Gale Warning 849, NWS Anchorage, AK

623 
FZAK61 PAFC 161252
OFFAER

Offshore Waters Forecast
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
352 AM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025

Offshore waters forecast for the Gulf of Alaska West of 144W

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.

PKZ399-170200-
352 AM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 982 mb low near 58N 141W moves to 57N 145W at 988 mb Wed morning, 
before diving southward into the N Pacific Wed afternoon.

$$

PKZ351-170200-
Gulf of Alaska Offshore North of 57N and West of 144W-
352 AM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025

.TODAY...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.TONIGHT...NE wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.WED...N wind 15 to 25 kt. Seas 6 to 9 ft.
.WED NIGHT...N wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 7 ft.
.THU THROUGH SAT...N wind 15 to 25 kt. Seas 5 to 10 ft.

$$

PKZ352-170200-
Gulf of Alaska Offshore South of 57N North of 55N and West of
144W-
352 AM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...

.TODAY...NW wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 9 ft.
.TONIGHT...N wind 20 to 35 kt. Seas 9 to 14 ft.
.WED...N wind 20 to 35 kt. Seas 9 to 14 ft.
.WED NIGHT...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.
.THU THROUGH SAT...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.

$$

541 
FZAK61 PAFC 162343
OFFAER

Offshore Waters Forecast
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
243 PM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025

Offshore waters forecast for the Gulf of Alaska West of 144W

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.

PKZ399-171500-
243 PM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A 982 mb low at 58N 141W tracks to 56N 146W at 991 mb for Wed
afternoon, then exits into the North Pacific through Thu morning.
A 990 mb low develops at 54N 139W Wed afternoon and exits to
British Columbia for Thu afternoon.

$$

PKZ351-171500-
Gulf of Alaska Offshore North of 57N and West of 144W-
243 PM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025

.TONIGHT...NE wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 8 ft.
.WED...N wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 6 to 10 ft.
.WED NIGHT...N wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft.
.THU...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 6 to 10 ft.
.THU NIGHT...N wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 6 to 10 ft.
.FRI THROUGH SUN...N wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 8 ft.

$$

PKZ352-171500-
Gulf of Alaska Offshore South of 57N North of 55N and West of
144W-
243 PM AKST Tue Dec 16 2025

.TONIGHT...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.
.WED...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.
.WED NIGHT...N wind 15 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.
.THU...NW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.
.THU NIGHT...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 12 ft.
.FRI THROUGH SUN...N wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.

$$

Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
500 AM AKST Mon Dec 15 2025

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

Key Message:
Strong northerly winds will begin to diminish today, though not
end completely for areas prone to channeled terrain/gap winds.

The surface high pressure over Interior Alaska and low in the
eastern Gulf is keeping a tight pressure gradient over the region
early this morning. These High Winds are expected to lessen
throughout the morning with hopes that they will diminish under
High Wind Warning levels by noon today for areas that do have the
warnings out. Even with the pressure gradient easing some, once
these winds through channeled terrain start, they tend to keep
going until the gradient really diminishes. This looks unlikely to
happen over the next few day with the general pattern not
changing much. Therefore, areas such as Valdez and Seward and
Whittier will likely still see windy conditions for the next few
days. The Matanuska Valley, especially near Palmer, is in the same
boat with those northeast winds expected to diminish below high
wind warning levels today, but there will still be a stiff wind
coming out of the Matanuska River valley for the next few days.

For areas that see the winds diminish completely, expect
temperatures to plunge by 20 to 30 degrees as skies will remain
generally clear.

&&

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

High pressure over the Western Aleutians strengthens as it moves
slowly across the Bering Sea side of the Western Aleutians early
this week. Its center moves over Adak near mid-week. This results
in strong, sustained ridging over the Aleutians with
northerly flow through the Eastern Aleutians, Alaska Peninsula
and Southwest Mainland into mid-week.

The past twelve hours ending at 4am today: Sustained winds from
30 to 40 mph with wind gusts ranging from 55 to 65 mph were
recorded through the Eastern Aleutians and the Alaska Peninsula.
Much weaker winds were recorded elsewhere across the region during
this timeframe. The remainder of today through this evening will
experience a gradual decrease in sustained winds and gusts through
the region.

