FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) – In rural Alaska, the National Weather Service’s system for reporting weather conditions to airports frequently experiences power and communication outages, leaving airports across the state vulnerable to delays and flight cancellations.

To counteract this trend, Senator Lisa Murkowski recently convened a group of stakeholders in Yakutat to discuss ways to improve air travel reliability in the 49th state. Yakutat was chosen as the location for the summit.

The airport was particularly vulnerable to failures in its automated ground observation systems. Attendees included the director of the National Weather Service, representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the president of Ryan Air, employees from AT&T, Alaska Airlines and the Federal Airlines Administration, and the mayor of Yakutat.

Solutions proposed at the meeting include improving battery backup capabilities of systems, expanding remote system repair capabilities and improving cooperation between different agencies.

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