Hurricane-force winds cause widespread damage in southcentral Alaska
Hurricane-force winds with speeds reaching 208 km/h (129 mph) battered southcentral Alaska, on Tuesday, January 12, 2025, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, power outages affecting thousands of homes, and disruptions across the region.
In Anchorage, Alaska, a portion of a pedestrian bridge collapsed onto the highway below during a powerful windstorm on January 12, 2025. Image credit: Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
A severe storm struck southcentral Alaska on January 12, 2025, with peak wind gusts of 208 km/h (129 mph) recorded at the Sunburst Ridgetop weather station on Turnagain Pass Ridgeline. The powerful low-pressure system brought strong winds, rain, and melting snow, leaving damage in its wake.
Power outages began on the morning of January 13 and persisted through January 14 with Chugach Electric Association reporting a peak of 17 500 customers without power.
Julie Hasquet, spokesperson for Chugach Electric, explained that the combination of high winds and saturated ground caused “significant damage” to power infrastructure, including broken poles, cross arms, and wires.
All schools in the Anchorage School District were closed on January 13 because of power outages, icy parking lots, and maintenance issues. Schools were set to reopen on January 14.
In the Mat-Su Borough, Susitna Valley schools remained closed for a second day because of icy road conditions.
Crews faced challenges because of multiple trees on power lines and debris like trampolines blown from yards. Residents without power were advised to prepare for outages lasting into January 15 or seek alternative accommodations.
The NWS confirmed that other areas also recorded extreme gusts such as 172 km/h (107 mph) in Arctic Valley, 177 km/h (110 mph) in Bear Valley, 169 km/h (105 mph) in Upper Potter Valley, and 106 km/h (66 mph) at Merrill Field, where at least 3 planes were flipped.
The Anchorage Fire Department responded to over 200 calls related to wind damage and fielded nearly 500 incidents on January 13 which was double their usual volume. The department also dealt with 2 structure fires unrelated to the wind though the weather contributed to challenges in responding.
Concerns for residents in homeless camps led to the opening of an emergency warming center on East Fourth Avenue. The facility reached capacity on January 13 and continued to operate for extended hours.
Municipal officials monitored mobile home parks in East Anchorage where the storm caused damage to several structures.
“We have had concerns raised about trailer courts where some of the structures were damaged by the wind,” Becky Windt Pearson, Municipal Manager reported.
High winds forced 13 flights, including 2 Alaska Airlines and one Delta Airlines flight, to divert from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to Fairbanks on January 13. 9 cargo planes and one military aircraft were rerouted.
The storm caused extensive structural damage including the partial collapse of the Rabbit Creek Pedestrian Bridge along Seward Highway.
The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities reported that while the bridge’s steel frame remained intact, its roof and surrounding fencing fell onto the highway below. Engineers are monitoring the bridge’s integrity closely and the highway has since reopened.
Road conditions throughout Anchorage on January 14 were described as fair with more difficult conditions reported along the Parks Highway north of Talkeetna. Avalanche mitigation efforts continued along the Richardson Highway which reopened between 30 and 74 km (19 and 46 miles) after heavy snowfall in Thompson Pass.
References:
1 Hundreds of homes and businesses in Southcentral Alaska remain without power after wind and rain storm – Anchorage Daily News – January 13, 2025
2 Alaska pummeled by hurricane-force winds near 130 mph as widespread damage seen in Anchorage – FOX WEATHER – January 14, 2025
3 Anchorage, AK – NWS – Accessed on January 14, 2025
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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