Wind gusts carry water in the Gastineau Channel near downtown Juneau on Wednesday December. 27 2023. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)


High winds are expected to affect parts of Juneau Wednesday afternoon and into the evening with gusts up to 70 miles an hour.

The National Weather Service office in Juneau has issued a warning for high winds up to 9 p.m. Wednesday, for the downtown area of Juneau as well as Douglas.


NWS Weather Forecaster Jeff Garmon says unsecured objects could blow around and damage property. There is also the possibility of power outages.


The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”As you move further into the hills in the vicinity of Juneau and beyond, you’ll increase,” he said. “We’ve seen speeds as high as 90 miles per hour in places such as Sheep Mountain .”
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He also says that winds could get stronger within the Mendenhall Valley later this evening and will be particularly strong near the Juneau International Airport. It’s also possible that the wind could persist.


span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Sometimes winds can stay on for a longer, so keep an eye on the weather for a possible prolongation,” he said.


The Weather Service predicts a mixture of snow and rain Thursday, however temperatures will increase as we head into the weekend.