Saturday, September 15, 2012

High wind warning in effect for Anchorage - @adndotcom

Forecasters watching what's expected to be the second 100 mph windstorm to slam Southcentral Alaska in the past two weeks said Saturday afternoon it's tracking as predicted and has prompted a high-wind warning and flood advisory for the Anchorage area and flood watches for western Prince William Sound.

Gusts up to 65 mph are possible in the Anchorage Bowl and lower Hillside, and gusts to 110 mph are possible on the Upper Hillside and Turnagain Arm, the National Weather Service said.

Wind was picking up Saturday afternoon and expected to peak overnight. The powerful storm is dumping rain on Prince William Sound communities, which should see the worst, said weather service forecaster Joshua Maloy.

"That area's going to bear the brunt, in terms of rain and in terms of wind," Maloy said.

Hydrologists are keeping a close eye on rivers and streams in the entire Prince William Sound region due to the potential for flooding, Maloy said.

"There is some concern, especially down around Seward, about possible implications of the Resurrection River rising," Maloy said. "We're still analyzing and need to make a determination there."

In Anchorage, the highest winds in the early morning hours Sunday are expected to move down from the higher elevations on the east and continue heading west through Sunday. Electric utilities have warned of possible power outages, and as Anchorage residents stocked up on supplies, some reported stores selling out of things like flashlights, batteries and lamp oil.

On Saturday afternoon, the Weather Service posted a flood advisory for the Anchorage Bowl and Eagle River, warning of potential for rapidly rising water on area streams and the potential for minor flooding.

Officials at the Salvation Army, at 1701 C Street, were making plans to serve meals and offer showering facilities Sunday if needed.

Anchorage airport operations managers say they are waiting to see how the storm progresses and if turbulence might force planes to divert to Fairbanks as they did during the storm that hit Sept. 4.

They're also doing what many others are doing: Looking for and securing things that might blow around in the wind, said John Stocker, and operations manager at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

"It's a fairly normal Alaska thing, getting ready for the storm," Stocker said.

Among the warnings and advisories in effect:

A high wind warning for Anchorage, Eagle River and Turnagain Arm from 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday.

A flood advisory for the Anchorage and Eagle River through 10 a.m. Monda.

A high wind warning for western Prince William Sound and the western Kenai Peninsula from 10 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday. This includes Girdwood, Whittier and Seward.

A flood watch is in effect for western Prince William Sound and the Seward area, with "widespread areas of 4 to 7 inches of rainfall with some areas in the mountains showing amounts greater than 9 inches for the 24 hour period ending Sunday evening."

A high wind warning for Alaska Range passes, including the Parks Highway though the Nenana River canyon from midnight to 6 p.m. Sunday, with gusts to 75 mph.

All current warnings, watches and advisories here.

Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.