


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
644 FXAK67 PAJK 102026 AFDAJK Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Juneau AK 1226 PM AKDT Fri Oct 10 2025 .UPDATE...Update to include 18Z TAF issuance... The Dense Fog Advisories and Marine Weather Statements for Dense Fog across the southern panhandle have been allowed to expire at noon today. The weak system continues to push through the panhandle, with any lingering showers ending this afternoon as drier air builds in. && SHORT TERM... A weak system which moved through the panhandle overnight and brought rain showers across much of the northern and central panhandle will depart through the day on Friday. In its wake, high pressure return as the rebuilding ridge over the Gulf once more raises the spectre of of a potential marine layer rebuilding for the outer coast, and clearing skies for the rest of the area. Fog which formed overnight for some areas, in spite of the system moving through, will slowly dissipate for most locations through the early afternoon A weak outflow event will also commence on Friday in the wake of the departing system. Given the distinct lack of any truly cold air at this time in BC, as well as the concurrent lack of a low in the Gulf to focus the pressure gradient, am not anticipating winds for most of the inner channels to get above 15-20 kt. Friday night will likely see fog redevelop in some more sheltered areas, especially in the central and southern panhandle, though do not expect it to be as widespread as it has been the past few nights. LONG TERM.../Saturday through Wednesday/... Key Messages: - High pressure remains over the gulf through the long term forecast period, sliding further south early next week - Weak Northerly outflow Saturday, cooler temperatures with clearer skies overnight Friday lasting into Sunday - Rain chances increase later Sunday and into early next week - Moderate to heavy rain possible for northern gulf coast Tuesday Building on the short range discussion, weak high pressure will build in the interior and Yukon behind a quick moving short wave feature to start the weekend. While high pressure builds over the interior and Yukon Territory, high pressure will also remain over the gulf and NE Pacific. As a result, northerly outflow will develop with winds increasing along north/south oriented channels. The strongest winds are still expected along Lynn Canal and Chatham Strait early Saturday morning. The primary driver of the increased pressure gradient over the inner channels was the interaction between high pressure over the interior and a trough moving northward from the pacific Northwest into the vicinity of southern Haida Gwaii. However, model guidance has trended to reduce the northward track of this feature, as well as lowering its strength. As a result, the pressure gradient developing over the panhandle Friday into Saturday will likely be lessened, resulting in weaker outflow. As of this forecast issuance, sustained winds are now only expected to reach fresh breeze (17 to 21 kt), with gusts up to 30 kt for Lynn Canal for a brief period early Saturday morning. While this dry northerly outflow is not expected to be as robust, confidence remains for that Saturday and Sunday minimum temperatures to reach near or below freezing at sea level for most communities in the northern and central panhandle, particularly those furthest from the outer coast and sheltered from any significant wind. Daytime maximum temperatures will likely be limited to the low 50s or upper 40s for the inner channels while outer coastal communities could reach the mid 50s. Outflow winds are expected to have diminished by Saturday night with otherwise cool and clear conditions persisting into early Sunday. Later Sunday and into Monday, model guidance still diverges on timing for the next organized system to impact the panhandle. While some models bring a weak front into the panhandle late Sunday night along with a long fetched plume of moisture, others have the high pressure in the gulf staving this off for a bit longer into Monday or even early Tuesday. Either way though when it does arrive it would likely bring moderate to potentially heavy rain to the northern coast, and then light to moderate rain to the rest of the panhandle as it spreads eastward. Overall message though is increasing chances for more unsettled weather early next week after an otherwise fairly crisp and breezy weekend. AVIATION.../through Saturday morning/ A front continues to push across the panhandle, with any lingering showers diminishing this afternoon. Mainly VFR flight conditions are expected for Yakutat and the northern panhandle for the period. Across the southern panhandle, expect improving flight conditions as fog and low stratus dissipate, with MVFR VIS and CIGs improving and becoming VFR this afternoon. All TAF sites have become VFR, aside from Wrangell, which remains in IFR as the front and drier air have not reached them yet, likely becoming VFR by around 00Z. Fog and low stratus may redevelop tonight across the southern panhandle, mainly for PAPG, PAWG and PAKW, which saw dense fog and low stratus this morning. However, overall confidence of fog/stratus being low enough for IFR flight conditions is lower than past few mornings. Do introduce MVFR VIS tonight and TEMPO IFR VIS/CIGs around 12Z Saturday for PAPG, PAWG and PAKW. Winds will remain light and variable through the TAF period, generally 10kts or less. Winds could be up to 15kt at PAKT from the northwest through this afternoon, lowering to 5 to 10kt this evening. No significant LLWS concerns at this time, but will see broad NW-ly flow up to 30kt near 2k ft affecting Sitka, Klawock, and Ketchikan until 06Z Saturday. MARINE... Outer (Outer Coastal Waters): In the wake of a departing system elevated wave heights of 9-10 ft linger for near coastal areas areas while farther offshore, wave heights could be up to 15 ft. These waves linger through Friday as NW flow builds over the gulf, reaching 20 - 25 kt (around strong breeze). Waveheights begin to diminish from North to South through the day on Saturday, with 5-7 ft wave heights by late Saturday night expected for near coastal areas. By late Sunday, an approaching system from the W will result in waveheights beginning to build over the Northern and central gulf. Inside (Inner Channels): Between fog formation Thursday night lasting through the morning hours on Friday and a lingering marine layer, anticipate reduced visibilities in many of the central and southern inner channels, though conditions will slowly improve through the latter half of Friday. This improvement will be due to high pressure returning to the area with a weak outflow event beginning, and winds flipping to the N and building to 15 - 20 kt (around fresh breeze) for most of the Inner Channels that are favored during high pressure. This N flow will linger through Saturday, slowly weakening to 5-10 kt by Saturday night, and remaining similar through Sunday. Can`t rule out the potential for marine layer redevelopment for the outer coast over the weekend, but think that northerly outflow will help reduce its overall impact. && .AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...none. MARINE...none. && $$ SHORT TERM...GFS LONG TERM...STJ AVIATION...DS MARINE...GFS Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau