Gale Warning 855, NWS Anchorage, AK

Issued

Nov 27, 2024, 2:18 PM AKST (23:18 UTC)

Expired

Nov 28, 2024, 3:30 AM AKST

In force

13 hr

Issued by

NWS Anchorage, AK

742 
FZAK51 PAFC 272318
CWFAER

Coastal Waters Forecast
National Weather Service Anchorage Alaska
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

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.

PKZ197-281230-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTH GULF COAST+KODIAK ISLAND WATERS+
COOK INLET...

A 1014 mb low 215 nm South of Kodiak City moves to 40 nm West of 
Hydaburg at 1008 mb for Thu afternoon, then inland Thu night. A 
front extends across the Southern Gulf through Fri afternoon. 
Several troughs move over the Gulf by Fri afternoon.


$$

PKZ710-281230-
Cape Suckling to Gravel Point out to 15 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...GALE WARNING THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Gusts to 50 kt out of the Copper Delta. Seas
7 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...NE wind 35 kt. Gusts to 60 kt out of the Copper Delta. Seas 8
ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 40 kt. Gusts to 55 kt out of the Copper Delta. Seas
8 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SUN...E wind 30 kt. Seas 14 ft.
.MON...E wind 25 kt. Seas 13 ft.

$$

PKZ711-281230-
Gravel Point to Cape Cleare out to 15 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

.TONIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.THU...N wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SUN...E wind 30 kt. Seas 14 ft.
.MON...E wind 25 kt. Seas 14 ft.

$$

PKZ712-281230-
Cape Suckling to Cape Cleare from 15 to 75 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.THU...N wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.SAT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.SUN...E wind 30 kt. Seas 16 ft.
.MON...E wind 25 kt. Seas 14 ft.

$$

PKZ715-281230-
Cape Cleare to Gore Point out to 15 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.THU...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 13 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 13 ft.

$$

PKZ716-281230-
Cape Cleare to Gore Point from 15 to 75 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.SAT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.SUN...E wind 30 kt. Seas 15 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 14 ft.

$$

PKZ714-281230-
Resurrection Bay-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...N wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT THROUGH MON...N wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ724-281230-
Northwest Prince William Sound-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SUN THROUGH MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ725-281230-
Central and Eastern Prince William Sound-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 4 ft building to 6 ft in the afternoon.
Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SUN THROUGH MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ726-281230-
Southwest Prince William Sound-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...N wind 25 kt. Seas 4 ft building to 6 ft in the afternoon.
Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ720-281230-
Port of Valdez-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E wind 10 kt increasing to 15 kt after midnight. Seas
3 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt increasing to 30 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3
ft building to 5 ft in the afternoon. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt diminishing to 20 kt after midnight.
Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...E wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH MON...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.

$$

PKZ721-281230-
Valdez Narrows-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...GALE WARNING THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...NE wind 40 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 40 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SUN THROUGH MON...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ722-281230-
Valdez Arm-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

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

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.SUN THROUGH MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ723-281230-
Passage Canal-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W wind 30 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...W wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 2 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...W wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH MON...E wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.

$$

PKZ730-281230-
West of Barren Islands Including Kamishak Bay-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

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

.TONIGHT...N wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...N wind 30 kt. Seas 11 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 11 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.MON...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 7 ft.

$$

PKZ731-281230-
Barren Islands East-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

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

.TONIGHT...N wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.THU...N wind 30 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 13 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 13 ft.

$$

PKZ733-281230-
Gore Point to Marmot Island from 15 to 80 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.THU...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 11 ft.
.SAT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 13 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 15 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 13 ft.

$$

PKZ732-281230-
Marmot Island to Sitkinak out to 15 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 15 kt except N 20 kt N of Dangerous Cape. Seas
6 ft.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt except N 20 kt N of Dangerous Cape. Seas 6
ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 11 ft.

$$

PKZ734-281230-
Marmot Island To Sitkinak from 15 to 85 NM-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 20 kt except N 20 kt N of Dangerous Cape. Seas
7 ft.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 14 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 13 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 12 ft.

$$

PKZ736-281230-
Chiniak Bay-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

.TONIGHT...NW wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...NW wind 20 kt. Gusts to 30 kt before noon. Seas 3 ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ737-281230-
Marmot Bay-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

.TONIGHT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...N wind 20 kt. Gusts to 30 kt before noon. Seas 3 ft. Freezing
spray.
.THU NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 2 ft building to 4 ft after
midnight.
.FRI...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ738-281230-
Shelikof Strait-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...GALE WARNING THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.THU...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 35 kt. Seas 11 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.MON...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.

$$

PKZ742-281230-
Cook Inlet Kalgin Island to Point Bede-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

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

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.MON...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.

$$

PKZ740-281230-
Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

.TONIGHT...NE wind 10 kt increasing to 15 kt after midnight. Seas
3 ft.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.SUN...N wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ741-281230-
Kachemak Bay-
218 PM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt except NE 25 kt in the outer bay. Seas 3 ft.
Freezing spray.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray.
.FRI...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

NWS Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Nov 27, 5:07 AM AKST, 9 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
507 AM AKST Wed Nov 27 2024

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through
3)...

