wave height · United States
Gulf of Alaska (buoy 46001)
Winter mean significant wave height
Modelled demonstration series · not observed data
A calm winter is still an anomaly. This one reflects a weak or displaced Aleutian Low, which changes where storms deliver their moisture along the whole North American west coast. Quiet water here often means a dry winter for someone a long way south, which is why the snowpack tiles are worth checking alongside it.
75 years, modelled
Same reading, two normals
| Normal | Mean | σ | Pct | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951–1980 | 3.90 m | −1.90σ | 3rd | 1 in 35 years |
| 1991–2020 | 3.90 m | −1.30σ | 10th | 1 in 10 years |
Today would rank 6 of 76 for lowest value in the modelled series. Nothing about the reading changes between rows — only the yardstick.
The season here
Winter wave height in the Gulf of Alaska tracks the position and strength of the Aleutian Low more than anything else.
Where this series comes from
MODELLED SERIES — not observed. Parameters set from published NDBC station 46001 winter wave climatology. The 75 annual values are synthesised by the seeded generator.
Every number on this page comes from a modelled series: 75 annual values synthesised by a seeded generator from published climatological parameters for Gulf of Alaska (buoy 46001). It shows how anomaly reasoning works. It is not a measurement and must not be cited as one.
How to read σ
σ counts standard deviations from this place's own normal. The sigma guide · return periods.
More wave height stations
Open Gulf of Alaska (buoy 46001) on the field →