Hot weather could continue in Haines this week with temperatures forecasted in the upper 70s and low 80s.
Pete Boyd, a meteorologist from Juneau at the National Weather Service, said while there is potential for minor flooding on the Chilkat River, the otherwise dry weather means serious flooding is unlikely. But the dry conditions bring wildfire risk.
Warmer temperatures means drier fuel, which increases concerns for fires, Boyd said. However, Boyd said that winds and low humidity aren’t expected, meaning the area won’t be considered in “critical fire weather conditions.”
The warm temperatures are a combined result of a high pressure ridge building over the Gulf of Alaska and a warm air mass coming in from British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Certain areas in the Panhandle region might experience a cooler weekend as the marine layer moves in and lowers temperatures, but Boyd said that northern Lynn Canal typically does not experience this phenomenon.
“A special weather statement gives notification to the public that there is an out-of-ordinary weather event,” explained Boyd. They are not severe enough to qualify as warnings.
The Southeast region usually experiences periods of warmer temperatures from early June to the end of July, but the warm bouts typically don’t last more than a few days, Boyd said.