Alert archive / Alaska / Storm Warnings in 2018

Storm Warning 18, NWS Juneau, AK

February 28, 2018

NWS Juneau, AK issued this storm warning at Feb 28, 2018, 3:41 PM AKST. It was in force for 24 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 28, 2018, 3:41 PM AKST (00:41 UTC)
Expired
Mar 1, 2018, 3:27 PM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Juneau, AK

The text

As transmitted.

339 
FZAK52 PAJK 010041
CWFAEG

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA
National Weather Service Juneau AK
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-011845-
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
A gale force low over Haida Gwaii will weaken slowly while
moving south. A trough of low pressure will persist along the
outer coast. High pressure over the interior and western gulf
will shift east, creating strong northerly outflow winds along
the gulf coast and northern inner channels.  

$$

PKZ041-011845-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt becoming N 35 kt in the evening. Seas 9 
ft building to 15 ft.
.THU...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 14 ft. 
.THU NIGHT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...NE wind 10 kt becoming SW. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-011845-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 35 kt. Seas 9 ft building to 15 ft. 
.THU...N wind 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. 
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 12 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...N wind 10 kt becoming SW. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-011845-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

...STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 40 kt increasing to 50 kt late. Seas 9 ft
building to 16 ft.
.THU...NE wind 50 kt. Gusts to 65 kt out of Cross Sound.
Seas 16 ft. 
.THU NIGHT...NE gale to 45 kt diminishing to gale to 35 kt
late. Seas 13 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.SAT...SE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...N wind 15 kt becoming SW. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...S wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-011845-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 45 kt. Seas 13 ft. Freezing spray. 
.THU...NE wind 45 kt. Seas 13 ft. Freezing spray in the
morning. 
.THU NIGHT...NE gale to 40 kt diminishing to 30 kt late.
Seas 10 ft. 
.FRI...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SAT...SE wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...N wind 10 kt becoming E. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...SE wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-011845-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
341 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. 
.THU...N wind 20 kt. Seas 8 ft. SW swell in the afternoon.
Freezing spray in the morning. 
.THU NIGHT...N wind 15 kt becoming E late. Seas 6 ft. 
.FRI...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...E wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SAT...SE wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming E. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...E wind 10 kt becoming S. Seas 4 ft. 

$$
2 follow-up statements
846 
FZAK52 PAJK 011219
CWFAEG

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA
National Weather Service Juneau AK
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-020630-
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
A gale force low over Haida Gwaii will gradually weaken while
moving south. This will combine with high pressure over the 
interior and western gulf will result in strong northerly outflow 
winds along the gulf coast and northern inner channels. 

$$

PKZ041-020630-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...N wind 30 kt. Seas 14 ft. 
.TONIGHT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...NW wind 10 kt becoming SW. Seas 5 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-020630-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...N wind 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. 
.TONIGHT...NE wind 35 kt. Seas 12 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming NE. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...E wind 10 kt becoming S. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-020630-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...STORM WARNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...NE wind 50 kt diminishing in the afternoon. Gusts to 65 
kt out of Cross Sound. Seas 16 ft. 
.TONIGHT...NE wind 40 kt diminishing to 30 kt late. Seas 13 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 25 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 15 kt becoming W. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 15 kt becoming NE. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...S wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-020630-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...NE wind 45 kt. Seas 13 ft. Freezing spray early in
the morning. 
.TONIGHT...NE wind 40 kt diminishing to 30 kt late. Seas 10 ft. 
.FRI...NE wind 25 kt becoming N 15 kt in the afternoon.
Seas 5 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 10 kt becoming W. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming E. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...SE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-020630-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
319 AM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...N wind 25 kt diminishing to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas
8 ft subsiding in the afternoon. SW swell in the afternoon. 
Freezing spray early in the morning. 
.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt becoming E late. Seas 6 ft. 
.FRI...NW wind 10 kt becoming E in the afternoon. Seas
3 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...E wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 10 kt becoming W. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming NE. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...E wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$
342 
FZAK52 PAJK 020027
CWFAEG

