On October 14, the King Island wave and weather buoy was retrieved for the winter from the Bering Strait approximately 30 miles west of King Island. Currently we are planning on redeploying the buoy in the spring after the ice breaks up.
Stay tuned for news on this buoy!
The buoy will stream real-time information on waves, air surface temperature, and sea surface temperature on an hourly basis.
Access Real-Time Observations
- AOOS Real-time Sensor Map (also connects to over 2,000 sensors statewide)
- King Island buoy data stream (Low bandwidth graph)
- National Data Buoy Center (Low bandwidth chart)
Who will use this data?
The goal of the buoy is to assist village residents, National Weather Service forecasters, the U.S. Coast Guard, commercial and recreational ships, and anyone else transiting the region which is known for extreme weather and strong currents.
A Product of Partnerships
Similar to many projects in remote Alaska, the buoy was a collaboration between multiple partners. The buoy was originally purchased by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, who provided data in a similar location in 2011. In 2013, funding from the Western Alaska LCC allowed the buoy to be repaired and set afloat once again for two more seasons. AOOS and the University of Victoria provided logistical support, and Olgoonik Fairweather donated time and deck space on the Westward Wind. This year the buoy was deployed by the NOAA ship Fairweather through donated time and deck space and with the assistance of Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation and Alaska Sea Grant. Special thanks to everyone who made this happen!
King Island Buoy Data streams
Loading chart
Download data
Sources
Loading chart
Download data
Sources
Loading chart