High winds swept Sitka today (1-29-24), causing electrical outages and traffic hazards due to fallen trees.
At least two downed trees were reported blocking roadways Monday morning. In an interview with KCAW, Fire Chief Craig Warren said that crews cleared a tree blocking traffic in the 1400 block of Halibut Point Road by 3 p.m. today; another tree blocking traffic in the 1200 block of HPR was also cleared. The pedestrian sea walk east of the Sitka Sound Science Center remains closed due to a fallen tree. No major roadways were blocked as of press time.
National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Park said that high winds around the region have caused hazards, with gusts as high as 105 mph and sustained winds up to 60 mph. In Sitka, gusts peaked at 67 mph. A weather service buoy at Cape Edgecumbe, southwest of Sitka, recorded 35-foot seas, which Park said is “anomalous.”
Park said that he expects the wind to subside tonight.
“The load is currently hitting the coast and dissipating,” Park said.” Looking at the buoys, the pressure is coming up and the winds are subsiding on the buoys, so that’s a good sign that things are gonna start decreasing.”
Park said that winds are likely to return on Wednesday, although they won’t be as powerful as they were today.
“We have a pretty nice storm coming south of us now increasing the winds, northerly winds on the inner channel into snow up north,” Park said.
You can report downed trees and other weather-related damage to the National Weather Service here.