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA
National Weather Service Juneau AK
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-021830-
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
Strong high pressure over the Yukon and a trough over the SE
gulf will continue to produce strong northerly outflow winds 
along the gulf coast and northern inner channels tonight. Then 
the trough will slowly weaken into the weekend causing a slow 
reduction in outflow. 

$$

PKZ041-021830-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH FRIDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.SAT NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...NW wind 10 kt becoming SW. Seas 5 ft. 
.TUE...S wind 10 kt becoming NW. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-021830-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N wind 35 kt diminishing late. Seas 12 ft. 
.FRI...N wind 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.SAT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SAT NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming NE. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...E wind 10 kt becoming S. Seas 4 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt becoming E. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-021830-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 45 kt diminishing to 35 kt late. Gusts to 60 kt
out of Cross Sound in the evening. Seas 14 ft.
.FRI...N wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 15 kt becoming NE. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...S wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.TUE...E wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-021830-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 40 kt diminishing to 30 kt late. Gusts to
55 kt out of interior passes in the evening. Seas 12 ft subsiding
to 8 ft late.
.FRI...N wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SAT...Light winds. Seas 2 ft or less. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming E. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...SE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.TUE...SE wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-021830-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
327 PM AKST Thu Mar 1 2018

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt becoming E late. Seas 6 ft. 
.FRI...NW wind 10 kt in the morning becoming light. Seas 4 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...Light winds. Seas 3 ft. 
.SAT...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SAT NIGHT...W wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...NW wind 10 kt becoming NE. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...E wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.TUE...E wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this storm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this storm warning went out at Feb 28, 1:49 PM AKST, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 1:49 PM AKST, 1 hour 52 minutes before
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 28 2018

.SHORT TERM.../Wednesday night through Thursday night/...A low
over Haida Gwaii will slowly weaken and move south through this
short term forecast period, taking rain and snow showers with it.
A trough of low pressure will remain over the far eastern gulf and
high pressure over the interior and western gulf will shift east
through the period, resulting in very strong outflow winds along
the central and northern outer coast as well as the northern and
central inner channels. Storm warnings in effect for northern and
southern Lynn Canal tonight as well as out of Cross sound tomorrow
morning. As winds over the northern inner channels shifted north,
temperatures fell rapidly over the canal, prompting a heavy
freezing spray warning for tonight over northern Lynn. Freezing
spray also expected in Stephens passage, Glacier Bay, Yakutat Bay
and coastal marine zones 51 and 52. Strong winds in the Yakutat
zone are expected, but really only east of town. Strong winds also
forecast for Skagway with blowing snow along the Klondike
Highway. Mountain wave guidance for Taku Winds in the
Juneau/Douglas area are still clearing suggesting high winds from
late this evening through late Thursday evening. Look for
northwest winds 20 to 30 mph to become northeasterly and increase
later this evening.

Strong cold air advection is forecast in the very low levels. This
signal is quite strong at 925 mb, though not so pronounced at
850mb, indicating that the Arctic front will push south out of
Canada and over the panhandle in the short term. Look for
overnight lows to be quite a bit colder tonight as compared to
Tuesday night. Outflow winds will also result in clearing skies
and while some solar warming is expected on Thursday, it will
still be a bit colder than Wednesday.

Previous forecast remains on track and in good shape, so little in
the way of changes today. Overall forecast confidence in very
windy conditions, dry weather and colder conditions is above
average.

.LONG TERM.../ Friday through Wednesday / The low to the southwest
of Haida Gwaii on Thursday will move south to rotate about a
second low off the Pacific Northwest Coast by late Thursday. High
pressure over Northwestern Canada will slowly weaken into the
weekend. As such the gusty northerly outflow winds over the
northern panhandle will diminish as the pressure gradient
decreases. A weak residual trough will extend northward from the
British Columbia coastal waters to along the coastal waters off of
Prince of Wales Island, while a weak ridge of higher pressure
continues over the Gulf of Alaska. Further west a low approaches
the western gulf Friday evening and then dives this low southward
into the pacific by early Sunday.