A pattern amplification is underway as a series of shortwaves drop
south, to the east of a developing ridge over the Bering. This
will lead to sunny, albeit cold days ahead as northerly winds
usher in an arctic airmass. Expect lows 10 to 20 degrees below
normal for this time of year. The true arctic airmass is moving
into Canada, but a portion of it will move into the Copper Valley
tomorrow, leading to lows of -20 to -30 by Friday. Temperatures
for the Cook Inlet areas and Mat-Su will be single digits to minus
teens come Friday morning.

The coastal gap winds are already responding to the changing
airmass, where gusts through Whittier, Seward and Valdez have been
in the 25 to 40 mph range. These will continue for the most part
through the early weekend with minor changes here and there. The
most notable aspect to the wind forecast will be shortwaves
dropping out of the north, which will help to invigorate winds
through Thompson Pass, Valdez and the Mat Valley. One of these is
dropping south on Thursday, which will increase winds through
the aforementioned areas, and may help to kick up some of the
recent snow in the Mat Valley. For now the gusts are looking to be
in the 35 to 50 mph range, which should be enough to cause more
drifting and localized areas of blowing snow. Thompson Pass may
get winds in the 55 to 65 mph range.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days
1 through 3)...

Cold and dry conditions continue across Southwest Alaska through
Friday. North to northeasterly flow will persist, pulling colder
interior air across Southwest, becoming gusty at times and
promoting wind chills into the -20s. Wind chills may reach into
the -30s across the lower Kuskokwim Valley tonight and Thursday
night. Cold, gusty offshore flow will generate areas of Heavy
Freezing Spray along the Southwest coast.

The elongated low in the western Bering continues to weakens
through this morning. Gale force winds will gradually weaken to
small craft and precipitation chances diminish through this
afternoon. The next round of winds and rain move over the
Aleutians by Thursday morning.

Models have come into better agreement regarding the North Pacific
low nudging towards the Aleutians Wednesday night into Thursday.
The most recent runs have consolidated on the more southerly
track, keeping the low well south of the Aleutians, with the edge
of the associated front clipping the Central/Eastern Aleutians
and southern Alaska Peninsula. Gale force winds and areas of rain
are expected along the aforementioned areas and into the southern
Bering Sea by Thursday afternoon.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Saturday through
Tuesday)...

The extended forecast period is still looking cold and dry for
most of inland Alaska. The blocking ridge that has been in place
for the past week will get displaced north as a deepening low
dives southwards across interior Alaska and out into the Bering
Sea by late in the weekend. The ridge will settle over eastern
Russia, preventing the new Bering low from moving too far west.
As such, the low will have no choice but to continue traveling
southwards across the Aleutian Islands before getting picked up
another system working across the northern Pacific early next
week. Cold air will follow this system, spreading south across
inland areas and then accompanying the low over the Bering.
The cold, dry airmass will limit precipitation to terrain induced
or stratus layer seeder-feeder processes.

For the Aleutian Chain and coastal areas along the Gulf... The low
lifting out of the North Pacific into the western Gulf will result
in widespread precipitation as the associated frontal boundary
lifts north across the Gulf. The Aleutians will see the heavier
precipitation exit east into the Gulf this weekend, but will
likely see lighter precipitation develop on the Bering side as the
that low pushes towards the islands.

- PP

&&

.AVIATION...

PANC...An upper level short-wave sitting over Southcentral will
drop southward toward the Gulf tonight. Deep northerly flow will
strengthen behind the short-wave. Winds will remain light at the
surface, but the increasing flow aloft should be just enough to
cause ceilings/vis to improve, and ultimately to completely clear
out most of the cloud cover in Anchorage and northern Cook Inlet.

The uncertainty in the forecast is in timing of improvement, as
dense fog has really held steady this afternoon. Based on improving
conditions to the north over the Mat-Su, trend toward rising
ceiling/vis fairly quickly late this afternoon into the evening
hours. Lower clouds will likely remain in the vicinity for a
little longer and could drift over the terminal in the northerly
flow.

&&

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2024Every gale warning in 2024

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