Gale Warning 971, NWS Anchorage, AK

298 
FZAK51 PAFC 260001
CWFAER

Coastal Waters Forecast
National Weather Service Anchorage Alaska
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 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.

PKZ197-261245-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTH GULF COAST+KODIAK ISLAND WATERS+
COOK INLET...

A 966 mb low over Northern Kuskokwim Bay remains quasi-stationary
and dissipates by Thursday afternoon. A North Pacific low moves 
to 45 nm SE of Valdez at 979 mb Fri morning then dissipating Fri 
evening. A front extending from a 980 mb North Pacific low 150 nm 
S of Chirikof Island enters the western Gulf of Alaska Fri
morning.

$$

PKZ710-261245-
Cape Suckling to Gravel Point out to 15 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.THU...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 14 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...SE wind 20 kt. Seas 12 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.FRI...E wind 20 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...E wind 15 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.MON...E wind 30 kt. Seas 7 ft.

$$

PKZ711-261245-
Gravel Point to Cape Cleare out to 15 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.THU...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 12 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...S wind 15 kt. Seas 10 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.FRI...E wind 20 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SUN...E wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...E wind 35 kt. Seas 8 ft.

$$

PKZ712-261245-
Cape Suckling to Cape Cleare from 15 to 75 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 17 ft. Rain.
.THU...NE wind 20 kt becoming SW 15 kt in the afternoon.
Seas 16 ft. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...SW wind 20 kt. Seas 14 ft.
.FRI...E wind 20 kt. Seas 11 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.SAT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SUN...E wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...E wind 35 kt. Seas 9 ft.

$$

PKZ715-261245-
Cape Cleare to Gore Point out to 15 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt becoming N 15 kt after midnight.
Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.THU...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 11 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...E wind 30 kt. Seas 10 ft.

$$

PKZ716-261245-
Cape Cleare to Gore Point from 15 to 75 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...E wind 25 kt becoming NE 15 kt after midnight.
Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.THU...N wind 15 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.FRI...E wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SUN...E wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...E wind 35 kt. Seas 11 ft.

$$

PKZ714-261245-
Resurrection Bay-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain and snow.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.MON...Variable wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ724-261245-
Northwest Prince William Sound-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain.
.THU...N wind 10 kt in the morning becoming variable less
than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain and snow.
.THU NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain and snow.
.FRI...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ725-261245-
Central and Eastern Prince William Sound-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain.
.THU...NE wind 10 kt in the morning becoming variable less
than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...E wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.MON...E wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ726-261245-
Southwest Prince William Sound-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt diminishing to 10 kt after midnight.
Seas 3 ft. Rain.
.THU...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.MON...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ720-261245-
Port of Valdez-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU NIGHT...E wind 10 kt becoming S after midnight.
Seas 2 ft. Snow and rain.
.FRI...W wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH MON...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.

$$

PKZ721-261245-
Valdez Narrows-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...N wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Snow.
.THU NIGHT...S wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Rain with snow.
.FRI...N wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SUN THROUGH MON...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.

$$

PKZ722-261245-
Valdez Arm-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NE wind 15 kt diminishing to 10 kt after midnight.
Seas 3 ft.
.THU...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.THU NIGHT...S wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Patchy fog. Rain.
.FRI...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT THROUGH MON...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.

$$

PKZ723-261245-
Passage Canal-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...W wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain.
.THU...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Rain and snow.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt becoming variable
wind 10 kt after midnight. Seas 2 ft. Rain and snow.
.FRI...E wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT...W wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SUN...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.MON...E wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.

$$

PKZ730-261245-
West of Barren Islands Including Kamishak Bay-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.THU...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU NIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NW wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SAT...NW wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.MON...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 10 ft.

$$

PKZ731-261245-
Barren Islands East-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.THU...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 11 ft.
.THU NIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NW wind 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SAT...N wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SUN...E wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.MON...E wind 35 kt. Seas 11 ft.

$$

PKZ733-261245-
Gore Point to Marmot Island from 15 to 80 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 13 ft.
.THU...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 14 ft.
.THU NIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.FRI...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.SAT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SUN...E wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...E wind 35 kt. Seas 14 ft.

$$

PKZ732-261245-
Marmot Island to Sitkinak out to 15 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 10 ft.
.THU...W wind 15 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.FRI...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SAT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.SUN...E wind 30 kt. Seas 6 ft.
.MON...E wind 30 kt. Seas 14 ft.

$$

PKZ734-261245-
Marmot Island To Sitkinak from 15 to 85 NM-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

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

.TONIGHT...W wind 15 kt. Seas 14 ft.
.THU...W wind 15 kt. Seas 16 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 15 ft.
.FRI...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 12 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.SAT...NW wind 20 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.SUN...E wind 30 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.MON...E wind 35 kt. Seas 19 ft.

$$

PKZ736-261245-
Chiniak Bay-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.THU...NW wind 10 kt in the morning becoming variable less
than 10 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SUN...E wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...E wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft.

