Powerful Earthquake Strikes N of Anchorage, Alaska

DBB – 113002

M7.0 Earthquake Causes Major Infrastructure Damage in Anchorage –Police

Tsunami Warning Cancelled.

Alaska Governor Issues a Disaster Declaration

Earthquake Details [USGS]

Magnitude: 7.0 mww – 13km N of Anchorage, Alaska
Location: 61.340°N 149.937°W
Depth: 40.9 km
Time: 2018-11-30 17:29:28 (UTC)

Largest aftershock as of posting: 5.7 ml [13 aftershocks reported as of Fri 10:35 am AKST]

Felt Reports: 702 [as of Fri 10:35 am AKST]

Earthquakes reported in Alaska so far this year: 43,889

Notable Earthquakes since 1964

PAGER: ORANGE
Shake Map: Orange
[Significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of the United States. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response.]

Estimated Economic Losses

[Significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of the United States. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response.]

Click to access alertecon.pdf

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Plate-Tectonics Diagnostics

• FIRE-EARTH Science Plate-Tectonics Diagnostics now available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

FIRE-EARTH EARTHQUAKE FORECASTS

Detailed FIRE-EARTH Forecast for the regions including nearby seismicity available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

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FIRE-EARTH Top Ten Alerts – Revised

• All Groups

Latest FIRE-EARTH DIRECTIVES, ALERTS, FORECASTS, BULLETINS and MESSAGES available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

 

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Tsunami Warning – Gulf of Alaska

KMPH – 012302
Copy: FSCT

M 7.9 earthquake strikes 280km SE of Kodiak, Alaska —USGS

Magnitude (uncertainty):  7.9 mww (± 0.1)
Location: 56.046°N ,149.073°W (± 5.9 km)
Depth 25.0 km (± 1.8)
Origin Time: 2018-01-23 09:31:42.940 UTC
Region: GULF OF ALASKA
Source: USGS

 

150am | A #TSUNAMI WATCH is in effect for the coast of Washington and Oregon. First waves may arrive around 510am, per the Tsunami Warning Center. Further details/updates can be found at https://t.co/mJ1zkhcdo7 or via NOAA weather radio… #orwx #wawx

— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) January 23, 2018

As a reminder, you can always find the latest forecast, down to the hour, for your specific location, on our site: https://t.co/3SFImIwQhQ.

— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) December 7, 2016

If you are in a #tsunami warning area, move out of the water, off the beach & away from harbors, marinas, breakwaters, bays & inlets. Follow instructions from your local emergency officials because they may have more detailed or specific information for your location.

— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) January 23, 2018

Tue Jan 23 09:38:01 UTC 2018 event picture pic.twitter.com/AHbKZ8xPuJ

— NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) January 23, 2018

Canada:

• Alerts for: Central Coast – coastal sections
• https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/

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#tsunami warning for BC notification zones A, B, C & D. More information from Environment Canada: https://t.co/y28IfBkpdm pic.twitter.com/JJrBei92v5

— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) January 23, 2018

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Die-off of Large Whales Continues in Gulf of Alaska

Dozens of whales found dead in Gulf of Alaska

At least 34 large whales including humpback, fin and gray whales have been found dead around the islands of the western Gulf of Alaska and the southern shoreline of the Alaska Peninsula since May 2015.

NOAA declared the recent deaths an unusual mortality event (UME) in August. An UME is a stranding event that is unforeseen, involving a significant die-off of a marine mammal population, and demanding immediate response.

“NOAA Fisheries scientists and partners are very concerned about the large number of whales stranding in the western Gulf of Alaska in recent months,” said Dr. Teri Rowles, NOAA Fisheries’ marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator.

“Large whale UMEs are the most difficult UMEs to deal with, principally because the animals are floating and rarely beached and we have a difficult time getting to the carcasses to actually examine them.”

Biotoxins cannot be ruled out, despite one sample testing negative, Rowles added. “It’s my understanding that sea surface water and air temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska have been high, and that always concerns us because that means there’s probably a change in overall pathogen exposure—possibly HABs and other factors.”

“It takes a fair amount of time to pull data together even if the event is over, and a lot of deliberation and analyses have to happen in order to determine what’s going on,” Rowles said. “It could be quite a period of time before we actually have an answer, if indeed we end up with a definitive answer for this UME.”

El Niño Update [20 Oct 2009]

ENSO Cycle: Recent Evolution, Current Status and Predictions

The following UPDATE is prepared by

Climate Prediction Center / NCEP –  19  October 2009

The latest weekly SST departures are:

• Niño 4   ~ 1.2ºC
• Niño 3.4  ~ 0.9ºC
• Niño 3 ~ 0.7ºC
• Niño 1+2 ~ 0.0ºC

El Niño Map. [SOURCE: NOAA/ Climate Prediction Center / NCEP]

SST Departures (°C) in the Tropical Pacific During the Last 4 Weeks
During the last 4-weeks, equatorial SSTs were at least 1.0°C above average between 165°E and 140°W and in small areas in the eastern Pacific.

Global SST Departures (°C)
During the last four weeks, equatorial SSTs were above-average in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Also, above-average SSTs covered large areas of the Northern Hemisphere subtropics.

Weekly SST Departures (°C) for the Last Four Weeks
for the Last Four Weeks•During the last four weeks, equatorial SST anomalies strengthened across the central Pacific Ocean.•During the last month, equatorial SST anomalies decreased over parts of the eastern Pacific and increased over the central Pacific.

Atmospheric Circulation over the North Pacific & North America During the Last 60 Days
During mid August through September, an anomalous trough was prevalent in the North Pacific Ocean/Gulf of Alaska. During September, an anomalous ridge was present downstream, focused over Canada and the northern United States. The pattern also featured a weak trough over the central U.S., which contributed to below-average temperatures in the region, while the northern U.S. and Canada remained warmer-than-average. Recently, an anomalous ridge has developed in the Gulf of Alaska with a downstream trough contributing to below-average temperatures across much of the U.S. and Canada.

Pacific Niño 3.4 SST Outlook

• Most ENSO models indicate El Niño will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2009-10.

• The models disagree on the eventual strength of El Niño (SST anomalies ranging from +0.5°C to greater than +2.0°C), but a majority indicate at least a moderate strength El Niño (greater than +1.0°C) during November-December-January 2009-10. Figure provided by the International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate and Society (updated 15 Oct 2009).

SST Outlook: NCEP CFS Forecast Issued 18 October 2009
The CFS ensemble mean predicts El Niño will last through Northern Hemisphere winter 2009-10.

Summary

• El Niño is present across the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
• Sea surface temperatures (SST) were at least 1.0ºC above-average across much of the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.
• Based on current observations and dynamical model forecasts, El Niño is expected to strengthen and last through Northern Hemisphere winter 2009-10.

Information and images on this page are sourced from Climate Prediction Center/NCEP/NOAA.

Related Links:

• Recognizing El Niño
• El Niño and La Niña: Tracing the Dance of Ocean and Atmosphere
• TAO Diagrams
• El Niño Forecasts

El Niño Updates:

• El Niño [Main Page and Archive]