Alert archive / Alaska / High Wind Warnings in 2024

High Wind Warning 2, NWS Juneau, AK

January 17, 2024Juneau City and Borough, Skagway Municipality, Alaska

NWS Juneau, AK issued this high wind warning at Jan 17, 2024, 6:02 AM AKST for Juneau City and Borough, Skagway Municipality, Alaska. It took effect at Jan 17, 2024, 12:00 PM AKST. It was in force for 57 hr. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jan 17, 2024, 6:02 AM AKST (15:02 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 17, 2024, 12:00 PM AKST
Expired
Jan 19, 2024, 9:00 PM AKST
In force
57 hr
Issued by
NWS Juneau, AK

Counties Juneau City and Borough, AK, Skagway Municipality, AK

The radar

The Sitka radar (PACG), 236 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:02 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jan 17, 8:59 PM AKSTNON-TSTM WND GST 644 Sw Juneau, AKFAA - Mesonet Station: JECA2 - Eaglecrest.
Jan 18, 8:17 AM AKSTNON-TSTM WND GST 50White Pass, AKSkagway Police relayed a report from DOT of whiteout conditions along the Klondike Highway and that the road was closed as a result. DOT later reported wind was estimated at 30-50mph with blowing and drifting snow.
Jan 19, 4:08 PM AKSTNON-TSTM WND GST 64Skagway, AKPeak Gust at Skagway Airport ASOS.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Anette Island, AK (PANN), launched 12:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 479 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Anette Island, AK at 12:00Z on 2024-01-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Anette Island, AK at 12:00Z on 2024-01-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -29 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1411 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-29 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

192 
WWAK77 PAJK 171502
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
602 AM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

AKZ325-180000-
/O.UPG.PAJK.HW.A.0002.240117T2100Z-240118T0900Z/
/O.NEW.PAJK.HW.W.0002.240117T2100Z-240118T0900Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
602 AM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT AKST
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...From noon today to midnight AKST tonight.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and may
  damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be
  difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
11 follow-up statements
100 
WWAK77 PAJK 172333
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
233 PM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

AKZ325-180745-
/O.CON.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240118T0900Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
233 PM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...until midnight AKST tonight.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
986 
WWAK77 PAJK 180725
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1025 PM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

AKZ325-180900-
/O.CON.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240118T0900Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
1025 PM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until midnight AKST tonight.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
526 
WWAK77 PAJK 180843
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1143 PM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

AKZ325-181645-
/O.EXT.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240119T0900Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
1143 PM AKST Wed Jan 17 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST THURSDAY
NIGHT...

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until midnight AKST Thursday night.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lulls in the winds are possible, but higher
  winds aloft will continue to make their way down to the surface
  through Thursday.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
083 
WWAK77 PAJK 181419
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
519 AM AKST Thu Jan 18 2024

AKZ325-182200-
/O.CON.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240119T0900Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
519 AM AKST Thu Jan 18 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until midnight AKST Thursday night.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lulls in the winds are possible, but 
  higher winds aloft will continue to make their way down to the 
  surface through Thursday.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
627 
WWAK77 PAJK 182157
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1257 PM AKST Thu Jan 18 2024

AKZ325-190900-
/O.CON.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240119T0900Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
1257 PM AKST Thu Jan 18 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AKST
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...East winds 40 to 55 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected this evening.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until midnight AKST Thursday night.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lulls in the winds are possible, but higher
  winds aloft will make their way down to the surface once again
  this evening. It is possible that the high winds may last past
  midnight. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
757 
WWAK77 PAJK 190852
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1152 PM AKST Thu Jan 18 2024

AKZ325-191500-
/O.EXT.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240119T1500Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
1152 PM AKST Thu Jan 18 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST FRIDAY...

* WHAT...East winds 20 to 20 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until 6 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lulls in the winds are possible, but higher
  winds aloft will mix down to the surface through the night.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
673 
WWAK77 PAJK 191450
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
550 AM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

AKZ325-192100-
/O.EXT.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240119T2100Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
550 AM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AKST TODAY...

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until noon AKST today.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lulls in the winds are possible, but higher
  winds aloft will mix down to the surface through the morning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
192 
WWAK77 PAJK 192043
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1143 AM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

AKZ325-200600-
/O.EXT.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240120T0600Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
1143 AM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...East winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* WHERE...Downtown Juneau and Douglas.

* WHEN...Until 9 PM AKST this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds may blow around unsecured objects, damage
  property, and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lulls in the winds are possible, but higher
  winds aloft will mix down to the surface through the the
  remainder of the day and into this evening.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
341 
WWAK77 PAJK 192114
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1214 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

AKZ318-200600-
/O.EXA.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240120T0600Z/
Municipality of Skagway-
Including the cities of Skagway and White Pass
1214 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.

* WHERE...Municipality of Skagway.

* WHEN...Until 9 PM AKST this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and may
  damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be
  difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$

AKZ325-200600-
/O.CON.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240120T0600Z/
City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the city of Juneau
1214 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...East winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* WHERE...City and Borough of Juneau.

* WHEN...Until 9 PM AKST this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and may
  damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be
  difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
180 
WWAK77 PAJK 200009
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
309 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

AKZ318-325-200600-
/O.CON.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240120T0600Z/
Municipality of Skagway-City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the cities of Skagway, White Pass, and Juneau
309 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* WHERE...Municipality of Skagway and City and Borough of Juneau.

* WHEN...Until 9 PM AKST this evening.

