Photo: Epic storm strikes Alaska

Nome, Alaska, shown here in a webcam photo from early Nov. 9, is facing what the National Weather Service calls an “extremely dangerous and life threatening storm of an epic magnitude rarely experienced.” The storm is expected to produce blizzard conditions, winds up to 160 km/hour, severe coastal storm surges up to three metres above normal and coastal erosion. Residents of several villages in the path of the storm have evacuated to higher ground. In Nome, major damage from coastal flooding and high winds is expected.