$$

PKZ737-261245-
Marmot Bay-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU...W wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SUN...E wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...E wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft.

$$

PKZ738-261245-
Shelikof Strait-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.FRI NIGHT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.MON...E wind 30 kt. Seas 9 ft.

$$

PKZ742-261245-
Cook Inlet Kalgin Island to Point Bede-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE wind 25 kt diminishing to 15 kt after midnight.
Seas 5 ft.
.THU...NE wind 10 kt in the morning becoming variable less
than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt becoming N 10 kt
after midnight. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SAT...N wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...NE wind 30 kt. Seas 8 ft.

$$

PKZ740-261245-
Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...NE wind 15 kt becoming E 10 kt after midnight.
Seas 3 ft.
.THU...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 1 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.SUN...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...NE wind 25 kt. Seas 6 ft.

$$

PKZ741-261245-
Kachemak Bay-
301 PM AKST Wed Dec 25 2024

.TONIGHT...Variable wind 10 kt except N 15 kt in the outer
bay. Seas 2 ft.
.THU...N wind 10 kt in the morning becoming variable less
than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.THU NIGHT...Variable wind less than 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N wind 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...NE wind 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.
.MON...NE wind 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
442 PM AKST Tue Dec 24 2024

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

A weak wave continues to move through Southcentral resulting in
breezy conditions for interior locations and a mix of rain and
snow showers along the coast. An end-of-week low will spin-up in
the Gulf though much uncertainty exists in its effects on
Southcentral.

Cooler air infiltrated lower elevations of coastal areas in eastern
Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound today causing snow mixing with
periods of rain showers. Locations where snow has been the
dominant precipitation type today has resulted in trace to a few
hundredths of an inch of accumulation as of 4:00 pm. The
precipitation and wind gusts from the latest guidance brings an
end this evening in Kodiak Island and southern Kenai Peninsula,
overnight for the northern parts of the Kenai Peninsula and late
tomorrow morning for Prince William Sound coastal locations.
Looking ahead, the models have been struggling with placement and
timing of an end-of-week low the past few days and today is no
exception to this pattern. This keeps low confidence of the exact
track of the low spinning up in the Gulf and its westward
progression through Prince William Sound.

&&

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

A complex trough stretches from south of the Western Aleutians
the Eastern Aleutians and AKPen. Between Atka and Nikolski a
center of rotation for the entire system has formed, while at the
eastern end of the trough, near Port Heiden, a low pressure
center has formed. Several small bands of rain and snow will
rotate around this smaller feature as it drifts north across
Bristol Bay before dissipating over the Kuskokwim Delta on
Wednesday. The larger system will draw cold arctic air offshore
from the Alaska mainland bringing gale force winds southwest
across the Bering Sea and into the North Pacific while the entire
trough continues a slowly rotating, eastward track toward the
Gulf. Freezing spray is expected across the eastern half of the
Bering, in open water from the Pribilof Islands to St. Lawrence
Island with increasing severity toward the ice edge. By Friday,
the area of freezing spray will have shifted eastward to include
waters north and south of the AKPen, all of Bristol Bay, and the
Eastern Bearing Sea out to and including the Pribilof Islands. The
most severe freezing spray is expected along the western
coastline, up to 50 miles off the ice edge, from Cape Newenham
north to St. Lawrence Island.

&&

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

A broad upper level trough extending down from the Arctic to the
central Gulf will begin to shift eastward and dissipate as one
ridge builds over most of the Bering and another ridge builds over
Southeast Alaska and western Canada. A broad surface low over the
Gulf will provide the opportunity for coastal precipitation across
Southcentral throughout the weekend. Over interior Southcentral
and Southwest, a considerable cool down in temperatures will take
place as the trough axis shifts eastward over the weekend, with
lows dropping below zero starting Saturday morning and continuing
into early next week.

Behind the ridge in the Bering will be a front of a Kamchatka low
moving over the western Aleutians starting early Saturday
morning. The low center will likely remain to the west of the
forecast area, however guidance is picking up on the formation of
a strong triple point low forming in the North Pacific and moving
over the western Aleutians during the day on Saturday. A core of
gale-to-storm force winds is possible near its center as it moves
northward into the western Bering. As this takes place, the
trough axis originating from the parent Kamchatka low will extend
south and east towards the North Pacific and western Gulf as the
previously mentioned Alaska/Canada ridge extends to the north and
west over mainland Alaska through the remainder of the extended
forecast period. Several surface lows will form along the trough
axis, though the placement and intensity of them is still
uncertain.

&&.AVIATION...

PANC...There could be an occasional flurry as an upper level
short-wave tracks overhead late tonight through early Christmas
morning, but expect VFR conditions to persist. There could be a
brief period of ceilings in low end VFR (less than 5000 feet)
right around time of short-wave passage. The best estimate on
this would be between 12Z and 18Z. Winds will remain light.

&&