* IMPACTS...High winds will blow around unsecured objects and 
  may damage property and cause power outages. Travel will be 
  difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure vessels and loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

Report any damage to the National Weather Service by visiting
weather.gov/Juneau/StormReports

&&

$$
717 
WWAK77 PAJK 200543
NPWAJK

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Juneau AK
843 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

AKZ318-325-200645-
/O.EXP.PAJK.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-240120T0600Z/
Municipality of Skagway-City and Borough of Juneau-
Including the cities of Skagway, White Pass, and Juneau
843 PM AKST Fri Jan 19 2024

...HIGH WIND WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING...

Winds are starting to slowly diminish this evening. Gusts to 45 to
55 mph are still expected through the rest of the night.

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this high wind warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this high wind warning went out at Jan 16, 2:56 PM AKST, 15 hours 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 16, 2:56 PM AKST, 15 hours 6 minutes before
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
256 PM AKST Tue Jan 16 2024

.SHORT TERM...High pressure building up nicely in the Yukon and a
low passing south will encourage a northerly outflow pattern for
the panhandle. A shortwave trough current moving along the jet
will cause a developing surface low to pass south of the
panhandle. The result will be a pattern change back to cold
weather and clearing skies. Dry, cold air will force its way
through interior passes and inundate the entire panhandle.
Temperatures look to dive That being said, the entire panhandle
does at least dip below freezing for an extended period of time.

There is some threat of mountain wave activity in the downtown
Juneau and Douglas area. At this time, a watch has been issued
regarding these Taku winds. At any given time, two out of the
three generally accepted ingredients are in place to develop these
winds. At all times during the watch period, cross barrier flow
appears to be sufficient to generate high wind, however, the
critical layer and inversion is the main source of uncertainty.
During the initial 6 hours of the watch, the likelihood of a
critical layer setting up is substantially higher than the latter
half. Conversely, an inversion is more likely to set up in the
latter half of the watch with cooling temperatures at the surface.
If the critical layer holds on enough, then winds will reach the
surface at 60 mph or greater, but only if the critical layer stays
in place or is self induced from the cross barrier flow.

.LONG TERM...Colder conditions and outflow winds continue as
clear skies prevail across the panhandle. Although some cloud
cover, and increasing chances of precipitation, will slowly begin
to return to the southern panhandle by late in the week, do not
anticipate widespread precipitation across the area will return
until Sunday or Monday.

Aloft, a complex pattern will unfold through the week. Ridging will
continue to build in the upper levels across the panhandle, while a
trough diving south in the central gulf becomes detached from the
primary steering flow, forming an upper level low which will begin
to slowly retrograde to the West around a broad upper level high
situated over the Bering sea. The low level reflection of this
circulation will rapidly dive south in the Gulf through the week,
helping to strengthen the pressure gradient across the panhandle.

This strengthening pressure gradient will result in breezy
conditions across much of the panhandle. Gale force and small craft
winds will remain across both the inner and outer coastal waters.
Conditions will also prove favorable for the development of mountain
waves across various parts of SE AK - with the potential for an
intermittent mountain wave over Juneau in particular to continue
propagating through the duration of the week.

The pattern will begin to slowly shift back into a more active
regime through the weekend. An initial wave of precipitation will
attempt to move into the southern panhandle on Friday, but will
rapidly disintegrate in the face of continuing outflow winds and dry
air which will rapidly erode away what little moisture support it
has - though the southern panhandle may see at least some precip
from it before it falls apart completely. The next wave will prove
to be more resilient - moving N Saturday through Sunday, and having
the additional dynamic support of an associated area of low
pressure moving N across the Gulf. Although timing is not yet set
in stone, this system will likely bring accumulating snow across
much of SE AK, with precipitation reaching the N half of the
panhandle by Sunday. A more active weather pattern takes hold from
this point, and a series of waves will move through the area
during the first half of next week, bringing with them more snow
and rain.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR conditions prevail across the panhandle this
afternoon as offshore flow starts up. A few exceptions to this
rule are some ground fog at Petersburg and Yakutat which is not
very widespread but is reducing visibility to around a mile at
times. That fog should diminish later tonight as outflow starts to
ramp up. Otherwise the main concern is turbulence with increasing
northerly outflow over the next day or two. Strongest outflow will
likely be Wed into Thu.

&&

.MARINE...Strong outflow winds will continue throughout the week
at varying strengths. With the initial trough passing south of the
panhandle, the initial hit of high marine winds will begin
starting Wednesday morning. Winds in Lynn Canal and out of
interior passes along the Fairweather Range will range between
moderate gales and low end storm force winds. In Yakutat Bay, out
of Disenchantment Bay and interior passes near Nanatak Fjord, low
end storm force winds will begin to pick up tomorrow afternoon.
As Lynn Canal is expected to have extended periods of northerly
winds, expect up to 8 ft seas by midweek.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...High Wind Watch from Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday
     evening for AKZ325.
MARINE...Storm Warning for PKZ053-651-671.
     Gale Warning for PKZ012-013-022-643-644-652-663-664.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011-021-031>035-641-642-661-662-672.

&&

SHORT TERM...NC
LONG TERM....GFS
AVIATION...EAL

Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau

The office that day

Everything else NWS Juneau, AK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 16, 3:03 PM AKSTGale WarningAJK4 days
Jan 16, 3:03 PM AKSTStorm WarningAJK37 hr
Jan 16, 3:06 PM AKSTGale WarningAJK72 hr
Jan 16, 3:06 PM AKSTStorm WarningAJK37 hr
Jan 16, 3:07 PM AKSTGale WarningAJK6 days
Jan 16, 3:07 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK5 days
Jan 17, 3:58 AM AKSTGale WarningAJK35 hr
Jan 17, 2:35 PM AKSTGale WarningAJK25 hr
Jan 17, 2:35 PM AKSTGale WarningAJK37 hr
Jan 17, 2:35 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK25 hr
Jan 17, 2:35 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK25 hr

Nearby

High Wind Warnings in Alaska, 2024Every high wind warning in 2024

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.