Power Outages Persist in Anchorage Following Fierce Storm

Thousands of residents in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, are still experiencing power outages as of Monday, a day after a violent storm unleashed hurricane-strength winds, resulting in downed power lines, damage to trees, and the diversion of numerous flights. Additionally, a pedestrian bridge over a busy highway partially collapsed due to the extreme weather conditions.

Wind velocities reached astonishing heights, with a gust of 132 mph (212 kph) recorded at a mountain weather station located south of the city. In Arctic Valley, just north of Anchorage, winds were clocked at 107 mph (172 kph), while gusts within the city itself reached 75 mph (121 kph). It’s important to note that hurricane-force winds are classified as beginning at 74 mph (119 kph).

The severe winds were the result of a significant low-pressure system originating from the Bering Sea, which delivered an influx of moisture and unseasonably warm temperatures in the low 40s Fahrenheit (slightly above 4.4 degrees Celsius) to the local region, according to meteorologist Tracen Knopp from the National Weather Service.

One local resident, Steven Wood, described a harrowing incident while he and his family were observing the effects of the winds after breakfast on Sunday. They witnessed their neighbor’s roof start to lift off and head their way. “All of a sudden, I see the roof start to peel off, and all I can yell is, ‘Incoming! Everybody run!’” Wood recollected during an interview with a local news channel.

The roof ultimately struck a window of Wood’s home, shattering glass throughout the interior of the house. “It’s down the hallways, down the stairs and it actually separated the drywall in the bedroom it hit so hard,” he added, describing the extensive damage caused by the flying debris.

The unrelenting winds are believed to have played a role in the partial collapse of a pedestrian bridge spanning the Seward Highway, the primary route leading south from Anchorage. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries as the materials from the bridge fell onto the highway, which prompted traffic to be redirected while cleanup crews worked to clear the area.

“The winds were the leading cause, but our bridge engineers will be out there today and may be able give us a more comprehensive analysis of what happened,” stated Shannon McCarthy, a spokesperson from the Alaska Department of Transportation.

The storm also forced the diversion of three passenger jets, nine cargo planes, and one U.S. Air Force plane, all of which were unable to land in Anchorage and were redirected to Fairbanks, approximately a six-hour journey to the north. The state’s transportation department, which oversees local airports, confirmed the circumstances.

As the storm subsides, residents began the daunting task of cleaning up the city, where debris such as trash bins and damaged trees were strewn about. At the peak of the storm, around 17,500 customers were reported to be without electricity, according to Julie Hasquet from Chugach Electric Association. As of Monday, that number had decreased to approximately 5,700, though full restoration efforts might extend into Tuesday for some customers.

“When our crews show up for repairs, they don’t know what they’re going to find,” Hasquet explained, emphasizing the challenges they face as the storm had displaced not only trees but also trampolines from yards into power lines. “If it’s a tree, you’ve got to get the tree out of the line, then you have to repair the line, rehang it, and then you have to re-energize,” she elaborated. “It’s just been a very painstaking process because the damage is so extensive all across the city.”