Historic extreme events library
The frequency and intensity of wildfires, coastal storms, flooding, landslides, avalanches and other extreme events are increasing in Alaska. An understanding of past events helps people plan for the future, but historical records of extreme events are often incomplete and very difficult to locate. Partnering with the Alaska Fellows, ACCAP worked with recent graduate Caroline Erickson to compile a library of historical weather and climate events that significantly impacted Alaskans.
Erickson combed newspapers, disaster declarations, agency briefings and other sources to create a suite of over a dozen outreach products that clearly communicate the meteorological event and its associated impacts. The visually appealing products cover a variety of topics including: the 2022 typhoon Merbok that devastated western Alaska, the 1996 Miller’s Reach Fire that burned over 300 structures near Houston, and 1980s flooding that caused widespread infrastructure damage in southcentral.
| Title | Year | Region | Type | Overview | hf:tax:extreme_events_type | hf:tax:extreme_event_period | hf:tax:region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Coastal Flooding in Nome | continuous | West | storm | Nome, a coastal city in Western Alaska, has experienced flooding and storms for over a century, causing catastrophic damage to life and property. But, the city has adapted over time through infrastructure adjustments and increased community readiness. | storm | continuous | west |
 | North Slope Sea Ice | continuous | Arctic | sea ice | Sea ice in the Arctic is essential for healthy northern communities and ecosystems; algae grow on the underside of sea ice and some mammals have evolved to live amongst the ice. | sea-ice | continuous | arctic |
 | Merbok 2022 | 2022 | West | storm | On September 15, 2022, Typhoon Merbok approached the Bering Sea. Beginning on the 17th, the western Alaskan coast experienced widespread high winds and major coastal flooding. | storm | 2022 | west |
 | Anchorage Winds | continuous | Southcentral | other | Anchorage is the largest population center in Alaska with 228,000 people in 2021. The city is positioned on the Gulf of Alaska and is buffered by the Chugach mountains to the east and Cook Inlet to the west. | other | continuous | southcentral |
 | Fairbanks Fires | continuous | Interior | wildfire | Wildfire has been an important part of the Interior Alaska boreal forest ecosystem for thousands of years. For example, Native Alaskan Elders note that early willow and alder growth post- fire support moose populations. | wildfire | continuous | interior |
 | 2013 Breakup Flooding | 2013 | Interior | flood | The 2013 breakup season is remembered for the catastrophic flooding along the Yukon River, and less extreme flooding along the Copper River. | flood | 2013 | interior |
 | 2011 Bering Sea Superstorm | 2011 | West | storm | On November 8th 2011, a strong storm moved from the north Pacific into the Bering Sea near Shemya Island at the tip of the Aleutians. | storm | 2011 | west |
 | 2008 Juneau Avalanche | 2008 | Southeast | avalanche | On April 16, 2008 — at the end of an exceptionally snowy winter — a series of avalanches destroyed a 1.5 mile section of transmission lines that connect the city of Juneau to the Snettisham Hydroelectric Facility. | avalanche | 2008 | southeast |
 | 2005 Bristol Bay Storm | 2005 | West | storm | On August 23, 2005, a powerful storm brought high winds and water to the Bristol Bay region. The storm was quite strong for late summer and took an unusual track. | storm | 2005 | west |
 | 1996 Miller’s Reach Fire | 1996 | Southcentral | wildfire | On Sunday, June 2nd, a fire began on Miller’s Reach Road near Houston, Alaska. While a definitive cause was never stated, fireworks were blamed for the start of the blaze. | wildfire | 1996 | southcentral |
 | 1995 Southcentral Flooding | 1995 | Southcentral | flood | September 1995 brought intense rain and heavy flooding to southcentral Alaska, especially the Kenai Peninsula. | flood | 1995 | southcentral |
 | 1994 Koyukuk River Flooding | 1994 | Interior | flood | August 1994 brought heavy rains and wide scale flooding to the Koyukuk River basin. The Koyukuk, Kobuk and Noatak rivers all flooded, with the Koyukuk experiencing the most severe flooding. | flood | 1994 | interior |
| 1986 Southcentral Flooding | 1986 | Southcentral | flood | October 9-12 brought intense rain and heavy flooding to southcentral Alaska. Both the Seward area of the Kenai Peninsula and the lower Susitna River Valley were particularly impacted. | flood | 1986 | southcentral |
 | 1989 Cold Snap | 1989 | Statewide | winter extreme | The end of January 1989 brought sustained, exceptionally low temperatures to the state testing even the most prepared Alaskans. | winter-extreme | 1989 | statewide |
 | 1984 Thanksgiving Day Storm | 1984 | Southeast | storm | Thanksgiving 1984 was exceptionally stormy in much of Southeast Alaska. A storm surge produced coastal inundation in areas unaccustomed to such flooding. | storm | 1984 | southeast |
 | 1974 Bering Sea Storm | 1974 | West | storm | On November 11th 1974, a very strong storm brought coastal flooding, winds and damage across the coast of western Alaska. | storm | 1974 | west |