Severe storms can suddenly usher in violent winds that cause rain and snow to blow horizontally. During stormy weather, williwaws—very strong blasts of wind that sweep down from the hills and lift the water up off the surface of the bay—often occur. Storms can last for days. In winter, the spongy tundra becomes slick, frozen muck. Fifty-foot waves are not uncommon, and reefs offshore make navigation treacherous.
