Alaska’s Katrina Looms: ‘Extremely Dangerous And Life Threatening Storm Of An Epic Magnitude’ Approaches

Global warming intensified the destructive power of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast six years ago. Now Alaska is facing its own freak superstorm. The storm threatens thousands of miles of Alaska coastline. “Currently there are 35-foot waves and 100 mph winds in the open waters as the storm moves at 60 mph toward the western Alaska coastline,” the National Weather Service reports. The National Ocean Service has activated systems normally only used for tropical storms. Excerpts from the National Weather Service special weather statement issued Tuesday morning give a sense of the severity of the threat:

…ALASKA WEST COAST TO BE HIT BY ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE BERING SEA STORMS ON RECORD…

A POWERFUL AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM OF NEAR RECORD OR RECORD MAGNITUDE IS BEARING DOWN ON THE WEST COAST OF ALASKA. . . .

. . . THIS INCLUDES THE VILLAGES OF NOME AND KIVALINA WHERE MAJOR DAMAGE FROM COASTAL FLOODING AND STRONG WINDS IS EXPECTED . . .

AGAIN…THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING STORM OF AN EPIC MAGNITUDE RARELY EXPERIENCED. ALL PEOPLE IN THE AREA SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR LIVES AND PROPERTY.

“The current lack of sea ice in the Bering Sea will allow this storm to maximize its impact,” the Weather Channel’s Tim Ballisty writes. Alaskans are also bracing for the threat of oil spilled by ships rammed ashore, pipelines broken, and by coastal oil facilities hit by waves and large chunks of ice.

In 2008, Kivalina sued Exxon Mobil and other top carbon polluters because climate change is destroying the village. In 2009, a judge dismissed the case, saying the damages are a “political question.” The case is now on appeal.