Hold onto your hat, the Taku winds are back

A cold weather phenomenon known as the Taku winds causes white caps and water to mist into the air on Friday, January 6, 2017, on the Gastineau Channel as seen from the U.S. Coast Guard Juneau station. National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for Juneau and Southeast Alaska that will last until Sunday afternoon, January 8, 2017. The warning was for hazardous high winds of about 60 to 80 mph. (Photo by Tripp J Crouse/KTOO)
A cold weather phenomenon known as the Taku winds causes white caps and water to mist into the air January 6, 2017, on the Gastineau Channel as seen from the U.S. Coast Guard Juneau station. (Photo by Tripp J Crouse/KTOO)

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for downtown Juneau and Douglas.

The warning begins at 6 tonight and will last until noon Tuesday.

The Taku winds will blow at about 30 to 40 miles per hour, National Weather Service meteorologist Edward Liske said, with possible gusts up to 65 miles per hour.

“The winds actually originate in Canada and are coming down the Taku Inlet,” Liske said. “Then there are a few meteorological factors that help focus the wind so it goes right down to the surface and just becomes really strong – and gusty.”

The wind is expected to increase through the evening. The highest wind will be late tonight, before diminishing Tuesday.

“Any loose objects that are not tied down will probably be blown around and may get blown into stuff,” Liske said. “You could have also tree limbs being blown off trees and maybe into powerlines so there could be … potential for a power outage.”

The National Weather Service could update the warning at 4 p.m. today.

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