Residents of Seward, and to a lesser extent the rest of the Kenai Peninsula, will be pummeled with high winds and rain through Wednesday night.
The National Weather Service has released a flood advisory for the western part of the Prince William Sound effective through Thursday afternoon, though Crane Johnson, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Anchorage, said the system will move through the Seward area rather quickly.
“The heaviest rain is going to come tonight (Tuesday),” Johnson said.
The heavy rain will bring with it “the potential to cause minor flooding along the Resurrection River and other small streams in the Seward area,” according to the flood advisory.
Water is also expected to pool in low areas, such as near culverts and along drainages, according to the advisory. The Seward Airport runway could also be covered in water during high tide early this morning, according to the advisory.
Johnson said residents in the Seward area can take precautions by removing personal items that may be close to a river or stream and bringing them to higher ground.
“Take a look today before it gets dark and see what other preparations folks can do,” he said.
The National Weather Service also issued a high wind warning for the cities of Seward, Girdwood, Moose Pass and Whittier. Meteorologist Jason Ahsenmacher said the strongest winds were expected to blow over Tuesday night, getting up to 75-95 miles per hour.
“The strongest winds are going to be in the typical areas that see a lot of wind like Turnagain Arm,” Ahsenmacher said.
Even areas in the central Kenai Peninsula were expected to see strong gusts overnight, though not nearly to the level that will be felt in the cities the warning was issued for, he said. Winds will continue into today, Ahsenmacher said, though they will be much weaker.
“The good news is, it’s really going to be coming through quite quick,” he said.
Ahsenmacher said larger vehicles traveling the peninsula and those towing boats or trailers will be most susceptible to the high winds.
“People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind,” according to the wind warning.
Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@peninsulaclarion.com.
