List of Alaska tornadoes
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Tornadoes in the U.S. state of Alaska are extremely rare, with only six tornadoes ever recorded within state boundaries. Out of the six tornadoes to ever hit, all were rated FU, EFU, F0 or EF0, and none have caused significant damage or injuries.
Climatology
[edit | edit source]Thunderstorms are fairly rare in most of Alaska but do occur in the interior in the summer with some frequency and may cause wildfires. Anchorage gets a thunderstorm every few years. There has even been the rare thunderstorm in Utqiaġvik on the Arctic coast. While weak tornadoes and waterspouts, while extremely rare, do sometimes occur, Alaska is considered the least tornado-prone state in the United States.[1]
Events
[edit | edit source]| F/EF# | Date | Type | Path length | Deaths | Injuries | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F0 | November 4, 1959 | Tornado | 0 | 0 | ||
| F0 | August 26, 1979 | Tornado | 0 | 0 | ||
| FU | August 22, 2000 | Waterspout | 0 | 0 | [2] | |
| A pilot reported a brief waterspout approximately 25 miles (40 km) west of Yakutat. | ||||||
| F0 | June 14, 2004 | Tornado | 0 | 0 | ||
| F0 | June 18, 2004 | Tornado | 0 | 0 | ||
| EF0 | August 1, 2009 | Tornado | 0 | 0 | ||
| EFU | September 24, 2009 | Waterspout | 0 | 0 | [3] | |
| A strong storm system moved into the Gulf of Alaska on September 24, producing a doppler-indicated waterspout off the coast of Cape Edgecumbe. | ||||||
| EF0 | April 19, 2024 | Landspout | 0.01 miles (0.016 km) | 0 | 0 | [4][5] |
| A weak landspout briefly touched the ground near Rusty Point. | ||||||
Tornadoes
[edit | edit source]- November 4, 1959 – A brief and weak tornado touched down on the south side of Kayak Island, causing minor damage to trees.[6]
- August 26, 1976 – An extremely weak tornado moved through uninhabited portions of northwestern Alaska, causing no damage.[6]
- June 14, 2004 – 2 brief tornadoes touched down near Bethel, causing minor damage.[5]
- June 18, 2004 – A weak tornado moved through mountainous portions of Western Alaska, causing no damage.[7]
- August 1, 2009 – A brief FU tornado touched down east of Nome, causing little damage to trees.[6]
Waterspouts
[edit | edit source]- December 3, 2007 – Multiple waterspouts were documented by observers in Shelter Island, and none were given an official rating.[6]
- February 8, 2008 – A brief waterspout was reported by multiple observers, although it is unknown if it ever touched down.[6]
- October 25, 2009 – At least 5 brief waterspouts moved through areas north of Ruth Island, and one hit an uninhabited island.[6]
- September 24, 2010 – A relatively long-tracked waterspout moved through the waters off the coast of Sitka, causing no damage. This tornado was never witnessed by an observer but was confirmed by Doppler radar.[8][6]
- November 1, 2010 – A brief waterspout moved through the offshore regions of Lodge Island and received an FU rating.[6]
References
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