A storm-felled tree lies near the intersection of James Boulevard and Riverside Drive in Juneau on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. High winds caused damage and power outages around Juneau. (Mari Kanagy / ADN)
Landslides and flooding in Ketchikan last week knocked out a power substation and triggered a disaster declaration as wet, windy weather continued to pummel Southeast Alaska on Tuesday.
Reports of damage from around the region ranged from scores of trees down in Juneau, triggering scattered power outages, to a debris flow that partly crossed the Haines Highway.
By Tuesday afternoon in Juneau, forecasters registered winds up to 55 and 65 mph around town. But observations at higher elevations — up to 4,000 feet — ranged from 79 mph at the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway and 88 mph at Eaglecrest Ski Area to 131 mph at Sheep Mountain and 145 mph at Lemon Creek Glacier, according to the National Weather Service.
Hang in there, Juneau! Conditions are steadily beginning to improve with the front having passed almost all the way through. Here are some of the highest wind gusts observed today across Juneau, with most areas at the surface seeing 55 to almost 65 mph gusts this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/sHBLL9uV57
— NWS Juneau (@NWSJuneau) October 21, 2026
The agency issued a high wind warning through Tuesday night for southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 60 mph. The warning covered a sweeping area from Port Alexander to Skagway.
In Ketchikan, state emergency officials say, torrential rains and strong winds last week led to major damage in several areas.
A landslide temporarily closed the Third Avenue Bypass in downtown Ketchikan before another slide damaged the electrical substation at Ward Cove, causing widespread power disruptions. Additional damage was later reported at harbor facilities as well as to roads and culverts.
The estimated cost to repair the substation is about $1.6 million, according to reporting by KRBD community radio.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy declared a state disaster for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough on Saturday, emergency officials say. The disaster, which triggers access to public assistance to repair critical infrastructure, followed a joint local declaration from city and borough officials.
The state’s Emergency Operations Center deployed two geologists to provide incident commanders in Ketchikan with “technical assistance on slope stability,” according to a statement Tuesday.
Ketchikan has experienced a series of major and sometimes deadly landslides. Most recently, a slide that tore down a slope above downtown in the area of Third Avenue in August 2024 killed a city worker and injured three other people.
