The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement covering Southeast Alaska to start Thursday and go through the weekend.
In Juneau, the event may bring Taku winds, with very cold air with risk of freezing spray in the inner channels.
Marine and aviation travel are likely to be impacted.
In weather jargon, the service calls the event an “outflow.”
“It’s all this cold Arctic air, and they rush across the mountains, and then, because it’s cold, it then sinks, and goes right down, and plunges down the mountain … where you’ll see these really big waves and foam forming in the channel, where right in downtown isn’t as windy,” said weather service forecaster Kimberly Vaughan. “But basically, all that cold air comes rushing down, scoots across the channel and blasts into Douglas.”
Vaughan said Saturday wind chills in the area may be as low as minus 10 degrees. She recommends limiting time outside, staying covered and securing potential flying debris.
More updates are expected later in the week.
