Storm Warning Issued for Barren Islands East with Winds Reaching 55 Knots

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Anchorage, AK, has issued a Storm Warning for the Barren Islands East region. The alert was issued on February 18 and remains in effect through the early morning of February 20.

Affected Areas

The primary geographic region affected is Barren Islands East (PKZ731) within the Northern Gulf of Alaska Coast, extending up to 100 nm out including Kodiak Island and Cook Inlet.

What You Should Do

Mariners and residents are advised to avoid the area during the warning period. The NWS response recommendation is to avoid travel or activity in the affected marine zones due to hazardous conditions.

Expected Conditions

Conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly. Starting Thursday afternoon, northwest winds will increase from 40 knots to 50 knots, peaking at 55 knots on Thursday night. Seas are forecast to build from 10 feet to 17 feet. Additionally, freezing spray is expected to develop Thursday afternoon and persist through the night. By Friday, north winds will remain high at 50 knots with 12-foot seas.

Timeline

The Storm Warning onset is scheduled for 5:00 AM AKST on Thursday, February 19. The warning is currently set to expire at 5:00 AM AKST on Friday, February 20. High winds of 40 knots and significant seas are expected to continue through Saturday, with conditions gradually subsiding by Sunday.