Recent Storms in Alaska: Wind, Hail and Top Gusts
By StormAuditor Editorial Team · Published 2026-07-27 · Updated 2026-10-07
Based on public NOAA and National Weather Service records, published under StormAuditor's methodology and data-source standards. Radar-derived hail sizes are estimates unless attributed to a ground report.
Damage-threshold ranges in this article are general guidance synthesized from industry and federal research — IBHS building-performance research, NWS severe criteria, and product standards such as UL 2218 (hail impact resistance) and ASTM D3161/D7158 (shingle wind ratings). Actual performance depends on product rating, age, installation quality, exposure, and impact characteristics — thresholds describe when damage becomes possible, not when it occurs.
Alaska logged 2,156 storm events in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026, nearly all of them wind. Measured reports topped 100 mph at Akutan, Nikolski, Mountain Village, Kodiak and Palmer, while hail of 0.75 in. or larger fell on just two days.
Alaska logged 2,156 storm events in StormAuditor's public-record tally for the 12 months ending October 7, 2026, touching 29 of its 30 boroughs and census areas. Wind made up 2,054 of them. Hail accounted for 11 events and flood for 91.
In 2026 through early October, Alaska logged 193 wind days and 1 hail day at StormAuditor's screening thresholds (45 mph wind or 0.75-inch hail, from storm reports and station gusts; warnings alone never count).
Where Alaska's storm events land
Western and coastal Alaska carry the count. The leading areas were Bethel (326 events), Aleutians West (315), Aleutians East (218), Nome (169), North Slope (126), Lake and Peninsula (119), Kenai Peninsula (114) and Matanuska-Susitna (80).
The busiest days by event count, NWS warnings included, were October 12, 2025 (74 events), December 14, 2025 (40), December 6, 2025 (39), December 13, 2025 (32) and January 5, 2026 (31). Fall and early winter storms drive Alaska's year.
The strongest gusts
Measured gust reports in StormAuditor's Alaska data topped 100 mph several times in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026:
- January 5, 2026 — 107 mph at Akutan (Aleutians East) and 105 mph at Nikolski (Aleutians West)
- October 12, 2025 — 107 mph 31 WSW Mountain Village and 100 mph at Toksook Bay, the state's busiest day by event count
- February 20, 2026 — 102 mph at Kodiak
- December 7, 2025 — 100 mph at Palmer (Matanuska-Susitna)
In Anchorage, gusts met the NWS severe criterion on December 14, 2025, when the Anchorage International Airport station (PANC) measured 75 mph and the Elmendorf AFB station (PAED) 73 mph (Anchorage storm day). In September 2026, measured gusts reached 86 mph on September 24 and 81 mph on September 23.
StormAuditor's wind counts include non-thunderstorm wind and NWS wind warnings; the NOAA thunderstorm record below does not.
Hail is rare
Hail at 0.75 inch or larger came on two days in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026. On November 20, 2025, reports put 1.00-inch hail at Sitka and 2 NNE Mendenhall Valley in Juneau. On July 3, 2026, three reports near Fairbanks put hail at 0.75 inch, the most recent hail at that size.
The NOAA record since 2010
From January 2010 through October 6, 2025, NCEI logged 18 storm days in Alaska and 20 entries: 10 hail reports, 9 thunderstorm wind reports and 1 tornado entry. The largest hail was 1.00 inch, reported in 4 different years, most recently on July 7, 2025 in the Upper Tanana Valley forecast zone. The strongest measured thunderstorm gust was 72 mph, on June 16, 2025 in the Juneau forecast zone.
June holds 70% of the hail reports.
Those NCEI counts cover thunderstorm hail and wind, which is why they are so much smaller than the 12-month wind count.
Event counts on this page come from StormAuditor's public-record tally: one event is one place on one day for each hazard type, and NWS warnings and Special Weather Statements count, so a busy warning day can outrank a day with bigger hail. The NOAA history figures come from the NCEI Storm Events Database, a separate, reviewed record with its own counting. The storm data page explains both.
Researching a date at an Alaska address
- The Alaska storm data page lists recent storm days, area totals and the NOAA history, with free CSV and JSON downloads.
- Address Lookup, free with an account, lists the NWS warnings, storm reports and NOAA station observations near any address for a date.
- The storm data hub compares every state's storm record.
Limitations
- Alaska's stations are far apart, and exposed coastal and ridge sites read higher than sheltered towns nearby.
- Event counts in Alaska include warnings issued for large forecast zones, so a zone can log an event without every community in it seeing the storm.
- Public records can change after publication. None of this is a damage determination or a finding of cause. See Limitations.
Frequently asked questions
When was the last hail storm in Alaska?
The most recent hail at 0.75 inch or larger was on July 3, 2026, with three 0.75-inch reports near Fairbanks. On November 20, 2025, 1.00-inch hail was reported at Sitka and near Mendenhall Valley in Juneau.
What size hail is severe?
The National Weather Service severe criterion for hail is 1.00 inch (quarter size) or larger. StormAuditor's 0.75-inch screening threshold sits below it.
What were Alaska's strongest wind gusts this past year?
Measured reports reached 107 mph at Akutan on January 5, 2026 and 107 mph 31 WSW Mountain Village on October 12, 2025.
Which part of Alaska has the most storm events?
Bethel, with 326 events in the 12 months ending October 7, 2026, followed by Aleutians West with 315.
How do I find storm history for my Alaska address?
Use the free Address Lookup for the warnings, storm reports and station observations near the address on a date, and the Alaska storm data page for the statewide record.