


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
386 FXAK67 PAJK 172332 AFDAJK Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Juneau AK 332 PM AKDT Sun Aug 17 2025 .SHORT TERM.../tonight through Monday night/...Light rain sticks around for parts of the panhandle as wind speeds decrease. Key Messages: -Easterly wave will keep rain showers over the northern half of the panhandle. -Southern half will have diminishing showers with decreasing cloud cover tonight. -Wind speeds are expected to decrease as the low in the gulf weakens and moves away from the panhandle. Details: General area of low pressure in the gulf will weaken and slide southward. As it does, the pressure gradient over the panhandle will lighten up and allow wind speeds to decrease or remain light/variable tonight with the lighter winds lasting through Monday night. That being said, Eldred Rock has been reporting 20 to 30 kt southerly winds today. Wind speeds should drop below 20 kts later this evening with continued decreasing winds overnight. For the rain showers, there are two weather patterns happening over the area - diurnal pop-up showers in the south and an easterly wave in the north. The showers in the south will, for the most part, decrease in number once the sun goes down. Any exceptions to this will be caused by a rogue shower that drifts in from south of the panhandle but they wouldn`t last long. Otherwise, skies will be clearer and an overall quiet night with the quiet weather lasting into Monday. For the northern showers, these are coming from an easterly wave that is bringing the moisture in from Canada. A reinforcing 500mb vort max will keep high the PoPS in place until around 10AM to Noon Monday. That`s when the showers look to really decrease with the drier weather lasting through Tuesday morning. A few showers are possible mainly along the coast on Tuesday, before those chances move inland later in the day. .LONG TERM.../Into next weekend/...Overall drying trend late this week with warmer temps likely for the later half of the week. Key Messages: -Lingering low pressure passing to the south will give some rain and rain shower chances mid-week. 24 hour rain amounts will be light. -A building ridge of high pressure afterwards will bring drier weather and warmer temps for the later part of the week into next weekend. -Marine wind speeds look to be on the lighter side next week at around 5 to 10 knots with some isolated trouble spots getting up to 15 knots due to afternoon sea breeze enhancement. Discussion: A passing area of low pressure will keep at least some rain chances over the panhandle mid-week. Greatest PoPS are in the south with lower PoPS in the central and northern panhandle. Rain amounts look to be light due to the spotty nature of the showers. After the lingering low finally moves on and out of the area mid- week, a potential ridge of high pressure looks to move in. This would bring decreasing rain chances and decreasing cloud cover. So sunnier skies are looking likely later next week. With sunnier skies comes warmer temps, with highs warming to the upper 60s to the near 70 for Thursday into next weekend. && .AVIATION...The northern panhandle will continue to see light to moderate rain through Sunday night before more breaks breaks between showers show up late Sunday night into Monday. The primary circulation in the gulf continues to slide westward, with surface winds across the inner channels gradually falling as a result. Last holdouts through the afternoon hours will be the far northern inner channels. Still no LLWS concerns for the TAF period going forward. Far northern inner channels as well as Yakutat will likely see IFR conditions through the period, particularly near Taiya Inlet due to low CIGs. Otherwise a majority of the panhandle have improved to VFR conditions, with MVFR conditions primarily due to any convective showers. While just outside the current TAF window, the southern panhandle can expect deteriorating conditions late Monday night into Tuesday morning from a system moving up from Haida Gwaii. && .MARINE... Outside: Wind directions over the outside waters look to start off out of the SE, then steadily back to the east as low pressure shifts to near Haida Gwaii. This low looks to cause some enhanced winds to around 15kt out of Dixon Entrance. The northern gulf coast is expected to keep 10kt or less winds for much of the coming week, variable at times with directions shifting due to sea breeze influences. As high pressure builds over the central eastern gulf early Tuesday, NWLY winds increase along the southern outer coast to around 15kt. A new low pressure moves into the central gulf Wednesday through Friday. Winds have been increased 20-25kt as result, but some models show winds with this low up to 35kt with this system, so will need to monitor. Inside: Wind directions through the inside waters will be diurnally influence by sunshine most of the week, meaning light drainage winds in the morning, shifting to a sea breeze 10-15kt in the late afternoon. Biggest challenge today was enhanced winds near Eldred Rock reporting 20-25kt. The M/V Hubbard confirmed this on their way to Haines/Skagway and the forecast was adjusted up to keep the small craft advisory going into the early evening. As low press moves over the southern gulf this week, winds through the inner channels will want to turn out of the north. && .AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory for PKZ012. && $$ SHORT TERM...GJS LONG TERM...Ferrin/GJS AVIATION...STJ MARINE...Ferrin Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau