The Aleutian Islands are a
one-thousand mile stretch of volcanic islands in the northern waters of
the Pacific Ocean. They run from mainland Alaska and conclude
with the Komandorski Islands which extend about 90 miles from Russia's
Kamchatka peninsula for about 300 miles into the Chain (they are part
of the Aleutian Chain and belonged to Russia during the Aleutian
Campaign). The Russian islands and the U.S. islands meet at the
Bering Strait. There are approximately 120 islands in the Chain.
The Islands are sub-arctic, but they are subject to extreme weather conditions such as very regionalized areas of dense fog neighbored by clear skies, or the williwaw, which is a sudden vicious storm with extremely intense wind. Williwaws can be experienced year round in the Aleutians. Average rainfall in the Islands is 40 to 50 inches per year and humidity is high throughout the duration of the year. Weather conditions improve as one moves east in the chain, and it should be noted that the Japanese would usually know what the prevailing weather conditions would be before they arrived at their destination in the Aleutians, whereas U.S. forces learned of weather conditions as the weather came to them.
The islands are rocky and void of all plant life with the exception of low-growing spruce trees and tundra moss. There is also much standing volcanic ash which sits on the Islands. Offshore, there are submerged rocks which is what makes a good harbor in the Aleutians so hard to find. Tides and currents were also quite unpredictable and dangerous.
Bleak Island in the Aleutians
Library of Congress
By Daniel Chiriboga and Kristi Reule
The Islands are sub-arctic, but they are subject to extreme weather conditions such as very regionalized areas of dense fog neighbored by clear skies, or the williwaw, which is a sudden vicious storm with extremely intense wind. Williwaws can be experienced year round in the Aleutians. Average rainfall in the Islands is 40 to 50 inches per year and humidity is high throughout the duration of the year. Weather conditions improve as one moves east in the chain, and it should be noted that the Japanese would usually know what the prevailing weather conditions would be before they arrived at their destination in the Aleutians, whereas U.S. forces learned of weather conditions as the weather came to them.
The islands are rocky and void of all plant life with the exception of low-growing spruce trees and tundra moss. There is also much standing volcanic ash which sits on the Islands. Offshore, there are submerged rocks which is what makes a good harbor in the Aleutians so hard to find. Tides and currents were also quite unpredictable and dangerous.
Bleak Island in the Aleutians
Library of Congress
| Table of Contents |
Geography
and Weather |
Background |
Timeline |
Dutch Harbor |
Kiska |
Komandorski |
Amchitka |
Attu |
Significance |
Bibliography |