Storm Warning Issued for Gulf of Alaska Offshore Waters; Winds Up to 50 Knots Expected

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Anchorage, AK, has issued a Storm Warning for the offshore waters of the Gulf of Alaska. This alert is classified as a severe meteorological event requiring immediate attention from mariners in the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the Gulf of Alaska offshore waters located south of 57N, north of 55N, and west of 144W. This specifically includes forecast zone PKZ352.

What You Should Do

The official response instruction for this alert is to avoid the area. Mariners should take necessary precautions to secure vessels or seek safe harbor before the onset of storm conditions. Operating a vessel in these conditions is extremely hazardous due to high winds and significant wave heights.

Expected Conditions

Conditions are expected to deteriorate significantly starting Friday.

• Winds: Southwest winds will range from 30 to 40 knots on Friday morning, increasing to 35 to 50 knots by the afternoon. Friday night will see sustained winds of 30 to 45 knots.
• Seas: Wave heights will build from 12–20 feet to 18–27 feet on Friday afternoon and remain at those levels through Friday night.
• Precipitation: Rain is expected to begin tonight as winds transition from the south to the southeast at 20 to 30 knots.

Timeline

The Storm Warning is effective starting at 5:00 AM AKST on Friday, March 6, 2026. The warning is currently scheduled to end at 5:00 PM AKST on Friday, March 6, 2026. However, hazardous conditions are expected to persist from Saturday through Monday, with northwest winds of 25 to 40 knots and seas between 12 and 20 feet.