Merbok 2022

Overview

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. Merbok impacted 1,300 miles of coastline and damaged 40 communities. The storm caused heavy losses to subsistence infrastructure and destroyed homes. Community members described the flooding as the worst they had seen in their lifetimes. In Golovin, flooding exceeded the 1913 record water level. Merbok highlighted the exposure of coastal Alaska communities to erosion and flooding.

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An extreme storm

Merbok started as a typhoon in the subtropical central Pacific Ocean. It arrived in Alaska early in the autumn storm season when there was no sea ice to protect coastal communities. The fast movement and direct trajectory of the storm caused extreme coastal flooding.

Storm timeline

• Sept 11: Tropical Storm Merbok Forms

  Sept. 13, 10 a.m. AKDT: Merbok becomes a typhoon

  Sept. 14: Final status as Typhoon Merbok

  

• Sept. 15: transitions to extratropical storm type denoted by “ex”, Merbok strengthens and dramatically expands in size

  

• Sept. 15, 5 p.m. AKDT: Ex-Merbok crosses into Bering Sea

  

• Sept. 14, 4 a.m. AKDT: Ex-Merbok reaches lowest atmospheric pressure (937 mb), gale force winds extend 250 miles southeast of the center, wind gusts of up to 90 mph

  

• Sept. 16, 9:50 a.m. AKDT: Ex-Merbok wave heights of 52 ft reported by NOAA buoy

  

• Sept. 17: Ex-Merbok crosses into the Chukchi Sea. weakening rapidly

  

Disaster Declared

Sept. 17: Governor Dunleavy declared a state disaster emergency

Sept. 23: President Biden approved federal disaster declaration

FEMA approved $6.68 million for individual assistance & $895,000 for public assistance (in 2022 dollars)

Community Specific Impacts

Newtok: Severe coastal erosion with 10-20 feet of bank lost overnight (100 feet in total), houses flooded with some off their foundations

Chevak: Major flooding, one third of residents lost power, 90% of fishing boats are lost greatly impacting subsistence, gusts of 56 mph reported

Hooper Bay: At least 3 homes floated off foundations, damage to tank farm, power grid, dunes, water 9 feet above MHHW*, gusts of 67 mph reported

Scammon Bay: Major flooding, village dock damaged, erosion of village harbor, water levels 6.7 feet above MHHW*, gusts of 54 mph reported

Stebbins: 8-10 families displaced, fish racks and fishing supplies completely lost, flooding cut off access to emergency shelter, water levels 10 feet above MHHW*

Shaktoolik: Berm protecting community completely destroyed, water levels 12 feet above MHHW*, gusts of 60 mph reported

Golovin: Severe flooding, houses floated off foundations, 3-4 inches of sediment accumulation in homes, water 12.5 feet above MHHW*, gusts of 63 mph reported

Nome: Approx. 30 miles of Nome Council Road impassible, house swept into the Snake River, water levels 9 feet above MHHW*, gusts of 56 mph reported

Kivalina: Minor flooding, power outages, water levels peaked at 3.95 feet above MHHW*, gusts of 49 mph reported

*Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) is equivalent to “above the highest high tide line”

Unmet Needs

Living in rural Alaska is unique. However, sometimes this results in disaster response not well suited for impacted communities. During Merbok people struggled to apply for individual assistance to cover equipment such as boat motors. These items were deemed “recreational” by FEMA but are essential to survival and subsistence in western Alaska.