Weather
Alaska Weather Today: Coastal Storm Brings 65 MPH Gusts
Utqiagvik, AK – Communities across Alaska&…
By Erin Vale · 2026-09-10T06:08:13.408Z
Utqiagvik, AK – Communities across Alaska& 39;s West Coast and North Slope face a powerful coastal storm Thursday, with wind gusts reaching 65 mph and unusually heavy rainfall potentially breaking records.
According to the National Weather Service in Fairbanks, the storm will track north across the Chukchi Sea through Saturday before shifting east over the Beaufort Sea on Sunday. High Wind Warnings are in effect for the Lisburne Peninsula, where southerly gusts could reach 65 mph.
The strongest winds are expected Thursday before gradually diminishing Friday. As the storm moves east, widespread blustery westerly winds could gust to 45 mph across the North Slope this weekend.
Heavy rainfall is another concern. An atmospheric river is forecast to bring around 1 inch of rain to western portions of the North Slope through Friday, with amounts decreasing farther east.
Utqiagvik could receive approximately 1.06 inches, according to the agency& 39;s forecast graphic. That is particularly significant because the community averages just 0.63 inches of precipitation during the entire month of September.
Daily rainfall records could also fall. The existing Utqiagvik records are 0.28 inches for Thursday, set in 2011, and 0.25 inches for Friday, set in 2002. Weather records there extend back to 1921.
Other forecast totals include approximately 1.10 inches in Wainwright and nearly an inch in Point Hope and Wewok.
Residents from Alaska& 39;s western coast to the North Slope should monitor updated forecasts and warnings as strong winds and heavy rainfall continue through the end of the week.