Storm Warning Issued for Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters Through Saturday Morning

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Juneau, AK, has issued a Storm Warning for the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska. The alert was issued at 2:25 PM AKST on February 20, 2026, and remains in effect until 5:00 AM AKST on February 21, 2026.

Affected Areas

The primary area affected includes the waters from Cape Spencer to Cape Fairweather, extending from 15 to 85 nautical miles (NM) offshore. The broader scope of the alert covers Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to Cape Suckling out to 100 NM.

What You Should Do

The NWS recommends a response of “Avoid” for the impacted maritime regions. Mariners and vessel operators should take necessary precautions to secure their crafts or remain in port until conditions improve. Navigating in these conditions is hazardous due to high winds and significant wave heights.

Expected Conditions

Dangerous maritime conditions are forecast for the following periods:

• Tonight: East winds starting at 40 knots and increasing to 50 knots. Seas are expected to reach 16 feet.
• Saturday: East winds of 45 knots with seas remaining high at 15 feet.
• Extended Outlook: Conditions are expected to transition to gales on Saturday night and Sunday, with winds decreasing to 35 knots and seas gradually subsiding from 14 feet to 12 feet.

Timeline

The Storm Warning is effective immediately and is scheduled to expire at 5:00 AM AKST on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Mariners should monitor subsequent forecasts as gale-force winds are expected to persist through Sunday.