NOAA deal funds nine Alaska seismic stations to boost near-real-time tsunami warnings

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced it has reached a new agreement with the Alaska Mesonet and the seismic network operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Earthquake Center to fund nine seismic stations that support near-real-time tsunami threat information.

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“Seismic stations are an important dataset for NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Centers to provide real-time warnings that save lives amid tsunamis and related hazards,” said Neil Jacobs, NOAA administrator. “NOAA’s National Weather Service is committed to providing the fastest hazard warnings possible to Americans.”

Officials say the agreement will continue the real-time data stream for residents in Alaska, especially in the Aleutian Islands and along the Pacific Northwest coast. NOAA will provide funding and support.

“The Alaska Earthquake Center is an unparalleled resource, helping to keep Alaskans safe from natural disasters — on land or at sea,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski. “In partnership with the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, funding for seismic sensors in the Aleutians strengthens real-time warnings across the region. I appreciate NOAA’s work to find a solution to continue the important monitoring capabilities that save lives.”

“The Alaska Earthquake Center is essential to keeping Alaska’s people, communities, and infrastructure safe,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan. “Alaska sits in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, facing constant risk from earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides. Our communities rely on the National Weather Service and its partners — including the Alaska Earthquake Center — for timely and accurate data, research, and monitoring that enable swift public communication and effective preparedness for all hazards.”

The agreement, through the National Weather Service’s National Mesonet Program, went into effect on March 1.

“The NWP purchases observational data from a wide variety of observing networks that are owned and operated by private-sector entities and state-academic consortia,” NOAA Public Affairs said in a statement. “These data sources supplement NOAA’s observing systems, providing a robust set of weather and water conditions to support forecast models in the U.S. and around the world.”