Weather Service upgrades Sitka to a high wind warning, with gusts up to 60 mph Thursday

The National Weather Service in Juneau upgraded a wind advisory for Sitka to a high wind warning Thursday morning. The warning calls for southeast winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph until 6 pm.

The City and Borough of Sitka asked residents to secure boats and loose objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind. The Weather Service warns that the wind will blow unsecured objects around, damage property and cause power outages, and that travel will be difficult.

Winds are expected to ease briefly before building again from the southwest late Thursday night into Friday morning, according to the city's notice. As of late Thursday morning, no Weather Service alert covered Sitka after 6 pm.

The warning grew out of a wind advisory the Weather Service issued Wednesday for Sitka. It covered 9 am to 6 pm Thursday and called for gusts up to 45 mph. Early Thursday, forecasters extended the advisory to 9 am Friday to cover the second round of southwest wind. They replaced it with the warning at 10:38 am.

Ketchikan and Annette Island were also under high wind warnings Thursday. Forecasters called for gusts up to 60 mph in Ketchikan and up to 65 mph on Annette Island, reaching 75 mph above 500 feet. A Metlakatla-area station clocked an 87 mph gust Wednesday, Alaska News reported Nov. 4.

During the Oct. 20 storm, Sitka's airport clocked a 76 mph gust, well past the 50 mph the advisories had called for. A high wind warning in January brought similar conditions to Sitka, with southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 65 mph.

The city directs residents to the National Weather Service Juneau website for updates.