Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – The National Weather Service Juneau has put out a high wind watch for the City and Borough of Juneau beginning this evening and continuing into Thursday afternoon. Winds of 20 – 30 mph with 65 mph gusts being possible.
High winds could blow around unsecured objects, damage property, and cause power outages. Travel could be difficult and people are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind.
The first significant outflow event of this Winter season has begun for Southeast Alaska. Overnight lows will decrease with each passing night through at least Thursday night. Early Friday morning temperatures will range from the middle teens on the central outer coast to 10 degrees below zero at higher elevations along the Haines Highway. Residents are encouraged to take precautions early to prevent the freezing and bursting of vulnerable plumbing both indoors and outdoors. Pets and other animals normally maintained outdoors should also be attended to before temperatures become dangerously cold.
In addition to the very cold temperatures, wind chill will become a hazard as well in those locations that typically experience windy conditions during outflow events with more northerly locations experiencing the coldest values. Specifically, interior passes near the coast mountains, Haines & the Haines Highway, and downtown Juneau. As with the overnight lows, wind chill values will become lower with each passing night until at least late Thursday or early Friday morning. Hazardous and potentially dangerous wind chills are most likely in more northerly locations and close to the coast mountains.
