Forecasters expect 25 to 35 mph gusts across Fairbanks area Saturday

Gusty west-southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected across Fairbanks and the surrounding Interior valleys through Saturday night, easing in the evening and further overnight.

The National Weather Service statement covers the Tanana Flats, Eielson Air Force Base and Salcha, the Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills, the Chatanika River Valley, Two Rivers, Nenana, the upper Chena River Valley, the White Mountains and high terrain south of the Yukon River, and the Central Interior.

The wind comes behind the rain. "As rainfall moves east out of the Central Interior and Fairbanks North Star Borough, drier air will continue to bring gusty winds," forecasters said. Deeper valleys may see lighter winds early Saturday, with occasional gusts in the same range.

It is the second such statement in two days. Forecasters issued the first Friday morning, warning of the same 25 to 35 mph gusts through Saturday.

The FAA's Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office advises pilots to rely on aviation-specific briefings rather than public wind advisories, which can miss localized turbulence and crosswind hazards.