Juneau, Alaska – Storm-force winds and extreme freezing spray are creating life-threatening marine conditions across much of coastal Alaska, with ice accretion rates up to 4 centimeters per hour through Saturday morning.
According to the National Weather Service offices in Juneau and Anchorage, Storm Warnings remain in effect for Yakutat Bay, Shelikof Strait, Valdez Narrows and waters near the Copper River Delta, with gale warnings and heavy freezing spray alerts posted from Glacier Bay and Lynn Canal to Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay.
Yakutat Bay faces northeast winds of 35 to 55 knots with gusts up to 65 knots and seas between 9 and 11 feet through 6 a.m. Saturday. Heavy freezing spray is expected from 9 p.m. tonight through daybreak Saturday, rapidly accumulating on decks and rigging.
Ice can destabilize vessels within hours.
In the Northern Gulf, including Shelikof Strait and west of the Barren Islands, northwest winds will reach 50 knots with seas up to 14 feet. Extreme freezing spray near the Copper River Delta may exceed 4 centimeters per hour, posing immediate stability risks.
Glacier Bay and Northern Lynn Canal will see gales to 45 knots and seas up to 15 feet overnight, with heavy freezing spray developing late tonight.
Mariners should remain in port or seek safe harbor immediately and secure vessels for severe icing.
Conditions gradually improve Sunday in some inside waters, but freezing spray and elevated seas persist into Saturday night. Storm and freezing spray warnings remain in effect through late tonight or Saturday morning, depending on location.
