[1] Gradually intensifying, the system moved rapidly northeastward at 60 mph (97 km/h) and reached the southern Aleutian Islands by November 8, with a barometric pressure estimated at 960 mbar (hPa; 28.35 inHg).

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the system was forecast to have sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) over an area the size of Colorado.

[8] After weakening somewhat, the storm crossed the Chukotsk Peninsula around 9:00 a.m. AKST on November 9 before moving over the Chukchi Sea later that day.

Once back over water, the extratropical cyclone turned towards the northwest and was last noted as a 975 mbar (hPa; 28.80 inHg) low on November 10, about 150 mi (240 km) north of Wrangel Island, before dissipating on the next day.

In Nome, AK, tides had risen up to 7 feet (2.1 m),[13] with waters moving up to bases of people's homes.

[1][7][8] The most significant effects were felt in and around Nome where sea levels rose 8.73 ft (2.66 m) above normal, flooding low-lying areas.

Other low-pressure areas spawned by this storm were expected to bring heavy rain to British Columbia and the West Coast of the United States.

On December 22, President Barack Obama issued a disaster declaration due to the large amount of destruction caused by the storm.

[20] 2011 also saw a low pressure reach 939 mb (27.7 inHg) on April 6, however this storm was less damaging as the wind-field was strongest out to sea.

[20] Strong Bering Sea storms affecting Alaska typically form as East Asian-northwest Pacific storms, as cold, dry air masses from Siberia meet with mild and moist sub-tropical air masses off the coast of Japan where they can rapidly deepen above the Kuroshio Current, before heading towards Alaska.