Thunderstorm with 40 mph gusts, lightning hits Skagway and Chilkoot Trail Flood Area

A strong thunderstorm moved through the Skagway area Friday evening, bringing 40 mph wind gusts and frequent cloud-to-ground lightning to hikers, residents, and anyone caught outdoors in the corridor. The National Weather Service warned that gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects across the affected zone, which included Skagway Customs, Skagway, White Pass, Dyea, and the Chilkoot Trail Flood Area.

NWS Juneau issued the special weather statement at 7:20 p.m. AKDT for the Municipality of Skagway after satellite imagery detected the storm 16 miles east of White Pass, tracking southwest at 25 mph. "Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm," the agency said. "Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle."

The alert was set to expire around 8:15 p.m. Anyone still outdoors in the area was advised to get inside a building or vehicle until the storm passed.