Tomorrow, as the aforementioned high continues to move slowly
eastward, increased Arctic air accompanies a weak wave moving
southward into the Alaska Peninsula. This will cause the return to
strong winds through the Eastern Aleutians and Alaska Peninsula.
Late Tuesday morning, areas from False Pass to Sand Point will
begin to see an uptick in their wind gusts (40 to 50 mph) and by
the afternoon, this area of higher winds shift to an area from
Sand Point to Chignik with gusts ranging from 55 to 65 mph;
higher in the bays and passes. These wind gusts continue through
early Wednesday morning before subsiding.

Other weather hazards in the next seventy-two hours: Light snow
is expected today in the Pribilof Islands through the Eastern
Aleutians though accumulations of a trace are expected.
Daytime temperatures will remain in the single digits as cold air
continues to advect in to Southwest Mainland. Accompanied by
offshore winds, wind chills 20 to 30 degrees below zero are
expected. Another cold air mass moves into the Southwest Mainland
Tuesday/Wednesday with highs in the low single digits above zero with
lows in the teens below zero.

-Johnston

&&
.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Thursday through
Sunday)...

The start of the long term is characterized by an anomalously
strong 500 mb ridge that extends from the North Pacific, over the
Bering Sea, and well north of the Bering Strait. Over the Gulf, an
upper trough continues to dig south and eastward. 850 mb
temperature anomalies from the global models suggest that much of
Alaska and the Gulf will continue to stay below average, while the
Aleutians, the Bering, and perhaps the western Alaska coast will
be above average for this time of year. One caveat to the cold
weather across Southcentral will be if we see more strong wind
events, as increased winds tend to moderate temperatures. However,
on clear and calm to light wind nights, expect overnight lows to
really bottom out. Models do diverge a bit of the placement of the
Bering ridge by the end of the long term, but it looks like none
of the global models want to break the pattern down. Expect
Southcentral Alaska to remain in a rather cold, dry, and windy
pattern for the foreseeable future, with periods of windy
conditions possible to likely for some of the usual drainage gap
wind locations. With cold air pooled in the Copper River Basin, we
will continue to monitor any upper level features that move along
the 500 mb mean flow that could help induce more density driven
katabatic winds for some of our valley locations.

-AM

&&

.AVIATION...

PANC...VFR will prevail through the TAF period. Strong
north/northeast winds have peaked and will gradually weaken
through the day.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
202 PM AKST Mon Dec 15 2025

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

1255 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Lake Hood               61.19N 149.97W
12/15/2025  M75 MPH          Anchorage          AK   Public

            Public reports two totaled aircraft at Lake
            Hood. At 12:55am peak gust recorded was 75
            mph at PALH.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
248 PM AKST Mon Dec 15 2025

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

1204 PM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg Valdez                  61.11N 146.22W
12/15/2025                   Chugach            AK   CO-OP Observer

            Roof damage to buildings, metal trim pieces
            torn loose. A large boat was blown over in
            the city drydock area. A small boat on a
            trailer was blown over near the airport. A
            section of siding was torn loose from the
            grocery store and the old Masons Hall.

&&

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
National Weather Service ANCHORAGE AK
333 PM AKST Mon Dec 15 2025

AKZ772-170000-
Kodiak Island Southwest-
Including the cities of Old Harbor, Akhiok, Karluk,
and Larsen Bay
333 PM AKST Mon Dec 15 2025

...RESUSPENDED ASH FROM KATMAI-NOVARUPTA EXPECTED OVER SOUTHERN
KODIAK ISLAND TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...

Strong northwesterly winds will develop once again across
Shelikof Strait and the waters around southern Kodiak Island.
These winds are expected to resuspend ash from the 1912 Katmai-
Novarupta eruption, potentially causing haze and trace amounts of
ash accumulation. The villages of Karluk, Larsen Bay, and Akhiok
are most likely to be impacted.

Those in sensitive groups or with respiratory ailments are
encouraged to avoid or reduce outdoor activity to avoid inhaling
the ash.