Gusts to 50 mph forecast for Wrangell, Ketchikan and Annette Island until 4 am Friday

The National Weather Service in Juneau has flood watches and wind advisories out across southern Southeast Alaska as what forecasters call a stronger atmospheric river moves over the Panhandle Thursday and Friday.

Ketchikan and Metlakatla could get 4 to 6 inches of rain between early Thursday and late Friday morning, according to the flood watch for the area. The heaviest rain is expected from late Thursday morning through the evening, when it could fall at more than 0.3 inches an hour. Street flooding and flooding of creeks and rivers are possible, and with the rain and gusty winds, forecasters said isolated landslides are possible on steep mountain slopes. The watch runs from 1 pm Thursday to 1 pm Friday.

A second flood watch covers Petersburg, Wrangell, Kake, Port Alexander and Prince of Wales Island communities including Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg, Coffman Cove and Thorne Bay, where 2 to 3.5 inches of rain is expected over the same period.

Ketchikan, Metlakatla and Wrangell are also under a wind advisory until 4 am Friday, with southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. The strongest gusts are expected Thursday night into Friday, and gusts above 1,000 feet may exceed 60 mph.

Sitka, Prince of Wales Island and western Kupreanof and Kuiu islands are under a wind advisory until 4 pm Thursday for southeast winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph. Juneau's advisory, also until 4 pm Thursday, calls for east winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

The weather service said the winds could blow around unsecured objects and bring down tree limbs. "Winds this strong can make travel difficult. Use extra caution," the advisories said. Forecasters told people in flood-prone areas to watch for possible flood warnings and be prepared to act if flooding develops.