Welcome to the Alaska Region of NOAA's National Weather Service
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) Alaska Region provides weather, hydrologic, climate forecasts and volcanic ash and tsunami warnings for the state of Alaska and its surrounding waters.
Alaska is the largest state in the country. At one-fifth the size of the combined Lower 48 states, the land mass is 570,374 square miles, or about 365 million acres. Alaska's nearly 47,000 miles of coastline is about two-thirds of the total U.S. coastline. Alaska, also known as "The Great State" and "The Last Frontier," holds many records and unique landmarks such as North America's biggest earthquake - the 9.2 magnitude Good Friday Earthquake of 1964, the Nation's greatest concentration of glaciers, North America's tallest mountain - Mount McKinley at 20,320 feet, and the Nation's farthest-north city - Barrow. Since the Aleutian Island chain passes through the international date line, Alaska also has both the easternmost and westernmost land in the U.S.
The city of Anchorage has the largest population base in Alaska and is located in one of the most diverse areas in the world. The Anchorage School District's unique group of students speaks 120 different languages. Similar to its community base, the NWS Alaska Region is diverse in its employees and programs. The Region has an outstanding team of employees in 3 Weather Forecast Offices, 12 Weather Service Offices, the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center, the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit, the Anchorage Center Weather Service Unit, the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, the Anchorage Electronics Unit, and the Alaska Region Headquarters. For more information on other NOAA facilities within the state of Alaska, visit the "NOAA in Your State and Territory" web site.
The Alaska Region Headquarters staff manages all operational and scientific meteorological, hydrologic, and oceanographic programs of the region including observing networks, weather services, forecasting, climatology, and hydrology. We provide vital continuous operational support to our employees, customers, and partners through a variety of services. Some of our unique services include:
The Alaska Region Headquarters staff manages all operational and scientific meteorological, hydrologic, and oceanographic programs of the region including observing networks, weather services, forecasting, climatology, and hydrology. We provide vital continuous operational support to our employees, customers, and partners through a variety of services. Some of our unique services include:
- Operation of the U.S. Tsunami Warning System via the West Coast and Alaska Warning Center (WC/ATWC) in Palmer. The WC/ATWC has the primary responsibility for the detection, location, and determination of magnitude of potentially tsunamigenic earthquakes occurring in the coastal areas of Alaska and British Columbia, the U.S. West Coast, the U.S. Atlantic coast, and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast.
- Operation of the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit, which manages the Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) - one of only nine such centers worldwide. The Anchorage VAAC's forecast and warning responsibilities include the Anchorage Flight Information Region and far eastern Russia.
- Forecast operations within the Region's marine forecast and warning area, which spans from the Canadian Border to the Russian Border and from Dixon Entrance (55 degrees North latitude) north. This includes the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, and the Arctic Coast.
Staff members of NOAA's National Weather Service Alaska Region are dedicated to delivering climate, weather, and water warnings and forecasts in support of our mission to protect lives and property and enhance the economic interests of our Nation. This team of dedicated professionals, in collaboration with our critical partnerships with media, emergency management and academic communities, supports the NWS strategic plan theme of "Working Together to Save Lives."
Thank you for your interest in NOAA's National Weather Service.
Useful Links:
Alaska Region Organization Chart
Alaska Weather Interesting Facts and Records
Alaska Weather Offices
NOAA In Your State and Territory
NWS Strategic Plan for 2005-2010
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