High Wind in Alaska, March 7, 2026

Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1016 AM AKST Sat Mar 7 2026

.UPDATE.../to add the 18z aviation discussion/...

&&

.SYNOPSIS...

- A fast moving system Saturday bringing impactful winds to the
  outer coast and into the channels

- Cooler temperatures expected, aiding widespread snowfall with
  Saturday system

&&

.SHORT TERM...The main driver of impactful weather this weekend is
an upper level ridge over the northeast pacific and subsequent
arctic trough over most of mainland Alaska and the Bering. This
combination of upper level features is supporting the development
of a fast moving wave that is advancing over the central gulf
Saturday morning. This feature will continue to strengthen as it
approaches the NE gulf by early Saturday afternoon, bringing gale
to storm force conditions to coastal waters and strong winds to
most outer coastal communities. A high wind warning and multiple
wind advisories are in effect later today for when this system
jumps inland later this afternoon. With a slightly more northerly
track, strong westerly winds are also expected to wrap around the
backside and impact the northern coast around Yakutat, therefore a
wind advisory has been issued beginning early this afternoon for
wind gusts reaching up to around 50 mph.

While the forward momentum of this system is causing it to
primarily be a wind threat as opposed to a significant rain/snow
threat, Yakutat has cooled down aloft to allow for accumulating
snow to begin as of 430 am Saturday, with 4 to 6 inches expected
to fall through 6pm this evening as moisture overspreads the area.
Elsewhere across the panhandle, precipitation will start as rain
with temperatures in the upper 30s to around 40, but will
transition to a mix and then snow as colder air wrapping around
the backside of the wave rushes in this afternoon. 850 mb temps
will briefly rise to around -3 Celsius before falling to negative
10 or less on the backside of the wave. Total snow accumulations
could be highly variable Saturday night and Sunday as the pattern
transitions to onshore flow with convective showers after the low
punches inland. FOr more information on the rest of the weekend
and early next week, see the long term discussion below.

.LONG TERM...Primary challenge in the mid-range forecast
continues to be snow showers, driven from onshore flow, cold air
aloft, and deep instability (relative to southeast Alaska
standards). These factors will create prime conditions for these
moderate to heavy snow showers to thrive, with the potential to
see quick hitting 1 to 2 inch per hour snowfall rates. Simply put,
expect snow showers to impact the region Sunday into late
Tuesday; highest potential along the central and southern coast,
with impacts directly tied to snow shower movement. Areas exposed
to westerly flow could see training snow showers, resulting in
heavy localized snowfall. While snow showers move across the
panhandle Sunday, outflow winds begin across Haines and Skagway,
which will result in cold and drier conditions. Outflow conditions
move south through the week, with gale force northerly winds
likely in Lynn Canal by Wednesday and snow coming to an end for
the Icy Strait Corridor.

&&

.AVIATION.../Until 18Z Sunday/...With the approaching storm force
front, expect winds to increase, becoming quite gusty through
this evening as that front pushes through. Overnight, winds will
begin their diminishing trend behind the front. Snow & rain with
appreciable rates are expected over the area as the front
approaches & pushes through. The highest snowfall chances are for
the northern panhandle. Behind the front, showery conditions are
expected. CIG & VIS conditions generally lower from the MVFR/VFR
range to the MVFR/IFR as the front approaches & pushes through, then
improve to the MVFR/VFR range once again behind the front. The
exception is the NE Gulf Coast / PAYA area, which already has been
experiencing conditions in the IFR/LIFR range this morning with
moderate to heavy snow as they are farther northwest, closer to the
low & its moisture, & they already have colder air in place. LLWS
primarily centered aloft at around 2 kft with magnitudes up to
around between 30 & 50 kt are anticipated along & out ahead of the
front mainly this afternoon & evening.

&&

.MARINE...
Outside (Gulf and Coastal Waters): A gale force to storm force
front moving into the central gulf coastal waters through Saturday
morning. Waveheights will pick back up to 20 to 25 ft through the
southern gulf midday Saturday, pushing along the coast from the
southern tip of Baranof Island to the southern tip of Prince of
Wales Island. The northern gulf can expect heights of 13 to 20 ft
during this time.

Inside (Inner Channels): Moderate to strong southerly breezes in
the inner channels slightly diminished overnight before the next
system moves in midday Saturday. Lynn Canal is still gusting to
gale force in the vicinity of Eldred Rock but is expected to
diminish slightly ahead of the next approaching system. This next
system is expected to bring strong breezes to gale force winds up
through the inner channels through Saturday afternoon and into the
evening, with increasing potential for storm force winds through
Cross Sound and into Icy Strait. Wave heights of 5 to 8 ft are
possible in areas of the strongest winds, with channel entrances
along the gulf potentially seeing 12 to 20 ft as the front moves
in.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM AKST this evening for AKZ317.
     Wind Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 10 PM AKST this
     evening for AKZ317.
     Wind Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to midnight AKST tonight
     for AKZ320-321-327-328.
     High Wind Warning from 2 PM this afternoon to 9 PM AKST this
     evening for AKZ322-323.
     Wind Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to midnight AKST tonight
     for AKZ324-325.
     Winter Weather Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 4 AM AKST
     Sunday for AKZ325.
MARINE...Storm Warning for PKZ022-643-644-663-664.
     Gale Warning for PKZ012-013-021-031>036-053-641-642-651-652-661-
     662-671-672.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011.

&&

SHORT TERM...STJ
LONG TERM...AP
AVIATION...JLC
MARINE...STJ

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