image: This NOAA GOES-West infrared image of post-tropical cyclone Champi shows the storm just south of Alaska on Oct. 26 at 1200 UTC. view more
Credit: Credits: NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Former western North Pacific Ocean typhoon Champi weakened and transitioned into an extra-tropical cyclone and moved east across the Pacific. On October 26, satellite imagery showed the extra-tropical cyclone affecting Alaska, where it was bringing rain, gusty winds and warmer than normal temperatures. NOAA's GOES-West satellite and NASA's RapidScat instrument captured the powerful former typhoon near Alaska.
RapidScat is an instrument that flies aboard the International Space Station and measures surface winds over open waters of oceans. RapidScat gathered wind speed and direction data on former typhoon Champi on Oct. 25 and revealed that the storm was still packing quite a punch. Strongest sustained winds were south and east of the center near 36 meters per second/70 knots/80.5 mph/129.6 kph).
On October 26, there were two low pressure areas affecting Alaska, according to the National Weather Service in Anchorage, Alaska. Both low pressure areas are powerful. One is centered just south of Russia's Kamchatka peninsula and the other was south of the Alaska Peninsula around 48 degrees North latitude. The low near the Alaska Peninsula is the leftover remnants of former Typhoon Champi.
On October 26 at 1200 UTC, NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of Champi's remnants that looked more like a frontal system. Ex-tropical cyclone Champi was rapidly weakening south of Shemya and moving south of the Aleutian Islands.
The National Weather Service forecast for Monday, Oct. 26 calls for cloudy skies with rain and mild temperatures near 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Champi's remnants are kicking up winds with east winds expected between 30 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. At night the rain is expected to be heavy at times, with accumulations between 1 and 2 inches as east winds continue between 35 to 40 mph. The Tuesday forecast calls for rain to continue with accumulations up to an inch, gusty winds and a mild high temperature near 49. East winds for Tuesday, October 27 are forecast around 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.
At 5:27 a.m. AKDT on October 26, the warm air occlusion wrapping around the low pressure area formerly known as Champi was starting to push through the Alaska peninsula and into Bristol Bay. The National Weather Service said that it will bring widespread precipitation...some of which could be heavy along the higher terrain. In addition, it is expected to keep the gusty winds blowing on Monday, October 26 and Tuesday, October 27 as the front stalls.
Champi's remnants are also bringing warmer than normal temperatures to Alaska. NWS noted that "the entire region will remain above normal for both high and low temperatures. Places in The lee of the mountains where downsloping winds occur...such as King Salmon...will continue to run as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit above normal."
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For updated Anchorage forecasts, visit the NWS website: http://www.weather.gov.