Hurricane Force Low approaches the Aleutian Islands
![](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/images/2024/01/ak_rgb-20240103_090021.png)
GOES-18 Air Mass RGB images, from 1530 UTC on 02 January to 1900 UTC on 03 January [click to play animated GIF]
As the low passed near Buoy 46072 (located just east of PAAK), the pressure there dropped to 942.7 hPa at 1940 UTC on 02 January (below).
GOES-18 Air Mass RGB images with plots of Metop ASCAT winds at 2150 UTC on 02 January and 0730 UTC on 03 January (below) depicted wind speeds in the 50-60 knot range to the south and southwest of the low center.
![](https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/images/2024/01/240102_240103_metop_ascat_AK_anim.gif)
GOES-18 Air Mass RGB images with Metop ASCAT winds plotted in cyan, at 2150 UTC on 02 January and 0730 UTC on 03 January [click to enlarge]