Heavy Freezing Spray Warning Issued for Port Heiden to Nelson Lagoon Waters

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Anchorage, AK, has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for the coastal waters of Southwest Alaska. The warning is officially effective starting at 5:00 AM AKST on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the maritime region from Port Heiden to Nelson Lagoon, specifically from 15 to 60 nautical miles (NM) out. This includes portions of the Bristol Bay and the Alaska Peninsula waters.

What You Should Do

The official response recommendation is to avoid the affected maritime areas. Mariners are urged to exercise extreme caution as heavy freezing spray can lead to significant ice accumulation on vessels, which can dangerously impact vessel stability and safety.

Expected Conditions

For Thursday, the forecast calls for north winds of 20 knots and seas of approximately 7 feet. Heavy freezing spray is expected throughout the day. Looking ahead to Friday, conditions are expected to intensify with northeast winds reaching 30 knots and seas building to 9 feet, bringing a return of heavy freezing spray conditions.

Timeline

The Heavy Freezing Spray Warning is in effect from 5:00 AM AKST on February 26 until 5:00 PM AKST on February 26. While the warning expires Thursday evening, freezing spray is expected to persist into Thursday night, with heavy freezing spray forecast again for Friday.