Nome Census Area hurricane guide¶

The Nome Census Area has no borough government. The State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM) supports emergency response here, working with city governments such as the City of Nome and with tribal governments. Kawerak, the regional tribal nonprofit for the Bering Strait region, runs an emergency preparedness program for its villages. The main danger on this coast is a fall storm from the Bering Sea, which can bring coastal flooding and erosion. In September 2022 the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused the worst flooding in nearly 50 years around Norton Sound and the southern Seward Peninsula.

Checked on October 9, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, with the City of Nome and Kawerak. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Nome Census Area¶

State reports on the September 2022 storm say that as the remnants of Typhoon Merbok reached Norton Sound and the southern Seward Peninsula, water levels rose 8 to 13 feet above the normal high tide line, with flood depths over 17 feet in Golovin. This describes a past event.
Coastal flood products for this area come from the National Weather Service Fairbanks office. A Coastal Flood Warning from the National Weather Service means moderate to major coastal flooding is occurring or about to occur and poses a serious risk to life and property. A Coastal Flood Advisory is for minor flooding.

Emergency and information numbers¶

Service	Number	Notes
Emergency	911	Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM)	907-428-7000	State emergency management main office at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Office line. Not for emergencies.
City of Nome City Hall	907-443-6663	City office line. Not for emergencies.
Nome Volunteer Fire Department office	907-443-2310	Office line listed in the City of Nome directory. Not for emergencies. Call 911 in an emergency.
Kawerak Emergency Preparedness	907-443-4384	Kawerak, Nome. Planning and hazard mitigation help for Bering Strait region villages. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC) main office	907-561-1818	Anchorage office. Toll free 800-478-1818. Main office lines, not an outage line. AVEC does not list a separate outage number on the pages checked. If you see a downed line, stay far away and call 911.

Official alerts and information¶

National Weather Service Fairbanks: Forecast office for the Bering Strait coast, Norton Sound, the Seward Peninsula, the Chukchi Sea coast, and the Interior. Office line 907-458-3700. Check its current coastal flood products before and during a storm. Website.
Alaska 511: Road and travel conditions from Alaska DOT&PF, with optional account notifications. Website.

Evacuation centers¶

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

There is no standing list of shelters for this area. Shelters open only when officials announce them, and local city and tribal governments announce them for their own communities. Ask your city office or tribal council which building, if any, is being used, and follow alerts from your city, tribe, and the National Weather Service. If officials tell you to evacuate, leave right away.

Help to evacuate¶

Kawerak Emergency Preparedness: Works with the state on community emergency response plans and hazard mitigation planning for villages in the Bering Strait region. Phone: 907-443-4384. Website.

Power, water and debris¶

Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC): Electric cooperative that lists these communities in this area as served by AVEC: Brevig Mission, Elim, Gambell, Koyuk, Savoonga, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, St. Michael, Stebbins, Teller, Wales. Anchorage office line, also toll free 800-478-1818. Not an emergency line. AVEC pages did not list a separate outage number. Treat every downed line as live and call 911. Phone: 907-561-1818. Website.

Cities and towns¶

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

City of Brevig Mission
City of Diomede
City of Elim
City of Gambell
City of Golovin
City of Koyuk
City of Nome. Official website
City of Saint Michael
City of Savoonga
City of Shaktoolik
City of Shishmaref
City of Stebbins
City of Teller
City of Unalakleet. Official website
City of Wales
City of White Mountain

Sources¶

Checked on October 9, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.