Anchorage Municipality, Alaska
Municipality storm and disaster record · FIPS 02020 · population 290,985 · 1,707 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 569 records for Anchorage Municipality, Alaska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 433 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (324 records). 565 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the February 3, 2001 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Matanuska Valley, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1995, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Earthquake” on January 31, 2019.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 569on 433 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1528 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $45Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Anchorage Municipality most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 324 since 2000. The rank column places the county among Alaska's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 324 | 263 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 3 | $26M | 2 of 29 |
| Winter storms | 199 | 162 | 1997-2026 | 3 | 18 | $1.1M | 4 of 29 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 27 | 26 | 2001-2022 | 12 | 5 | $58K | 1 of 29 |
| Floods | 9 | 9 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | $17M | 2 of 29 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2016-2023 | 0 | 2 | – | 1 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 29 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 1 of 29 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | $90K | 1 of 29 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 29 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
When was the last damaging storm in Anchorage Municipality?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 1, 2022 high wind ($2.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Of significance was the longevity and extremes recorded during the event. First, the strongest winds recorded were at the Palmer Airport with a peak wind gust of 88 mph at 5:36 PM January 2nd, and a gust to 91 mph at the Glenn-Parks Highway Interchange at about the same time. This rivals the strongest gusts reached at the Palmer Airport since recording began in 1972, becoming the 5th strongest wind gust recorded at the Palmer Airport, though the four strongest gusts only occurred over two separate days, December 23, 1996 and January 17, 2005, ranging between 90 and 112 mph (see graph below). The Wasilla Airport peaked at 74 mph on January 2nd at 10:16 PM. Second, the longevity of the event was pronounced. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1018094)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-01 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Hillside / Upper Eagle River | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-05 | Winter StormAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Hillside / Upper Eagle River | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-05 | Winter StormAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage / Eagle River (Lower Elev) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-28 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Hillside / Upper Eagle River | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-28 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage / Eagle River (Lower Elev) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-16 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Portage | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-16 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Hillside / Upper Eagle River | 79 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-13 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Hillside / Upper Eagle River | 72 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-24 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-12 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone East Turnagain Arm | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-12 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage | 79 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-07 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage | 82 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-02-03 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley A group of snowmachiners Saturday triggered an avalanche on a slope south of Eureka, near the east fork of the Matanuska River. The avalanche killed two members of the group and slightly injured a third man, who was carried downslope and trapped beneath his snowmachine until he was freed. | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2002-04-01 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Muni To Bird Creek 3 men snowshoeing in the mountains adjacent to Eagle River were caught in an avalanche. One escaped. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-12-17 | Heavy SnowAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Muni To Bird Creek Snow was caused by a cold front aloft, moving across low level arctic air. This event was preceded by an upper elevation/Turnagain Arm wind advisory.This was the second significant snow of 2000 - 2001 winter season. 3- 5 inches reported around Anchorage town, 8 to 12 inches along the upper Anchorage Hillsides and ... | 2 | 0 | $86K | |
| 2003-02-09 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley Two snow-boarders were caught in an avalanche off Hatch Peak (in Hatcher Pass). One dug out, the other was buried for 2 hours then finally dug out by rescuers who attempted, unsuccessfully, CPR.Heavy wet snow fell in the Pass during the prior week, with more than a foot since Thursday. High winds over the weekend ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-03-09 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center reported an avalanche on Mile 16 of Palmer Fishhook Rd. A 17 year old snowboarder was rescued, but later perished at the hospital. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-11-22 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley An avalanche in Hatcher Pass took the life of a local ski coach. Strong winds earlier in the week and low snow caused the snowpack to be very unstable. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-01-28 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality and 2 more · forecast zone Wrn P.W. Snd & Kenai Mtns Two snowmachiners triggered an avalanche near Snug Harbor, Alaska. One person escaped and was able to locate the other person, who was already deceased. This was reported in the Alaska Dispatch News. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-16 | AvalancheAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley A snowboarder triggered an avalanche on Skyscraper mountain in Hatcher Pass Recreation Area. He was buried under 7 1/2 feet of snow and perished. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-03-13 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Muni To Bird Creek | 86 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2003-03-12 | High WindAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley | 86 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $6.4M |
| 2022-01-01 | High WindAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley | 79 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2011-12-03 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Muni To Bird Creek | 103 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 1999-02-03 | SeicheDutch Harbor, Anchorage Municipality | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2010-09-24 | High WindAnchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough · forecast zone Matanuska Valley | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2011-12-10 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Muni To Bird Creek | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2011-12-17 | High WindAnchorage Municipality · forecast zone Anchorage Muni To Bird Creek | 90 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $656K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Anchorage Municipality's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 206 | 90 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 80 | 47 | 71 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 0 | 16 | 7 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Anchorage Municipality. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 95 · Feb 94 · Mar 60 · Apr 25 · May 15 · Jun 3 · Jul 3 · Aug 8 · Sep 30 · Oct 51 · Nov 74 · Dec 111 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Anchorage Municipality
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Anchorage Municipality: 5 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and earthquake (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-09 | DR-4533 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3446 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-01-31 | DR-4413 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2018-11-30 | EM-3410 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2003-04-26 | DR-1461 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Including High Winds and Freezing Temperatures |
| 2000-02-17 | DR-1316 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Avalanches |
| 1995-10-13 | DR-1072 | Flood | Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Anchorage Municipality had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Anchorage Municipality from 2001 to 2020, on 9 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Anchorage Municipality ranks 1411th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $269,000 on 81 claims filed in Anchorage Municipality; the most in one year was 10 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1989: 7 · 1990: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 3 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 2 · 2009: 4 · 2012: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2026: 2; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Anchorage Municipality
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Anchorage Municipality Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $367 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $2.2M | 9 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very High | $6.8M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $353M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively High | $1.6M | 32 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | $7K | once in about 99 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $471K | once in about 4,703 years (modeled) |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low | $2.5M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $201K | 9.4 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Anchorage Municipality
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- High wind and dust storms in AlaskaThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Alaska recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Anchorage MunicipalityThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Anchorage Municipality's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis