Aleutian low

[uh-loo-shuhn loh]

noun

Meteorology.

1. a semipermanent, subarctic system of low atmospheric pressure in the Gulf of Alaska, near the Aleutian Islands, a storm-breeding area from late fall into late spring, as migratory lows often reach maximum intensity there: as the Aleutian low becomes weakened and displaced toward the North Pole with the onset of summer, the North Pacific high becomes more dominant.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Aleutian low¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

During the winter the ocean cools and the so-called “Aleutian Low” expands south from Alaska, freeing a path for atmospheric rivers to bring rain to the West Coast.

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A huge low-pressure patch known as the Aleutian Low, off the coast of Alaska, responded by strengthening and expanding southward, which weakened westerly winds that cool the sea surface and set the stage for a heat wave.

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Pacific storms tend to be influenced by a semi-permanent low-pressure system that sits off the coast of Alaska, known as the Aleutian Low.

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Bromirski found that the Aleutian Low has intensified since 1970, suggesting that increased storm activity is likely driving the bigger waves.

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So, to compare his calculations to recorded storm activity in the North Pacific, Bromirski looked at the Aleutian Low, a semi-permanent wintertime low pressure system near Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

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