Big Sky Thunder

Observation by Mike Brubaker:

Thunder was a rarity when I was growing up in Anchorage. Still is. When we got a big rolling burst a few minutes I ran to the window and within seconds my mom called. “I have not heard thunder like that since I was a child in Edmonton” she said. All the dogs in the neighborhood were barking in agreement. Anchorage weather is changing. Hold on to your hat!

Comments from LEO Editors:

Anchorage Daily News journalist Madeline McGee reported on the Thursday (5/17/2019) thunderstorm that knocked out power to a portion of Anchorage. In the article, National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Kutz confirms the thunderstorm as a rare event in Anchorage. He explains that because of it's proximity to the coast, Anchorage experiences fewer upward thermals, and moist air traveling from Southeast is blocked by the Chugach mountains. These two ingredients necessary for a thunderstorm happened to meet on Thursday, producing lightening that struck a power line and left thousands of residents without power for about an hour. This was the first lightening-related outage in 15 years. Nickel-sized hail was also reported in Eagle River. Erica Lujan