a while under other lost names and email accounts. Probably for 15 years or so lurking.

This group is therapy for me.

My boss, the owner of the production company that Exxon hired to internally document the spill, told me once after working an 18 hour day and me getting bitchy because I was on salary said. You know, one day you'll say that this job was the greatest experience in your life.

He was right. A 30 something photographer/videographer/editor documenting all aspects of the spill and the real and possible impact on the wildlife was a once in a lifetime experience.

[Hekate]

30. Happy & healthy & uneventful new year to you, malaise

(Joe’s got this)

[malaise]

33. Back at you and yours

All the best for 2021

[Brainfodder]

34. This link shows the intensity of the storm

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=53.8;-171.9;4&l=pressure

Ventusky is a website that shows current weather conditions: temperature, wind speed, precipitation, and air pressure. I look at it a lot during hurricane season.

The size of this one is much, much bigger than almost any storm I've seen since Wilma (was it Wilma? ) that filled up the entire Gulf of Mexico. Even scarier is the air pressure setting: it is so low that the pressure at the center dips lower than the scale on the right and is much lower than any tropical Atlantic storm I've ever seen.

This is scary as hell.

[malaise]

40. Thanks

Happy New Year

[hatrack]

37. For reference, record Atlantic hurricane pressure at landfall was Camille in 1969 - 900 Mb

Lowest recorded Atlantic hurricane pressure ever was Wilma in 2005 at 882 Mb.

That's one hell of a storm.

[malaise]

41. Indeed

Watching with interest -have agreat 2021

[hatrack]

42. You too - stay safe down there!

Tropical breezes and coconut palms - but also hurricanes.