National Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA/NWS

TSUNAMI of 18 October, 2015 (Icy Bay, Alaska)

A large landslide, estimated to be the largest detected in North America since the collapse at Mount St. Helens, occurred at approximately 20:19 AKST, October 17, 2015 (05:19 UTC 10/18/2015). The estimated 200 million metric tons of rock spilled onto the toe of Tyndall Glacier and into Taan Fjord, in Icy Bay, Alaska (See Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory News Release).

This landslide produced a tsunami that was recorded at two NOS tide gages monitored by the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC). Click on the site name to see a graph of the tsunami, when available. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed Arrival time is the actual tsunami arrival time in UTC on gages where it could be determined. The Computed Arrival time is the estimated time of wave arrival computed at the NTWC based on the wave origin time and location. The Sample Interval column shows the time between data samples.

 

Approximate Location of Landslide
(click to enlarge)

 

Tide gage/
Measurement Location

Estimated Arrival Time
[UTC (J.Day)]

Observed Arrival time
[UTC (J.Day)]

Peak amplitude
(above sea level in cm)

Time of Peak Amplitude Measurement
[UTC (J.Day)]

Model Forecast Amplitude
(above sea level in cm)

Initial motion

Sample Interval
(min)

Data File
(Julian Day Starts
at 0000 UTC)

Yakutat, Alaska

-

≈ 0659 (291)

18

≈ 1313 (291)

-

?

1

291

Elfin Cove, Alaska

-

≈ 0910 (291)

6

≈ 1036 (291)

-

?

1

291

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