National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists have issued a slew of urgent weather alerts , including hurricane-force wind and high wind warnings, as a strong storm pummels the Northern Gulf of Alaska on Wednesday.

"Our storms get strong, especially in the shoulder seasons like fall," NWS lead meteorologist Virginia Rux told Newsweek . "And they make their way sometimes into the Bering Sea and sometimes into the Gulf [of Alaska]."

Why It Matters

The warnings come as Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica on Tuesday and battered Cuba on Wednesday. Though not related to Melissa and not tropical in nature, the storm in Alaska will spawn winds equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane, which could cause widespread power outages, damage to outdoor items, and difficulty traveling.

Earlier t

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