ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Hurricane force winds will persist over Prince William Sound Thursday. Gusts near 100 mph have already been reported for the second day in a row in Valdez.
Southcentral will see strong winds Thursday morning before they begin to taper off later in the evening. By night they should become calm.
Palmer will be particularly hard hit in the morning. Gusts up to 70 mph are possible. A High Wind Warning is in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday. That may be extended through the noon hour.
West sides of Anchorage will see gusts to 40 mph, but east sides will be calmer.
The state will be dry, with one exception. A strong low is tracking over the Aleutians into the Bering Sea. A strong frontal boundary and upper jet will supply abundant moisture for the Aleutians and, later in the day, the Alaska Peninsula. Rain could be heavy at times, and winds will reach 55 mph.
