Which U.S. center issues tsunami warnings for North America from Palmer, Alaska?

The U.S. center in Palmer, Alaska, that issues tsunami warnings for North America is the National Tsunami Warning Center.

The NTWC is operated by NOAA’s National Weather Service and covers coastal areas of the continental United States, Alaska, and Canada. It monitors earthquake activity, seismic measurements, tide gauges, and deep-ocean instruments to determine whether an earthquake has generated a tsunami and whether coastal communities face danger.

The center’s history reaches back to the 1964 Alaska earthquake and tsunami. A Palmer observatory became operational in 1967, and its responsibilities gradually expanded beyond Alaska to include the U.S. West Coast and British Columbia. In 2013, the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center was renamed the National Tsunami Warning Center as its coverage broadened.

A common mix-up is the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based near Honolulu. PTWC serves Hawaii, U.S. Pacific territories, and much of the broader Pacific region; the Palmer center handles the continental United States, Alaska, and Canada. The Storm Prediction Center and National Hurricane Center deal with severe weather and tropical cyclones, not tsunami warnings.