Typhoon Bolaven to Impact Alaska and Beyond by End of Weekend

Posted: October 13, 2023 10:18 am

Typhoon Bolaven is making news in another corner of the globe as it churns through the western Pacific Ocean. But could this storm impact the U.S. in the coming days? Here are the details.

Latest on Typhoon Bolaven

As of late Thursday local time, Typhoon Bolaven was located several hundred miles north of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, boasting maximum sustained winds of at least 130 mph. This puts the typhoon at the equivalent of a Category 4 storm as defined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS). The speed and size of Bolaven distinguish it as the second most powerful storm to roam Earth so far this year, coming in behind Typhoon Mawar from earlier in the spring.

The ripple effects of Bolaven could spell trouble for as far as Alaska heading into next week. These effects could also influence the weather downstream across portions of the U.S. over the next several days, including the arrival of unseasonably cold temperatures and stormy conditions for the East Coast and warm and dry weather for the West Coast.

The latest satellite images of Bolaven indicate that it hit the strength of a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 180 mph in recent days. Although the storm is forecast to continue to lose wind intensity as it approaches Alaska, it will still be a force to reckon with as it arrives.

Bolaven skirted past Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to start the week without making any direct strikes. The outer bands of the storm dropped almost 4 inches of rain on Agana, Guam while delivering winds of nearly 70 ph on Saipan Island. Bolaven has moved on from this region and is now spinning in the open waters in the Pacific.

What is Next for Typhoon Bolaven?

The system is predicted to take a turn to the northeast this weekend, sending it into the Gulf of Alaska by Sunday. An area of low pressure will push Bolaven into this body of water, located south of the state of Alaska. Once here, Bolaven is predicted to merge with additional storms that are moving through this gulf.

Forecast models are indicating that Bolaven will transition into a tropical wind and rainstorm as it approaches the Aleutian Islands and the southwestern corner of Alaska. However, the system could reintensify as it finds the other storms currently circulating in the Gulf of Alaska.

The current forecast is calling for heavy rain and gusty winds for south-central Alaska and across the Alaskan Panhandle by early next week. The major cities of Juneau and Anchorage could see impacts such as flooding and damaging winds. For instance, the coastal areas near Juneau should brace for winds up to 50 mph. The storm may generate snow moving inland over the mountains as a result of the moisture associated with the feature.

The coastal areas of southern Alaska will also be dealing with strong swells and dangerous surf conditions as the storm pounds the coastline. These swells could extend as far as the coast of the Pacific Northwest by later in the week.

Weather Impacts to Rest of U.S.

The Northwest will avoid the moisture from Bolaven as this precipitation is predicted to travel along the jet stream into western Canada. However, the system will still influence the weather patterns across the rest of the U.S. as the jet stream will bulge to the north. This movement will usher in warm and dry conditions for the majority of the West Coast by late next week.

It will be the opposite situation in the eastern half of the U.S. as the position of the jet stream dips to the south in this part of the country. This will translate to a good chance of stormy conditions on the East Coast by next weekend.

Bolaven is a good example of how conditions in one remote corner of the world can significantly impact the weather on the side of the planet. Forecasters will be keeping a close eye on Bolaven and how its course and strength could impact not just Alaska but the rest of the country as a result.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts