High winds hamper weekend travel

High winds and heavy seas in the Upper Lynn Canal are foiling travel plans this weekend. It’s no polar vortex, but the LeConte is cancelled through Sunday and most flights are grounded.

At the Haines airport wind is gusting. That’s true throughout the Upper Lynn Canal. It’s hindering transportation. Alaska Seaplanes cancelled all their flights out of Juneau Friday. Carl Ramseth, the General Manager says those wind speeds exceed their limits.

“Operationally we have different cutoffs for different areas with peak winds,” Ramseth said. “In Lynn Canal when the wind is gusting at 60 knots at Eldred Rock, that is the cutoff point for us. Actually, all of our planes have stayed inside the hangars today here in Juneau.”

Ramseth says high winds and turbulence make flights too uncomfortable for their passengers and crew. He says they cancelled about 45 flights today.

“That’s just part of aviation in southeast… On an annual basis about 20 percent of flights affected by weather cancellations,” Ramseth said.

He’s hoping the wind will slow down so they can get flights in the air this weekend.

The LeConte is cancelled this Friday as well. Captains decided it was safest not to make any sailings because of storm force winds, 12-foot seas, and heavy freezing spray.

National Weather Service forecaster Wes Adkins in Juneau says there is a storm warning in effect through tonight.

“For sustained wind of around fifty knots with gusts a lot higher. Some of these gusts we have seen are approaching 70 knots plus. In order to translate that into miles an hour, we are approaching 80 mph, if not a little more,” Adkins said.

Harris Air is flying between Juneau and Haines despite the gusts. Resident Brian Elliot was on a morning flight.

“It’s hard to describe. I mean I’ve been flying in Lynn Canal for 22 years and it was by far the roughest flight I’ve ever been on.”

Elliot says he trusts the pilot and the plane–a Piper Navajo–100 percent. But he says he’s glad to be back on the ground.

“Would I do it again? I’m not sure. I’m really not sure. I’m still kind of shaking and I’ve been on the ground for a couple hours now.”

He carries a suitcase to the car with a smile.

“My seatbelt was cinched as tight as it can go. And I wrapped it, double wrapped it on my hand, just to grab onto something. It’s just like you’re putting yourself in the spin cycle. And you don’t know when it’s going to end.” 

High winds are affecting travel on the roads as well. There is a windchill advisory on the Klondike highway.