Tactical Decision Support Events NWS Alaska Sea Ice Program

Tactical Decision Support Events NWS Alaska

Sea Ice Program

Kathleen ColeSea Ice Program Leader

National Weather ServiceAnchorage, Alaska

for

Sea Ice Workshop19 September 2011

The “other” stuff we

do…

Events that require Ice Desk assistance

Fall, Winter & Spring Coastal Storms Ivus – ice shoves Coastal erosion Freezing spray

Kiska SeaBering Sea

2010

Tug/Barge Resupply Alaska West Coast Alaska North Coast Kamchatka

Tug Diane HIn Nome

Walrus Research USGS, NOAA, Universities

Norseman IIJuly 2011

Polar Bear Research

MODIS 7 September 2010

Ice along Alaska north coast interrupted PB

study until 2011.

Laying Underwater Cables Kodiak to Nome Nome to Barrow Barrow to Canada

Linking Coastal Alaska to the rest of the

world!

Tactical Decision Support July 2004

4 hunters lost on the ice off Alaska north coast A weather front pushed the ice where people

were hunting Initial search failed Harsh conditions Time running out

Ice Forecaster Russ Page was called to help find the hunters

Ice at start of hunt Ice at time of failed search

Russ used satellite images and his knowledge to direct the rescue team to exactly where the hunters were located

“Jubilant” rescued hunter

aboard USCG helicopter

Tactical Decision Support June 2006 luxury

eco-cruise vessel Spirit of Oceanus encountered multi-year ice in the Bering Sea

While the Oceanus could maneuver around thin ice it was not rated for thicker ice.

The captain requested support from Kathleen Cole at the Ice Desk If they could not find a route around the ice the

cruise would be cancelled Kathleen provided daily briefings to the captain

which were a popular shipboard event The cruise continued around the ice They sent me flowers!

Tactical Decision Support April 2010 assistance requested by EPA Project to restore Marine Habitat on Saint

Paul Island 1980’s shipwreck of the Ocean Clipper Ship was aground on vital Northern Fur Seal

rookery

Time Sensitive: The Ocean Clipper had to be removed in the few weeks between ice breakup and the arrival of the seal pups

http://oceanclipper.blogspot.com/

The Ice Desk was able to help the salvage crew get to the shipwreck through the late ice

The rookery was restored!

Tactical Decision Support March 22 --

April 4, 2009 Cook Inlet

Mt. Redoubt volcano erupted 19 times

The Lahar flowed over 22 miles down Drift River to Cook Inlet

The Oil Storage Facilities at Drift River were threatened by the lahar

The oil had to be moved to tanker ships

Sea Ice in the Inlet threatened the operation. Ice north

and northeast

of terminal

The Ice Desk identified a 72 hour window for the safe transfer of the oil.

Thank you!

Ice curl off Kamchatka

2009