Daily Sitka Sentinel

Heavy Rain Raises Sitka Landslide Risk Level

By GARLAND KENNEDY

Sentinel Staff Writer

Over an inch of rain fell in Sitka through Wednesday, and more is anticipated today and into the weekend as an atmospheric river deluges Southeast, the National Weather Service says.

For the time being, the northern sections of the Panhandle, including Sitka, are seeing the worst of the storm front, but it’s likely to shift south as today wears on, NWS meteorologist Spencer Fielding said from his Juneau office this morning.

Tourists try to stay dry this morning on Lincoln Street. Over an inch of rain fell in Sitka through Wednesday, and more is anticipated today and into the weekend as an atmospheric river deluges Southeast, the National Weather Service says. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

“We have an area of low pressure that is in the Gulf of Alaska right now that’s moving inland and it has picked up some moisture from the tropics and subtropics with it,” Fielding said, “so it’s carrying it north as well, as it’s moving through the area. A lot of the area, the central and northern Panhandle are seeing a lot of rain at the moment. The southern Panhandle is not for the time being, but they will get their chance later this evening.”

A total of 1.04 inches of rain was measured for Wednesday at the Sitka airport, with more coming. As of 10 a.m. today another 1.5 inches had been logged. Today’s NWS forecast calls for up to 2 inches of rain, with winds between 10 and 15 miles per hour, gusting as high as 30.

High winds are characteristic of an atmospheric river, Fielding noted, with buoys at Dixon Entrance clocking sustained winds of 30 knots with gusts to 35 over the last 24 hours. Closer to Sitka, the buoy at Cape Edgecumbe was calmer, but winds there were still around 15 knots and are expected to intensify today, Fielding said.

“It’s more offshore winds that are really the big issue right now… Peak rainfall for Sitka is really going to be (today) and then it’s going to taper off into this evening, and Sitka really will be moving out of the worst of it by then,” he said.

Sitka is under a National Weather Service flood watch until noon Friday.

“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, other low-lying areas and flood-prone locations. Area creeks and streams are running high and could flood with more heavy rain. Isolated landslides are possible in areas of steep terrain,” the NWS watch notice states. As of this afternoon, the Sitka landslide dashboard, https://sitkalandslide.org/, registered medium landslide risk for today, but low risk Friday and Saturday.

Along with the flood watch, NWS has issued gale warnings and small craft advisories for the waters around Southeast. Also today, the city advised residents with boats moored in local harbors to check that their bilge pumps work and deck drains are clear.

But even after this system passes, Fielding said, another front is ready to hit Sitka Saturday, when an invitational cross country meet is scheduled here. More rain is expected next week. Sitka’s forecast is published at https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=57.0531&lon=-135.33.

“Saturday will be another system. We’re still looking at what it’s going to entail with that,” Fielding said. “Right now, I can’t tell you exactly if it’s going to be an atmospheric river or not, because we’re still watching the forecast to see what it looks like it’ll be.”

He advised Sitkans to remain vigilant for the remainder of the week.

“Be aware of the weather – it’s looking like it’s going to be a very active week of weather across the area with more systems moving through,” he said. “Some stronger, some may be weaker.”