KTOO

Juneau Afternoon

Juneau National Weather Service Office redraws boundaries for forecast zones. CBJ COVID risk level lowered. Southeast Cooperative Extension Service food preservation courses.

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Weather forecasters in Southeast Alaska sometimes feel boxed in by the National Weather Service’s one-size fits all approach to issuing weather warnings, designed for states with counties.

The problem is: Alaska’s current forecast zones are much bigger – comparable to five or six Lower 48-sized counties.

The National Weather Service’s proposed boundary realignment for Southeast Alaska weather zones.

 

On Tuesday’s Juneau Afternoon, Jonathan Suk, the meteorologist who coordinates weather warnings for the Juneau office, talks about plans to develop a warning system that makes more sense for Southeast Alaska, one that aligns with city and borough boundaries. Suk will explain why the Weather Service needs your help in drawing new boundaries for forecast zones.

Proposed weather zone boundaries for the City and Borough of Juneau.

Also, on this show:

  • The City and Borough of Juneau has lowered the COVID risk rate to “minimal” status. Going forward, what does this mean for the community?
  • A new series of food preservation courses will soon get underway, taught by Sarah Lewis, a food preservation specialist at the Southeast Cooperative Extension Service.

Rhonda McBride hosts Tuesday’s program. You can catch Juneau Afternoon, Tuesday through Friday, live at 3:00 p.m. on KTOO Juneau 104.3. The rebroadcast airs at 7:00 p.m. on KTOO. You can also listen online at ktoo.org.

 

 

Part 1: Fine-tuning weather advisories for Southeast Alaska

Guests: Jonathan Suk, weather warning coordinator for Southeast Alaska.
The National Weather Service office in Juneau is redrawing the boundaries for forecast zones in Southeast Alaska to reflect the realities of the region’s geography.

 

Weather forecasting in Southeast Alaska is challenging due to the high number of mountains, lakes and rivers, which generate their own weather.

Part 2: COVID risk lowered for the City and Borough Juneau

Guests: Denise Koch, City and Borough of Juneau
The factors that led to the City and Borough of Juneau’s decision to lower the community’s COVID risk status to ” minimal.”

Part 3: Food preservation courses and canning safety.

Guests: Sarah Lewis, Southeast Cooperative Extension Service
Sarah Lewis says her April food preservation classes are filling up fast. She also talks about the importance of getting dial gages checked on pressure canners to prevent botulism. Also how you can get free help getting your pressure cooker gage tested.

 

Sarah Lewis is based in Juneau at the Southeast Alaska Cooperative Extension Service. She’s the faculty of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, as a Home, Health and Family Development professor (Photo by Brian Wallace).

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