Ketchikan, Alaska 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

193
FXAK67 PAJK 141921 AAA
AFDAJK

Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Juneau AK
1021 AM AKST Wed Jan 14 2026

.UPDATE...A lot of updates have been issued this morning. The
Storm Force low and associated front have moves through the area,
with the low now filling quickly over the Yukon Territory. The trend
is downward on winds most areas with the exception of the Skagway
and Klondike Highway where southwest winds at 35 mph gusting to
near 50 mph will continue. High Wind Warnings are discontinued.
Also, we dropped the Winter Storm Warning for the upper South
Klondike Highway as snow rates are coming down with loss of
forcing. We will still see some snow on the Klondike, generally 3
inch amounts per 12 hours or less through tomorrow. In the marine
forecast, Small Craft Advisories are posted for residual gusty
winds generally from the southwest around 25 kts and seas 7 ft or
more. The trend is down for the marine waters too on wind and seas
through late today.

For the aviation forecast, impacts should be significantly
diminished compared to what we saw overnight with high winds, high
low level wind shear, low ceilings and periods of heavy rain. We
expect MVFR across the area for the rest of today with gusty winds
from the Southwest continuing to diminish. We do see the potential
for IFR tonight across the southern Panhandle where low ceilings
and potentially reduced visibilities are possible late this
evening and into the morning hours.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...ISSUED AT 501 AM AKST Wed Jan 14 2026

.SYNOPSIS...

-Previous storm moves inland over the Yukon with onshore flow and
 residual showers continuing through the day across the panhandle
 Wednesday

-Wednesday and into Thursday sees an improving trend in weather
 across the board for a majority of the panhandle

SHORT TERM...An elongated storm force low has quickly moved
inland over the northeast gulf coast overnight Tuesday into
Wednesday morning, bringing significant strong winds, as well as
abrupt wind shifts to many communities and waterways. As of 4am
Wednesday, the strongest winds have come to an end for a majority
of the Icy Strait corridor, and the communities from Sitka and
Angoon southward had their strongest winds earlier overnight.
Cross Sound is still seeing occasional gusts to 60 mph and the
high wind warning including the communities of Pelican and Elfin
Cove remains out through 9 am Wednesday morning as a result. High
wind warnings also remain out for Yakutat, Skagway and Haines
as of this discussion.

Overall an improving trend is in store across the panhandle
Wednesday as the storm departs the region, with winds gradually
slackening through the day and seas beginning to settle,
especially across the inner channels. While moist onshore flow
will continue to bring showers to a majority of the panhandle
throughout the day, they will begin to pull back as high pressure
begins to influence the region from the south.

With the continued onshore flow, temperatures will remain above
normal with daytime highs across the board remaining in the mid to
upper 40s for the day, with the far northern panhandle likely
staying in the low 40s. For more on the improving weather towards
the end of the week, see the long term discussion.

LONG TERM...Quieter weather looks to return for the long term forecast
with high pressure moving into the region. Most of the panhandle
will see winds diminish with the exception of the Gulf waters
where southerly winds will continue. Conditions for the Inner
Channels are expected to improve with the decreasing winds and
temperatures are expected to remain in the high 30s to low 40s
depending on your location in the panhandle. The exception to this
quieter weather is expected to be for the NE Gulf coast as an
atmospheric river that will be impacting from Prince William Sound
over to Icy Bay will bring heavy rain. This rain is expected to
remain confined to places west of Yakutat with 24 hour rain
amounts getting up to 2-2.5 inches during the heaviest amounts.
For the rest of the panhandle, the biggest concern is for the
development of fog across the area as high pressure settles into
the region creating an inversion and trapping moisture from the
previous rain events as well as the melting snow across SE AK.
With high pressure taking control, the main thing that will need
to be watched in the extended will be when does this high pressure
either break down or shift so the flow direction changes allowing
for a change in the pattern.

AVIATION...Flying weather was rough overnight but conditions are
starting to improve. Winds are still blowing rather hard (gusts to
60 to 70 mph observed at sea level) in the Lynn Canal, Skagway,
Haines, and NE gulf Coast from Yakobi Island northwestward
currently. However, winds over the rest of the panhandle have
noticeably diminished. In addition, visibility and ceilings have
improved to MVFR or better for most areas following the heavier
rains from last night. The general trend is still toward lowering
winds and improving ceilings and Vis into Wed night as last
night`s storm continues to retreat into Canada and onshore flow
and shower activity takes over. The winds in the north will likely
persist this morning before diminishing toward the afternoon time
period as pressure gradient diminishes in strength. Likewise the
associated turbulence will likely persist before diminishing as
well. As for the showers, There could be some periods of lower
vis and ceiling down to MVFR or isolated IFR due to passing
showers through Wednesday night, but it should be short lived
when it does happen. Very slight chance of some isolated lightning
along the central outer coast around mid day Wednesday, but any
storms will be short lived and mainly along the higher terrain.

MARINE...
Outside: With the gulf now devoid of the previous storm force low,
winds will continue a downward trend through the day Wednesday
remaining predominantly out of the southwest. Gale force winds in
the morning will gradually diminish to below 25 kt by late
afternoon across the eastern gulf as the gradient slackens.
Wednesday night into Thursday winds will gradually shift
southeasterly as an elongated trough stretches northward towards
Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet.

Inside: The previous storm force low has moved inland along the
northeast coast, heading into the Yukon. Storm force winds will
quickly diminish along Cross Sound through Wednesday morning,
however northern Lynn Canal will see high winds stick around into
the early afternoon hours before gradually diminishing Wednesday
night into Thursday. Stephens Passage and Northern Chatham will
see gale force gusts to start Wednesday morning before a general
downward through the day, with lower winds from Frederick SOund
southward. Widespread seas in N/S oriented channels will gradually
fall through the day from as high as 10 ft down to 5 ft or less,
with the exception of ocean entrances.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011>013-021-022-031-033>035-053-
     641>644-651-652-661>664-671-672.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...99
LONG TERM...99

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