The National Weather Service Forecasts-

TODAY...SUNNY...LOCALLY WINDY. HIGHS AROUND 14. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH. NEAR DOWNTOWN JUNEAU AND DOUGLAS. NORTHEAST WIND INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS 2 TO 8...EXCEPT AROUND 5 BELOW IN WIND SHELTERED AREAS. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH. NEAR DOWNTOWN JUNEAU AND DOUGLAS...NORTHEAST WIND INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH. WIND CHILL TO 20 BELOW ZERO NEAR INTERIOR PASSES.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS AROUND 10 ABOVE. EAST WIND 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH NEAR DOWNTOWN JUNEAU AND DOUGLAS IN THE MORNING. WIND CHILL TO 25 BELOW ZERO.

Most of the lower snowpack is quite stable. The primary concern for today lies in the new 2-5\" of new snow and the wind transport.

Areas are being loaded along the channel from outflow winds. These windslabs can be quite sensative. We may even see some natural activity along Thane Road and above the urban zones of The Flume and Perseverance Trail. The Berhands avalanche path also loads during these wind events and can become a concern the longer the winds persist.

The snow is quite cold and this makes for powder avalanches that can be quite fast and move great distance.

Today is a good day to avoid avalanche zones especially when you can see winds blowing snow off the tops of the mountains and into these starting zones.

Be aware in the backcountry windloaded areas will remain sensative as well. Be extremely cautious in windloaded areas.

Avalanche danger is Considerable at this time..

Natural avalanches possible, potentially destructive avalanches may come near or reach developed areas.

Human triggered avalanches probable especially in windloaded areas.

ITS COLD OUT THERE>>> BUNDLE UP AND HAVE A GREAT DAY ENJOYING THE SUN>

Temperature can also play a part in avalanche danger. Sharp cooling created thermal stress in the snowpack.

Some of the largest avalanche events in the Juneau History were during outflow wind events like we are having today.

The famous Skip Grey pictures of the Chop Gulley Avalanche coming through downtown Juneau were on a day like today.

The Berhands Avalanche from '62 was also on a day like today.

Be aware that although its clear and sunny avalanche danger is still CONSIDERABLE today!