textproduct: Juneau

SYNOPSIS

Key Messages:

- A front moves into the northeastern gulf, bringing light rainfall to Yakutat and increasing the chance for rain for parts of the northern and central panhandle through Tuesday night and Wednesday.

- Drier weather for the southern panhandle continues, with drier weather returning for the northern panhandle on Thursday.

- A stronger front arrives late Friday bringing widespread rainfall.

LONG TERM.../Friday through Sunday/

This weekend brings rain for the entire panhandle beginning Friday afternoon or evening as a low pressure system moves into the gulf. The rain is expected to begin over POW Island and make its way northeast. There is high confidence that the entire panhandle will have rain by Saturday morning and continue so throughout the period. The heaviest precipitation is expected along the coast and southern panhandle and conditions are forecasted to stay relatively the same once the precipitation begins.

Winds in Dixon Entrance are expected to pick up to around 25mph through the beginning of the period and channel up Clarence Strait and die off by Sunday afternoon. It is anticipated that winds will pick up in the inner channels of the central panhandle through the night Friday into Saturday as the rain moves in.

AVIATION

Mostly VFR vis and ceilings today with some areas of MVFR ceilings (down to 2000 ft) along the entire outer coast from increasing onshore flow that developed this afternoon. VFR conditions expected to continue into this evening for the inner channels through this evening with areas of MVFR conditions for the outer coast. Later tonight into Wednesday, more areas in the northern panhandle and outer coast will likely see ceilings dipping into MVFR territory as chances of light rain increase. Southern half of the panhandle (except for the western side of Prince of Wales Island) should remain mostly VFR, but expect increasing cloud cover. Gusty S winds to 35 kt at sea level has developed around N Lynn Canal, Haines and Skagway this afternoon. Gusts at sea level could still reach 40 kt at Skagway this evening before winds start to diminish overnight. Some gusty winds may redevelop Wednesday afternoon but they should not be as strong as this afternoon.

MARINE

Outside (Gulf and Coastal Waters): Southwesterly fresh to strong breezes in the central gulf will begin to shift north and steadily decrease through Wednesday morning. 10 to 12 ft wave heights will quickly decrease following the winds, reaching a more uniform 7 to 8 ft through Wednesday morning and eventually 4 to 5 ft through Thursday morning. 7 to 8 ft southwesterly swell at a 10 to 12 second period will steadily decrease to 2 ft at 8 to 10 seconds by Wednesday night. Winds and waves will continue on the downward trend through Thursday night before a swath of near gale force winds surges northward with waves reaching 9-12 ft Friday into the weekend as a low moves up from the South.

Inside (Inner Channels): Fresh south to southwesterly breezes through the inner channels have increased through Tuesday, staying elevated into the evening before starting to diminish into Wednesday. Winds in northern Lynn Canal will be the strongest, reaching sustained strong breezes and potentially seeing gale force gusts before decreasing down to around 20 kts overnight. These winds, along with parts of Cross Sound and Icy Strait near Point Couverden, will stay elevated through Wednesday before decreasing Thursday and turning out of the north. 2 to 3 ft wave heights will persist in the channels experiencing the stronger winds Tuesday into Wednesday, with Lynn Canal seeing 3 to 5 ft seas and channel entrances seeing closer to 5 to 6 ft with the peak wind speeds. Strong southerly winds are expected to return Friday afternoon into Saturday as a front moves up from the south and sweeps into the panhandle.

AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

PUBLIC...Wind Advisory until 10 PM AKDT this evening for AKZ318. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory for PKZ012-022-053-641>644-651-652-661>664- 671-672.