The snow many Anchorage residents woke up to Thursday morning is a reminder that winter is coming. It’s also a call to action for city officials to make sure there is enough winter shelter available for the 400 to 500 people the LaFrance administration estimates are currently unsheltered and living in Anchorage.

A video of surfers catching a wave that can only be spotted in Alaska in the United States has captivated viewers on TikTok.

The moment was captured in a video was posted by Ben Gravy (@bengravyy) and has garnered over 807,000 views since it was shared on August 10.

A note at the bottom of the clip warns viewers “do not attempt,” explaining that “the actions in this video are performed by professionals or supervised by professionals.”

The footage sees a couple of surfers attempting to ride a “tsunami”-style large wave, overlooked by a snowy Alaskan mountain backdrop. A note overlaid on the video reads: “Surfers encounter tsunami in Alaska and surf it.”

Despite the description, the wave featured in the clip is, of course, not a tsunami but rather a bore tide, as quickly pointed out by several other users in the comments section.

The video later focuses on one of the surfers who is shown in a full head-to-toe bodysuit, trying to remain balanced on the surfboard as the powerful waves come crashing in. The surfer is later shown elated over his successful attempt, laying back down on the board as the waves die down.

A Rare Wave ‘Phenomenon’

Also known as tidal bores, bore tides are waves that can reach as tall as 25 feet, “sounding like locomotive trains, foaming and frothing along at speeds between 6 and 24 mph,” notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NOAA says: “The only locations in the United States where tidal bores occur regularly are Turnagain and Knik Arms.”

The Turnagain Arm and Knik Arm are two waterways that branch out from the Cook Inlet, which stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska.

Both of these waterways are “uniquely suited” for the formation of tidal bores for the following two main reasons, as outlined by the NOAA:

• They’re both adjacent to a body of water with a large range in tide.
• Their configurations are “narrow, shallow and gently sloping, forcing the rapidly rising tide waters to form a tidal flood with a raised abrupt front.”

Described as an “international phenomenon,” bore tides can be seen in more than 60 locations across the globe.

In North America, in addition to Alaska, bore tides have been spotted in the Bay of Fundy in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia as well as the Colorado River in Mexico. “The Colorado River bore has practically disappeared due to other reclamation projects which include a series of dams in the Colorado River to regulate the flow,” the NOAA notes.

The highest bore, which is known as the pororoca and can be around 25 feet tall, is found in the Amazon basin and spans across several miles of river. “The effects of this bore have been noted as far as 500 miles up river,” the NOAA says.

The Tsientang River bore in China is considered one of the strongest bores, “barreling up the river at between 18 and 24 mph near the city of Hangchow,” while the British River Severn bore has been known to carry surfers upstream for miles, according to the NOAA.

‘Once in a Lifetime’ Moment

TikTok users were impressed by the surfers riding the rare wave in the viral clip.

Po Sway Bentley said it was “insane” and Nancy agreed, simply writing: “Crazy.”

“An amazing once in a lifetime…respect my friends,” said josephdessaint.

The VIZIN noted: “He almost looks like he’s standing. So cool.”

User valeriegoulding18 said it was “nice long ride,” while user2605421615650 wrote: “Amazing.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok and email.

Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

JUNEAU, Alaska — Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska and her main rival for the state’s only House seat, Republican Nick Begich, faced off in a wide-ranging debate late Thursday, touching on topics including support for Ukraine, abortion and guns.

The briskly paced debate in Anchorage saw both candidates make their pitch to voters with just weeks until the Nov. 5 election. Peltola is seeking to stave off GOP efforts to reclaim the seat that Republican Rep. Don Young held for 49 years before his death in 2022.

Peltola, who is Yup’ik, won special and regular elections for the seat that year and became the first Alaska Native in Congress. Begich, who has been endorsed in this race by former President Donald Trump, was among the opponents Peltola defeated in 2022.

Peltola has tried to distance herself from presidential politics, declining to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, while also saying she is not voting for Trump. During the debate, she said she doesn’t see the world through a partisan lens and is focusing on her own race. She declined to say if she’d vote for Harris.

“It’s a secret ballot,” Peltola said, adding that she thinks both Harris and Trump have flaws. “I think that much of the concern that we have will be around who are they choosing as their senior advisers?”

On a foreign policy issue, Peltola said it’s important the U.S. support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

“I think that they’re fighting our war in many ways, and I do support the efforts that they’re making,” she said.

Begich said the needs of Americans should be prioritized.

“I want to make sure that we’re putting the needs of Americans first, that we’re not putting other people’s wars on our national credit card expecting future generations to pay for them,” he said.

The candidates were asked if they’d support a federal ban on abortion or a federal right to abortion. Begich said he would not support either. He said the matter should be left to the states.

Peltola, who has made reproductive rights a key issue in her campaign, said politicians have no business being part of the discussion.

Abortion “should be safe, legal and rare,” she said. “We should be doing everything we can to prevent unwanted pregnancies. And meantime, we should be protecting the lives of women who have complicated medical situations.”

In Alaska, the state Supreme Court has interpreted the state constitution’s right to privacy as encompassing abortion rights.

On the issue of guns — protecting schools and gun rights — both talked about the importance of gun safety and responsible ownership. Guns are common in Alaska, where hunting is part of the way of life.

Peltola said school shootings often involve someone “who is isolated, who doesn’t feel seen or heard.”

“We need to make sure that every child, every child in our community, every child in our school feels seen and heard,” she said. “We need to make sure that we don’t have people in isolation, and we need to do as much as we can as gun owners to protect and safeguard guns and ammunition from getting in the wrong hands.”

Begich said competitive youth shooting leagues help train young people about gun safety and responsible ownership and is something that should continue to be invested in.

One of the debate questions came from the president and CEO of the Alaska Black Caucus, who wanted the candidates to identify initiatives they’d propose to address economic disparities and create opportunities for underrepresented communities.

Peltola said she wants to work for all Alaskans and that the best way to do that is to look at collective challenges, such as high heating and energy costs.

“I think that it’s important that we are really intentional about making sure that everybody benefits from the programs that we work on,” she said.

Begich said it’s important that everyone “have a seat at the table.”

“No matter where you started in life, no matter who you are, what community you’re a part of, what ethnic group you’re part of, what religion you have, it’s important because that’s the promise of America,” he said.

He said there is disparity in the state’s K-12 education system and more must be done to ensure that students have access to a high-quality education, including at the university level.

Peltola and Begich are the most prominent candidates in the race, which also includes Alaskan Independence Party candidate John Wayne Howe and Eric Hafner, a Democrat with no apparent ties to the state who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for threatening authorities and others in New Jersey.

The debate audience was told that only candidates who got at least 5% of the vote in the primary were invited to Thursday’s debate. Neither Howe nor Hafner met that threshold.