Alert archive / Alaska / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 1, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 2004, 3:44 PM AKDT. It was in force for 20 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 31, 2004, 3:44 PM AKDT (23:44 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 1, 2004, 11:40 AM AKDT
- In force
- 20 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Fairbanks, (PFAI), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 2 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -237 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2008 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 11 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 47 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 57 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUAK59 PAFG 312344 SVRAFG AKZ222-010045- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK 340 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY INCLUDING FAIRBANKS - FORT WAINWRIGHT - ESTER - CHENA HOT SPRINGS ROAD - PARKS HIGHWAY FAIRBANKS TO NEAR NENANA - RICHARDSON HIGHWAY FAIRBANKS TO NEAR SALCHA - STEESE HIGHWAY FAIRBANKS TO S AREA OF ALASKA THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...FOX...FAIRBANKS...FORT WAINWRIGHT * UNTIL 440 PM ADT * AT 340 PM ADT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FOX...OR ABOUT OVER FOX...AND MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH. * OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FAIRGROUNDS...DOWNTOWN FAIRBANKS...COLLEGE...CHENA RIDGE AND BIRCH HILL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LAT...LON 6481 14811 6468 14777 6487 14730 6501 14766 $$ CS
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 31, 9:30 AM AKDT, 6 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 9:30 AM AKDT, 6 hours 14 minutes before
NORTH ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
230 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004
.DISCUSSION...
.ALOFT...LOW PRESSURES WILL CONTINUE MOVING EASTWARD NEAR 54 NORTH
DURING FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. THIS WILL KEEP SYSTEMS TO THE
SOUTH OF NORTHERN ALASKA. ON FRI NIGHT THE GFS190 HAS A LOW
PRESSURE CENTERED NEAR 80N/180W WITH A TROUGH ADVANCING EAST OF
WRANGEL ISLAND. THE POSITION OF THE LOW IS MUCH FURTHER NORTH THAN
WAS FORECAST BY YESTERDAYS MODEL RUN.
.SURFACE...THE THERMAL TROUGH OVER THE TANANA VALLEY WILL ADVANCE
WEST AND NORTH OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON WED AFTERNOON IT
COULD BE AS FAR WEST AS NORTON SOUND AND KOTZEBUE SOUND AND NORTH
OVER THE BROOKS RANGE TO THE EASTERN UPPER YUKON VALLEY. AT THAT
TIME A RIDGE WILL BE BUILDING WEST OVER THE ALASKA RANGE. THE
RIDGE COULD SPREAD OVER THE INTERIOR WED NIGHT AND THU.
.NORTH SLOPE...THERE WILL BE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION IN
THE FORESEABLE FUTURE. EAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WED. A
BUILDING RIDGE OVER THE INTERIOR WED NIGHT AND THU WILL CHANGE
WINDS TO A WESTERLY DIRECTION. AREAS OF FOG WILL CONTINUE IN THE
ONSHORE FLOW.
.WEST COAST...THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE WILL INCREASE DURING THE NEXT
TWO DAYS AS A THERMAL TROUGH DEEPENS OVER THE AREA. A RIDGE
BUILDING WESTWARD ON THU WILL DIMINISH THE CHANCES OF
THUNDERSTORMS SOMEWHAT. WINDS WILL BE RATHER LIGHT AND CONTROLLED
MAINLY BY DIURNAL HEATING.
.INTERIOR...THE THERMAL TROUGH WILL WEAKEN THU AS A RIDGE BUILDS
OVER NORTHERN ALASKA FROM THE EAST. THIS SHOULD GIVE SOME
TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM THE STRENGTH OF THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE THE
THERMAL TROUGH DEEPENS AGAIN OVER THE SOUTHERN INTERIOR ON FRI.
.HYDRO...NO SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.
.FIRE WEATHER...NO SIGNIFICANT ISSUES EXCEPT FOR WET
THUNDERSTORMS.
.AFG...WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...DENSE FOG ADVISORY ZONE 213 SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND AND THE
BERING STRAIT.
MARINE...NONE.
DA MAY 04In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 31, 9:50 AM AKDT, 5 hours 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK 250 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004 AKZ220>224-010000- YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS-CENTRAL INTERIOR-MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY-DELTANA AND TANANA FLATS- INCLUDING...FORT YUKON...VENETIE...CENTRAL...CIRCLE...STEVENS VILLAGE...BEAVER...CHALKYITSIK...BIRCH CREEK...CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS...EAGLE SUMMIT...TWELVEMILE SUMMIT...NENANA...ANDERSON... TANANA...MINTO...MANLEY HOT SPRINGS...RAMPART...LAKE MINCHUMINA... LIVENGOOD...FAIRBANKS...FORT WAINWRIGHT...EIELSON AFB...ESTER... NORTH POLE...MOOSE CREEK...TWO RIVERS...FOX...CHATANIKA...CHENA HOT SPRINGS...SOURDOUGH CAMP..SALCHA...DELTA JUNCTION...FORT GREELY...HARDING/BIRCH LAKE...DRY CREEK...DOT LAKE...HEALY LAKE 250 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004 THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE AREA AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. WEATHER RADAR INDICATES THAT A FEW OF THE STORMS CONTAIN HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. AT 250 PM THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE NORTH OF TWO RIVERS...EAST OF LIVENGOOD AND NORTHEAST OF MANLEY HOT SPRINGS. STRONG STORMS MAY MOVE INTO THE URBAN FAIRBANKS AREA AFTER 330 PM. RT MAY 04
Special weather statement, May 31, 10:40 AM AKDT, 5 hours 4 minutes before
AKZ222-010045- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK 340 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY INCLUDING FAIRBANKS - FORT WAINWRIGHT - ESTER - CHENA HOT SPRINGS ROAD - PARKS HIGHWAY FAIRBANKS TO NEAR NENANA - RICHARDSON HIGHWAY FAIRBANKS TO NEAR SALCHA - STEESE HIGHWAY FAIRBANKS TO S AREA OF ALASKA THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...FOX...FAIRBANKS...FORT WAINWRIGHT * UNTIL 440 PM ADT * AT 340 PM ADT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FOX...OR ABOUT OVER FOX...AND MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH. * OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FAIRGROUNDS...DOWNTOWN FAIRBANKS...COLLEGE...CHENA RIDGE AND BIRCH HILL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LAT...LON 6481 14811 6468 14777 6487 14730 6501 14766 CS
Special weather statement, May 31, 11:25 AM AKDT, 4 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK 425 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004 AKZ222-010145- MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY- INCLUDING...FAIRBANKS...FORT WAINWRIGHT...EIELSON AFB...ESTER... NORTH POLE...MOOSE CREEK...TWO RIVERS...FOX...CHATANIKA...CHENA HOT SPRINGS...SOURDOUGH CAMP 425 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ENDED.. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAS MOVED WEST OF THE MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY. CS MAY 04
Local storm report, May 31, 12:46 PM AKDT, 2 hours 58 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
546 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 W FAIRBANKS 64.81N 147.99W
05/31/2004 AK FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POWER LINES REPORTED BLOWN DOWN BY STRONG THUNDERSTORM
WINDS ON CHENA RIDGE ROAD NEAR THE LANGFORD RD. DRIVE
INTERSECTION.
&&
CSLocal storm report, May 31, 1:32 PM AKDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
632 PM ADT MON MAY 31 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG FAIRBANKS 64.81N 147.86W
05/31/2004 AK UTILITY COMPANY
NUMEROUS POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS THE CITY DUE TO STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WINDS.
&&
CSNearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alaska, 2004Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2004
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.