Storminess on St. Paul Island

July 16, 2026
Crashing waves against a bluff during a storm event.

Overview

Flooding and storms are no stranger to Alaska’s Pribilof Islands. Specifically, St. Paul Island has experienced many coastal flooding and high wind events which damaged homes, subsistence structures, and even storm protection structures like breakwaters during their construction. Despite a stormy baseline, community members note multiple extreme events where the storm surge or wind was strong enough to inflict long-lasting damage. While some of this information is archived, the remote nature of the Pribilofs necessitates the use of oral history to pass down and preserve storm knowledge. 

Weather Woes

The Pribilof Islands location in the southern Bering Sea puts St. Paul in the path of many storms that move through the region. St. Paul’s average annual wind speed of nearly 16 mph is among the highest for any community in Alaska, and winds during storms commonly exceed 50 mph. So while the community is well prepared for strong winds, storms that drive elevated seas onto land and into the harbor sometimes produce significant damage. This most commonly happens when strong storms pass to the west of Pribilofs. In these situations, the counter-clockwise winds around the storm raise ocean levels and can push the water right into St. Paul. 

Flooding in St. Paul

The city area of St. Paul is located on the southern edge of the island on a peninsula. When winds come from the southeast, they often flood an area known as East Landing. When they come from the west/southwest, they flood St. Paul’s Harbor, causing damage to nautical infrastructure such as breakwaters and docks. Both East Landing Dock Floods and Harbor Floods have caused memorable coastal flooding and damage in St. Paul.  

Shape of St. Paul Island with the southern end boxed out showing the City of St. Paul. East Landing area highlighted with eastern winds causing flooding in that area. Harbor (west) area highlighted with western winds causing flooding in that area.

Storms through history

  • December 1966: water levels estimated 11 feet above MHHW*, most severe flood heights in living memory, “pond” in town (low lying area in the southeast) flooded; maximum wind speed 58 mph; well known storm through memory and oral history

  • November 13th, 1974 (Bering Sea Superstorm): maximum wind gust 69 mph, damaged two subsistence structures fronting the beach road 

  • November 1979: A stormy month; On November 8th, 93 mph maximum gusts and associated storm surge destroyed 1 home and flooded 3 others, caused 6-10 feet of erosion; On November 22, there was a maritime accident where a Japanese fishing vessel was grounded on the island and 130 workers were housed in town hall  

  • November 13th, 1984: Maximum gusts 47 mph; high water overtopped and destroyed the breakwater during its construction 

  • October 10th, 1989: Water levels estimated 12.2 feet above MHHW*, maximum gusts 69 mph; storm surge produced standing water at old harbor gas station and flooding in the pond; three buildings toppled, roofs ripped off, barges on the beach pushed around; extensive damage to the harbor area  

  • December 1991: Blizzard conditions (low visibility), water estimated 5.5 feet above MHHW*, maximum gusts 60 mph; East Landing Dock Road and school playground flooded 

  • November 28, 1992: Extreme wind event with average winds 37 mph and peak winds 52 mph; highly remembered by the community, roof of “A Dorm” building in town blew off

  • October 17, 2005: Extreme wind event, maximum gusts 70 mph, westerly winds caused significant damage; water tank which was 75% complete was flattened; $75,000 in damages 

  • February 25, 2009: Maximum wind gusts over 100mph; siding and roof blew off multiple buildings including city hall 

  • February-March 2013: A set of stormy and blizzard-filled months on St. Paul; visibility consistently at ¼ mile; on February 18th, snow drifts closed the school, government offices, and the AC store

  • January 6, 2016: Water levels estimated 6.33 feet above MHHW*; described as “going back in time” to the 1966 storm; the “pond” (southeast low lying area) filled again; western island with the school and health clinic also flooded; flooded area was later dredged to reduce flooding impacts 

  • September 16, 2022 (Merbok): Water levels 7.8 feet above MHHW*; extensive damage in Norton Sound but not St. Paul; despite minimal infrastructure damage, people noted the storm surge to be unusual 

  • October 1, 2022: Water levels 5.77 feet above MHHW* at Antone Lake and 2.13 feet above MHHW at East Landing; more harbor damage during this high water event than during Merbok  

    Seafoam crashes over wetlands onto a dirt road indicative of high water.

    Storm surge caused sea foam to overtop roads during Merbok, photo credits Chris Maio (UAF)

References

Baldwin, H. (2024). Storminess in the Bering Sea: Integrating Instrumentation Data With Local and Indigenous Knowledge to Support Flood Mitigation Strategies in Goodnews Bay and St. Paul Island [M.S., University of Alaska Fairbanks]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/3051355425/abstract/B613E929262849B7PQ/1

Fairbanks, H. B., M. S. Candidate |. Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab, University of Alaska. (2024, April 7). Storminess on St. Paul Island. ArcGIS StoryMaps. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/804f34e4189c4652a8f8717cf386261c

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013a, February 2-3). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013b, February 6). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013c, February 17-18). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013d, February 22-23). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013e, March 1-2). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013f, March 7). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents

Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2013g, March 26). Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents