Coastal erosion is damaging the boat launch area in Port Heiden, Alaska due to high tides and light westerly winds. The absence of sea ice on the beach and warm weather conditions are expected to cause the loss of several feet of shoreline. This is part of a larger trend of coastal communities in Western Alaska experiencing impacts from a combination of warm temperatures and winter storms. The observation has been added to three different projects and shared with environmental departments in the area.

Observation: High tides with light westerly winds are significantly eroding the boat launch area, without the sea ice on the beach and warm weather conditions, we are most likely going to lose several feet of shoreline.

LEO says: Many coastal communities in Western Alaska have been experiencing impacts from a combination of warm temperatures and winter storms. Since December 29th we have received reports about the storm impacts from Shishmaref to Kodiak Island. We have added this observation to three different projects, for sea ice, coastal erosion and the December 2016 Winter Storm. We will also shared this observation to the environmental departments of the Bristol Bay Native Association and Bristol Bay Area Health Association.