PALMER — High winds knocked out power for thousands and inflicted widespread damage in Mat-Su on Saturday with gusts forecast up to 90 mph before what’s expected to be a prolonged storm ends Monday.
Power outages began early Saturday morning. As of about 4:30 p.m., there were more than 17,000 members without power, according to Matanuska Electric Association. Major outages were reported around the region, from Talkeetna to Wasilla, Palmer and Sutton.
MEA officials said they had crews working across the service territory but members may be without power for some time.
“Please continue to be prepared for outages lasting into tomorrow as these winds continue to cause havoc around the service territory,” the utility said in a midafternoon update. “We will have crews working around the clock to make repairs.”
Wasilla’s Walmart store announced Saturday afternoon it was “closed until further notice due to poor weather” and photos showed a section of the store’s roof gone. Settler’s Bay Lodge said the establishment would be closed “for the foreseeable future” after the winds inflicted “considerable damage” to the roof.
People around the region were reporting trees down, some across major roads like the Old Glenn Highway, and flipped sheds and trailers. There was also a report of damaged railroad crossing gates in Wasilla as well as at least one small brush fire sparked by a downed power line.
By 5:30 p.m., the Palmer Airport had recorded a gust of 86 mph while gusts reached maximums of 70 mph at the Wasilla Airport and 81 mph at the Glenn Highway near the Parks Highway, according to weather station observations.
The violent winds came as temperatures dropped into the single digits in part of Mat-Su. The region suffered major damage in a multiday windstorm in January 2022.
A high wind warning from the National Weather Service is in place until 1 p.m. Monday for the Matanuska Valley including Wasilla, Sutton, Big Lake, Chickaloon and Palmer. The warning calls for northeast winds of 35 to 55 mph with possible gusts up to 90 mph. Wind chill could drop to between minus 10 and minus 20 degrees by Sunday evening, the agency said.
Palmer and Wasilla police warned that numerous traffic signals might be dark Saturday due to power outages. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough announced the central landfill near Palmer was closed due to high winds. Palmer airport officials on Friday urged pilots to secure all aircraft.
The National Weather Service cautioned of the potential for difficult travel conditions and power outages, as well as the risk of frostbite developing on exposed skin after as little as 30 minutes given significantly cold, windy conditions in the forecast.
A high wind advisory for the Anchorage area and the northwest Kenai Peninsula — including Nikiski, Kenai, Soldotna and Sterling — remains in effect until 1 p.m. Monday. Forecasters expected north winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 55, and wind chill dropping to between minus 5 and minus 15 by Sunday night. Knik Arm, West Anchorage and areas along the coast of northern Cook Inlet were likely to experience the strongest winds, according to the advisory.
