Buoy 46081: Western Prince William Sound webcam — United States
Working Still image · every hour Open ocean · Official source · What camera types mean
What you are looking at
Station 46081 sits in western Prince William Sound, Alaska, over water about 327 meters (roughly 1,070 feet) deep. This 3-meter discus buoy, owned and maintained by the National Data Buoy Center, is inside the sound itself, surrounded at a distance by forested islands and the Chugach Mountains.
The western sound is busy in its own way: state ferries and other vessels run to and from Whittier, fishing and charter boats work the bays, and the wider sound carries oil tankers to and from Valdez. Weather inside the sound can differ sharply from the open Gulf, with winds funneling out of the fjords. The buoy reports wind speed, gusts and direction, air pressure, air and water temperature, and wave height and period, all used in National Weather Service marine forecasts.
In its daylight photo strip, generally taken about hourly, you will see mostly water and sky, and islands or mountains may or may not appear depending on the frame and the clouds. Winter brings short days, snow and strong outflow winds; summer has long days, calmer water and frequent rain and mist. Every roll of the hull shows up as a slanted horizon.
Camera details
- Operator
- NOAA National Data Buoy Center
- Station ID
- 46081
- Station
- Western Prince William Sound
- Image size
- 2880 × 300 px (6 frames around the buoy)
- Daylight pictures only
- Yes
- Image updates
- Every hour
- Video format
- Still image (JPEG)
- Position
- Exact (from the provider)
- Licence
- U.S. public domain
- Data source
- NOAA NDBC BuoyCAMs
- Working, last 7 days
- 100 % of checks
From the provider's own camera list and our automatic checks. Readings and details can change without notice.
On the map
Nearby live views
Questions about Buoy 46081: Western Prince William Sound
Is Buoy 46081: Western Prince William Sound working right now?
Yes, it is working: at our last automatic check it was sending new pictures. It is a still image, not video: a new photo arrives about every 1 hour straight from NOAA National Data Buoy Center.
Where does this camera come from?
NOAA National Data Buoy Center runs this camera. It is an official source. Its images are in the U.S. public domain. LiveLocation shows them straight from the source with credit. About NOAA BuoyCAMs Watch at the source
Where exactly is this camera?
It is in United States. Coordinates: 60.802, -148.283.
Is it day or night there now?
This camera is out at sea or far from a time zone line, so we show approximate solar time. The "Right now" panel above shows the local time and whether the sun is up, updated live.
Are there more live cameras near here?
No other camera is within 25 miles yet. The live camera radar can search up to 250 miles around this spot. Open the radar here
Why is the buoy picture dark or old?
No: NOAA BuoyCAMs take pictures only in daylight, so at night the last daytime image stays up. This is NOAA station 46081; its page also has the latest wind, wave and temperature readings. Station 46081 at NOAA
What are the conditions at Buoy 46081: Western Prince William Sound now?
The latest readings from the provider: Waves: 0.1 m / 0.3 ft; Water: 8.4 °C / 47.1 °F; Air: 7.7 °C / 45.9 °F; Wind: 7 km/h / 4 mph from the NNE; Air pressure: 1,018.1 hPa / 30.06 inHg. They update with the provider's data, so they can be a few minutes old.