By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A blast of arctic air carrying frigid temperatures and clear skies will arrive late today, replacing this week’s mild, damp weather, the National Weather Service says.
And with windchills factored in, temperatures might fall below zero on Monday and Tuesday, NWS meteorologist Caleb Cravens told the Sentinel.
“There’s still some uncertainty about exactly how cold Sitka may get,” Cravens said from his Juneau office. “Right now, we’re forecasting low teens for the highs and then, for the lows, we’re going down to 10, 12, 13 degrees.”
While air temperatures will be unseasonably cold, it’s the wind that will likely send Sitka into the negatives, the meteorologist said.
“On Monday morning, we have windchills below zero for Sitka, around negative five to negative two… Monday night we go back into the negatives, and then Tuesday morning, you’ll go back below zero – these are (caused by) the windchills.”
A 10 knot northerly is forecast early next week.
On Monday and Tuesday, there’s a chance Southeast might set new daily records for cold, the Weather Service announced via Twitter. The record low for December 19 is the 10 degrees Fahrenheit recorded in 1955. Sitka’s all-time low temperature was minus one degree Fahrenheit, measured without windchill, in 1948.
Once temperatures fall into the mid-20s late today, the current NWS forecast says, the air is primed to remain below freezing well into next week. The forecast is online at weather.gov/juneau, and the Weather Service posts updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Cravens said a ridge of high pressure over the Arctic will push frigid air southward, causing the sudden drop in temperature.
“With these northerly outflow patterns, it’s bringing not only cold air, but dry air from the Arctic. It’s very cold, dry air and so as it is transported to the Panhandle, we will not be expecting any precip, and this is going to continue really through most of the week,” he noted.
The meteorologist urged Sitkans to remain safe in the cold and ensure the safety of those around them, too.
“We always want to stress winter safety. Start preparing now by making sure that you dress in layers, limit your time outdoors, if you can,” he said. “Avoid sweating or getting wet. You also want to be mindful of your neighbors. Check on your family, check your neighbors, especially your elderly neighbors, as well as your pets.”
“It’s going to be cold, that’s the moral of the story,” Cravens summarized.
The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement of extreme cold temperatures beginning this weekend. Visit the National Weather Service Juneau website at weather.gov/ajk/ for more information.
With the cold weather predicted, the City and Borough of Sitka reminds residents to take safety measures when outdoors and with pets.
The city said homeowners should take measures to prevent their pipes from freezing and is offering the following tips:
–Allow a small trickle of water from the cold water faucet in your kitchen to run;
–Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage; open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warmer air circulation around the plumbing;
–Use an insulated cover over outside faucets and disconnect any outdoor hoses;
–If you will be going away during the cold weather, leave the heat on in your home.
Harbor users should regularly check on their vessels to ensure they are safely moored. Vessels should be pumped out prior to the cold weather and bilge lines checked. Owners are encouraged to use preventative measures to keep them from freezing.
