Severe storm headed for Alaska could bring devastating levels of flooding

Alaska is bracing for what forecasters believe could be its worst storm in decades, as the remnants of a typhoon bring hurricane-force winds and towering waves crashing toward its shores.

The remnants of Typhoon Merbok, now swirling over the Bering Sea, are predicted to deliver devastating levels of flooding and damaging wind gusts beginning Friday night and lasting through the weekend..

The fierce storm will also accelerate coastal erosion that has already put villages and Indigenous communities in peril.

Along with flooding, wind gusts between 50mph and 75mph are expected, and could get as high as 100mph through the upper west coast of the state and into parts of the Aleutian Islands, according to Mike Youman, lead storm warning meteorologist at AccuWeather. Gusts that strong can rip trees up at their roots, crack large branches, and crumple poorly built homes and structures; widespread power outages were expected.

Authorities are readying for the worst but say Alaskans have experience navigating severe storms, including the historic 2011 Bering Sea Superstorm that was strong enough to peel the roofs off buildings, topple tankers, sink boats and left widespread damage in its wake.

Alaska is warming at twice the rate of the global average, according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, an analysis from climate scientists on how climate change will affect the US and sea ice is disappearing at an alarming rate.

This is just the latest climatic catastrophe to hammer Alaska in recent months. The state has been hit by wildfires this season with more than 3.1m acres scorched so far this year. The climate crisis has produced warmer springs and summers that left the tundra coated in vegetation.

The Associated Press contributed to this article