Gale warnings up as heavy rain hits Southeast Alaska

Heavy rain starting Friday is expected to cause rapid rises on smaller rivers and streams across Southeast Alaska. Winds across the gulf and northern inner channels could gust to 50 knots, about 58 mph, through the weekend, the National Weather Service in Juneau said Thursday in a special weather statement.

Gale warnings are up for the outer coast from Cape Spencer to Cape Suckling until 5 p.m. Friday, with small craft advisories inside from Lynn Canal to Clarence Strait.

Forecasters expect roughly 1.5 to 3 inches of rain every 24 hours, with localized spots near Yakutat and along the gulf coast reaching about 4 inches in 24 hours. The heaviest rates, 0.15 to 0.3 inches per hour, are expected late Saturday into Sunday.

The statement covers Yakutat, Skagway, Haines Borough and Klukwan, Glacier Bay, Eastern Chichagof Island, Cape Fairweather to Lisianski Strait, Sitka, Admiralty Island, Juneau, Petersburg Borough, and Western Kupreanof and Kuiu Island.

Forecast marine winds are 30 to 40 knots gusting to 50 across the gulf late Saturday into Sunday, and 20 to 35 knots gusting 40 to 50 across the northern inner channels. On land, gulf coast gusts could reach about 45 mph. Seas on the gulf are forecast at 11 feet Friday, 17 feet Saturday night and 18 feet Sunday.

"This heavy rain will likely cause rapid river rises along smaller rivers and streams, but no flooding is expected at this time," the Weather Service said.

Fall is the region's wettest season. A 2022 University of Alaska Southeast report notes heavy rain is most common from August through October, with damaging winds from large Pacific storms, and that rain, wind and high tides can push water past the normal high tide line.