Storm Warning 78, NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
FZAK51 PAFC 270012
CWFAER

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE ALASKA
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA COAST
UP TO 100 NM OUT INCLUDING KODIAK ISLAND AND COOK INLET.

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ197-271500-
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTH GULF COAST+KODIAK ISLAND WATERS+
COOK INLET...
A 1012 MB LOW 200 NM WEST OF SITKA MOVES ON SHORE NEAR CRAIG LATE
FRIDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE FORMS OVER THE GULF THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING. A 1015 MB LOW FORMS 100 NM SOUTH OF SEWARD EARLY SATURDAY
AFTERNOON AND DISSIPATES SUNDAY MORNING AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS FROM THE WEST.

$$

PKZ120-271500-
CAPE SUCKLING TO GORE POINT
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH FRIDAY...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 25 TO 45 KT. SEAS 7 TO 15 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND
SEAS WEST OF CAPE CLEARE. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT BECOMING NE 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 7 FT.
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SAT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ121-271500-
RESURRECTION BAY
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...GALE WARNING INTO SATURDAY MORNING...
.TONIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 35 KT IN THE MORNING BECOMING VARIABLE 10 KT LATE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 7 FT SUBSIDING TO 3 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. SNOW.
.SAT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.MON...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

PKZ125-271500-
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...
.TONIGHT...NW WIND INCREASING TO 30 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 7 FT.
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 6 FT
SUBSIDING TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.MON...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

PKZ129-271500-
PASSAGE CANAL
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 5 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...W WIND DIMINISHING TO 10 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 2 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.MON...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT.  

$$

PKZ130-271500-
BARREN ISLANDS AND KAMISHAK BAY WATERS
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 13 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...NW WIND 25 KT IN THE MORNING BECOMING VARIABLE 10 KT. SEAS
8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. SNOW AND RAIN.
.SAT...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$

PKZ132-271500-
SHUYAK ISLAND TO SITKINAK
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT IN THE MORNING BECOMING VARIABLE 10 KT. SEAS
9 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$

PKZ138-271500-
SHELIKOF STRAIT
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 15 KT IN THE MORNING BECOMING VARIABLE 10 KT. SEAS
3 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ140-271500-
COOK INLET NORTH OF KAMISHAK BAY AND ENGLISH BAY
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT EXCEPT N 20 KT N OF KALGIN ISLAND.
SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 4 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 3 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 3 FT. SNOW. 
.SAT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 4 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 4 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 3 FT. 
.MON...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ141-271500-
KACHEMAK BAY
400 PM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 3 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT.  
.FRI NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. SNOW.  
.SAT...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.MON...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
400 AM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
MEAN RIDGE POSITION ALONG 170 DEGREES WEST LONGITUDE. VERTICALLY
STACKED LOW OVER SOUTHERN ALASKA IS DROPPING SOUTHWARD OFF THE COLD
SIDE OF THE RIDGE AND THE RIDGE IS POPPING UP BEHIND IT OVER THE
EASTERN BERING SEA. DEEP LOW OVER SIBERIA WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW
OVER THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC AND THE WESTERN BERING SEA.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA TODAY AS THE BERING
SEA RIDGE NOSES INTO THE AREA. WINDS WILL INCREASE TODAY IN SOUTH
CENTRAL ALASKA THROUGH AREAS FAVORABLE FOR STRONG COLD ADVECTION
WINDS. THE RIDGE WILL PUSH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA ON FRIDAY AS
THE NEXT BERING SEA SYSTEM REACHES THE WEST COAST. THIS NEXT SYSTEM
IS ANOTHER RIDGE TOPPER AND THUS THE RAPID SURFACE PRESSURE
CHANGES WILL MAKE FOR SOME DECENT WINDS WITH THIS SYSTEM FRIDAY
THROUGH SATURDAY...BUT NOT AS STRONG AS WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
ANOTHER SHOT AT SOME SNOW ON SATURDAY AS THE FLOW ALOFT BRIEFLY
TURNS SOUTHWESTERLY AND CYCLONIC.

THE RIDGE WILL NOT REBOUND AS STRONGLY NORTHWARD INTO ALASKA BEHIND
THE NEXT SYSTEM SATURDAY NIGHT AND MOIST ZONAL FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO
IMPACT SOUTHWEST ALASKA. MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL WILL BE FAIRLY DRY IN
THE LEE OF THE ALASKA RANGE.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
YET ANOTHER RIDGE-TOPPING SYSTEM WILL RACE THROUGH ALASKA SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...THE CENTER OF THIS SYSTEM A LITTLE
FURTHER NORTH THAN PREVIOUS LOWS. THIS PATTERN OF PERIODIC LOWS
SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING 155 161.
MARINE...STORM WARNING 130 132 176 185.
         GALE WARNING 138 150 155 160 165 170 172 175 179 180.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING 121 160 179 180 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

LUDWIG FEB 09