With the tighter gradients continuing into Friday, have bumped up
the winds especially for the northern Panhandle on Friday
tapering off into Saturday. Lynn Canal looks like it could be up
to max gales from the north, and this may areas of freezing
spray to continue into the long range forecast period.

Aloft and upper level trough will transition eastward mainly over
the southern AK Mainland and this will spread some clouds east
over the northern gulf and may even spin up a weak surface low in
the northern gulf. This will impact the panhandle from Sunday into
early next week. Until this trough moves through the area
Southeast Alaska should get a couple days of dry weather, with the
coldest days being Friday and Saturday. Look for low temperatures
on those days single digits to low teens in the northern
panhandle areas.

Potential advisories or strong wind headlines continuing into
Friday in the Lynn Canal area, and possibly locally for Juneau
from a lingering Taku mountain wave event. Confidence is average
for the mid to long range forecast.

.AVIATION...Moderate turbulence (or worse) and wind shear expected
below the flight levels for most of Southeast Alaska through the
next 24 hours.

&&

.AJK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
PUBLIC...High Wind Warning from 11 PM this evening to 11 PM AKST Thursday
     for AKZ025.
     Strong Wind through late tonight for AKZ017-018.
MARINE...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ012.
     Storm Warning for PKZ012-013-043.
     Gale Warning for PKZ021-022-031>034-041-042-051-053.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011-035-036-052.

&&

Fritsch/Bezenek

Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 28, 10:37 AM AKST, 5 hours 4 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
1037 AM AKST WED FEB 28 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 AM     SNOW             5 N DOUGLAS             58.35N 134.39W
02/28/2018  E4.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            STORM TOTAL SNOW NORTH DOUGLAS

0700 AM     HEAVY SNOW       5 E YAKUTAT             59.54N 139.59W
02/28/2018  M15.0 INCH                          AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            STORM TOTAL SNOW

0700 AM     HEAVY SNOW       YAKUTAT                 59.54N 139.73W
02/28/2018  M11.0 INCH                          AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            YAKUTAT DOWNTOWN STORM TOTAL SNOW

0800 AM     SNOW             MUD BAY                 59.15N 135.37W
02/28/2018  E4.0 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOW IS BLOWING AROUND AND DIFFICULT TO MEASURE

0800 AM     SNOW             DOUGLAS                 58.27N 134.39W
02/28/2018  M5.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            STORM TOTAL SNOW FROM WEST JUNEAU

0800 AM     SNOW             JUNEAU                  58.30N 134.41W
02/28/2018  M3.9 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SNOW AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT

0800 AM     SNOW             HAINES                  59.24N 135.44W
02/28/2018  E4.0 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOW IS BLOWING AROUND AND DIFFICULT TO MEASURE

0800 AM     SNOW             SITKA                   57.05N 135.34W
02/28/2018  M3.0 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SNOW, SNOW SHOWERS ONGOING

0945 AM     SNOW             1 S SITKA               57.03N 135.34W
02/28/2018  M3.2 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SNOW

1000 AM     SNOW             GUSTAVUS                58.41N 135.80W
02/28/2018  E3.0 INCH                           AK   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            SNOW SHOWERS ONGOING

1000 AM     SNOW             PELICAN                 57.95N 136.21W
02/28/2018  M4.5 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SNOW

&&

JBYRD
Local storm report, Feb 28, 2:55 PM AKST, 46 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
255 PM AKST WED FEB 28 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 AM     SNOW             SITKA                   57.21N 135.45W
02/28/2018  U0.0 INCH                           AK   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            HEAVY WET SNOW CAUSED A BOAT TO SINK IN SEALING COVE.

0245 PM     SNOW             HAINES                  59.24N 135.44W
02/28/2018  E5.0 INCH                           AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SNOW AT HAINES.

&&

EAL

The office that day

Everything else NWS Juneau, AK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 28, 3:51 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK36 hr
Feb 28, 3:51 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAJK48 hr
Mar 1, 3:07 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK25 hr
Mar 1, 3:19 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK48 hr
Mar 1, 3:30 AM AKSTGale WarningAJK12 hr

Nearby

Storm Warnings in Alaska, 2018Every storm warning in 2018

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.