Small Craft Advisory 236, NWS Anchorage, AK

580 
FZAK51 PAFC 282328
CWFAER

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE ALASKA
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

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.

PKZ197-291500-
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTH GULF COAST+KODIAK ISLAND WATERS+
COOK INLET...

A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL FORM OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF THIS
AFTERNOON...THEN WEAKEN WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN POSITION ON FRIDAY. A
972 MB NORTH PACIFIC LOW WILL MOVE TO 360 NM SOUTHEAST OF CORDOVA
THURSDAY AFTERNOON...THEN WEAKEN TO 984 MB 280 NM SOUTH OF CORDOVA
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ120-291500-
CAPE SUCKLING TO GORE POINT
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT INCREASING TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 10
FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SUN...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

PKZ121-291500-
RESURRECTION BAY
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

.TONIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. HIGHER SEAS S OF CAINES HEAD.
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. HIGHER SEAS S OF CAINES HEAD. RAIN
AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. HIGHER SEAS S OF CAINES HEAD. 
.FRI...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SUN...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.MON...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT.  

$$

PKZ125-291500-
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. RAIN AND SNOW.
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SUN...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.MON...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT.  

$$

PKZ129-291500-
PASSAGE CANAL
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

.TONIGHT...E WIND 10 KT INCREASING TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
2 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.THU...E WIND 10 KT IN THE MORNING BECOMING VARIABLE LESS THAN
10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT THROUGH MON...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT.

$$

PKZ130-291500-
BARREN ISLANDS AND KAMISHAK BAY WATERS
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 25 KT...EXCEPT NE 35 KT W OF THE BARREN ISLANDS
DURING THE EVENING. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT...EXCEPT 5 FT W OF THE BARREN
ISLANDS. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ132-291500-
SHUYAK ISLAND TO SITKINAK
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN. 
.THU...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. RAIN. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI THROUGH SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ138-291500-
SHELIKOF STRAIT
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

PKZ140-291500-
COOK INLET NORTH OF KAMISHAK BAY AND ENGLISH BAY
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT EXCEPT N 20 KT N OF KALGIN ISLAND. SEAS IN
ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT EXCEPT NE 15 KT N OF KALGIN ISLAND. SEAS IN ICE
FREE WATERS 6 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT EXCEPT NE 10 KT N OF KALGIN ISLAND. SEAS
IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT. 
.FRI...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 3 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS
1 FOOT. 
.SAT AND SUN...W WIND 10 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 2 FT.
.MON...NW WIND 10 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 2 FT.  

$$

PKZ141-291100-
KACHEMAK BAY
400 PM AKDT WED MAR 28 2012

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. RAIN SHOWERS.
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU NIGHT AND FRI...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT.
.FRI NIGHT AND SAT...E WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT.
.SUN AND MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT.

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
200 PM AKDT TUE MAR 27 2012

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...A RELATIVELY BENIGN PATTERN IS IN PLACE
OVER THE BERING SEA AND MAINLAND ALASKA TODAY CONSISTING OF A BROAD
UPPER TROUGH POSITIONED NEAR THE EASTERN BERING SEA. THE EASTERN
PORTION OF THE STATE IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE
EXTENDING OUT OF WESTERN CANADA. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY BETWEEN THESE TWO
LARGE SCALE FEATURES HAS STALLED NEAR KODIAK AND THE ALASKA
PENINSULA. A QUICK MOVING LOW CAUGHT IN THE JET STREAM WELL SOUTH OF
OUR DOMAIN IS RACING TO THE EAST AND WILL HAVE LITTLE TO NO IMPACT ON
OUR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL LATER IN THE WEEK. MULTIPLE
SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN THE SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW ALOFT ARE BRINGING
PERIODS OF RAIN AND SNOW TO THE NORTHWESTERN GULF AS WELL AS THE
SOUTHWESTERN MAINLAND.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN EXCELLENT AGREEMENT AND
CONSISTENT WITH PREVIOUS RUNS. ALL OF THE MODELS APPEAR TO NOT QUITE
MATCH UP WITH THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION NEAR THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS
WHEN COMPARED TO THE 18Z INFRARED SATELLITE. EVEN WITH THIS MINOR
INITIALIZATION ISSUE...DO NOT EXPECT MANY CHANGES TO THE AFTERNOON
FORECAST.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...
THE FIRST OF MANY EASTERLY SHORT WAVES IS IMPACTING SOUTHCENTRAL
ALASKA TODAY. STEADY SNOW AND RAIN IS FALLING ALONG THE NORTHWEST
GULF COAST INCLUDING KODIAK ISLAND ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FIRST WAVE. A
SECOND WEAK WAVE WILL MAINTAIN THE ENHANCED PRECIPITATION ALONG THE
COAST AND CLOUD COVER OVER THE INTERIOR TONIGHT...THEN A MUCH
STRONGER WAVE WILL MOVER TOWARD THE SOUTHERN KENAI PENINSULA
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE POTENTIAL FOR WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH MID TO LATE WEEK AS THE THICKNESS INCREASES WITH
EACH SUCCESSIVE EASTERLY WAVE. CLOUD COVER IS INTRODUCING A VARIABLE
THAT COULD LEAD TO TEMPERATURES NOT REACHING THE 40S AS ADVERTISED.
THE BEST CHANCE FOR CLOUDS TO SCATTER OUT WILL BE WEDNESDAY AND AGAIN
THURSDAY AFTERNOON CONGRUENT WITH SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE SHORT WAVES.
IF THIS HAPPENS...EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO QUICKLY JUMP UP INTO THE
LOWER TO MID 40S AROUND SOUTHCENTRAL.

BY THURSDAY...THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW RACING SOUTH OF OUR DOMAIN WILL
STALL OVER THE NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC AND BEGIN TO FILL. AS IT
DOES...COLD AIR WILL VERY SLOWLY FILTER ACROSS THE STATE ALLOWING
TEMPERATURES TO RETURN TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND ALEUTIANS...
THE STALLED FRONT AND EASTERLY WAVE HAS ENHANCED THE SNOW OVER
SOUTHWEST ALASKA MORE THAN ANY OTHER REGION. LIGHT SNOW IS FALLING
FROM BRISTOL BAY UP TO THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY. A TIGHT PRESSURE
GRADIENT ACROSS THE REGION IS ALSO RESULTING IN BLUSTERY WINDS
ESPECIALLY NEAR BRISTOL BAY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL VERY SLOWLY
IMPROVE OVERNIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING AS THE LOW FILLS OUT WEST AND
AND THE GRADIENT WEAKENS. A BRIEF BREAK FROM THE PRECIPITATION IS
LIKELY OVERNIGHT WITH FOG AND LOW STRATUS A POSSIBILITY WHERE WINDS
LIE DOWN. THE NEXT WAVE BRINGS ANOTHER SHOT OF RAIN AND SNOW
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE A SLOW CLEARING AND COOLING BY THE END OF
THE WEEK.

OVER THE ALEUTIANS AND BERING SEA...RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL
PREVAIL UNDER THE VERY BROAD CYCLONIC CIRCULATION. THE 975 MB LOW
WEAKENS TONIGHT AS IT DRIFTS TOWARD THE ALASKA PENINSULA WHERE IT
WILL DISSIPATE BY THURSDAY MORNING. SMALL CRAFT TO MINIMUM GALE
NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL AGAIN PREDOMINATE OVER THE BERING SEA BY MID
WEEK ALONG WITH THE VERY TYPICAL WEAK COLD AIR ADVECTION SNOW
SHOWERS.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE WARNING...130 172.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

AB MAR 12