Here is today's "Special Weather Statement." Since early December we've had a mild winter- but it appears that is ending.

The mentioned winds are our 'Taku winds' that consist of strong, swirling winds straight off the icefields that surround us, while the air is clear, the sky sunny, and temperatures range from minus zero to about 10 above. Each incident of Taku wind lasts anywhere from three days to two weeks. They can be brutal, as they were last winter.

THE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS SOUTHEAST ALASKA WILL TURN VERY COLD AND WINDY STARTING LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH NEXT WEEK.

A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE CENTER WILL BUILD OVER THE YUKON FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE SATURDAY. THIS HIGH PRESSURE WILL SEND VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR ACROSS THE AREA CAUSING TEMPERATURES TO FALL THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY INTO THE 20S OVER THE NORTHERN AREAS AND LOWER 30S OVER THE SOUTHERN AREA.

TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS OVER THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE PANHANDLE TO THE MID 20S TO MID TEENS OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM BELOW ZERO OVER THE NORTHERN HALF TO LOW TEENS OVER THE SOUTH THIRD.

THE COLD AIR WILL PERSIST INTO NEXT WEEK AND HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM SINGLE DIGITS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF AND NEAR 20 OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF. LOWS WILL REMAIN BELOW ZERO TO SINGLE DIGITS. PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO KEEP PIPES FROM FREEZING SINCE MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST ALASKA ARE SNOW FREE.