Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2008

Gale Warning 24, NWS Anchorage, AK

January 20, 2008

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Jan 20, 2008, 11:00 PM AKST. It was in force for 36 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 20, 2008, 11:00 PM AKST (08:00 UTC)
Expired
Jan 22, 2008, 11:00 AM AKST
In force
36 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
FZAK61 PAFC 211230
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AST MON JAN 21 2008

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-220300-
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...A WEATHER FRONT OVER THE
CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA WILL DISSIPATE BY MON EVENING. SOUTHWEST FLOW
WILL PERSIST OVER THE GULF THROUGH TUE NIGHT. A 1007 MB LOW OVER THE
CENTRAL ALEUTIANS TUE MORNING WILL BECOME A 1012 MB LOW NEAR 59N 149W
TUE NIGHT. 

$$

PKZ351-220300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AST MON JAN 21 2008

...GALE WARNING TUESDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.FRI...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-220300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AST MON JAN 21 2008

.TODAY...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.WED...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.FRI...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 220043
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AST MON JAN 21 2008

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-221500-
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A WEATHER FRONT IN THE WESTERN GULF WILL MOVE INTO THE EASTERN GULF
TUE. A 1007 MB LOW IN BRISTOL BAY TUE AFTERNOON WILL MOVE NEAR CAPE
HINCHINBROOK AT 1007 MB WED.

$$

PKZ351-221500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AST MON JAN 21 2008

...GALE WARNING TUESDAY...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 16 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED...W WIND 45 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-221500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AST MON JAN 21 2008

...GALE WARNING TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 13 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI AND SAT...W TO NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 

$$
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 221230
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AST TUE JAN 22 2008

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-230300-
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...BROAD SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW
WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH TUE EVENING. A 1013 MB
LOW OVER THE ALASKA PENINSULA TUE AFTERNOON WILL MOVE TO NEAR 59N
146W WED MORNING THEN DISSIPATE NEAR 59N 141W WED NIGHT. 

$$

PKZ351-230300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AST TUE JAN 22 2008

...GALE WARNING WEDNESDAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 35 KT BECOMING NW 45 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS BUILDING
TO 24 FT.
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.FRI...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-230300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AST TUE JAN 22 2008

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 15 FT.  
.TONIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.FRI...W WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SAT...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 222359
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AST TUE JAN 22 2008

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-231500-
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A 1012 MB LOW NEAR 55N 162W WILL MOVE TO 59N 142W AT 1010 MB WED
AFTERNOON. A TROUGH WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST WED AND
PERSIST THROUGH THU. 

$$

PKZ351-231500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AST TUE JAN 22 2008

...STORM WARNING WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 15 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 35 KT BECOMING NW 50 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 16 FT.
SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
16 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.FRI...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-231500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AST TUE JAN 22 2008

...GALE WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 17 FT. 
.WED...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.FRI...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SAT...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this gale warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Jan 20, 12:00 PM AKST, 11 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 20, 12:00 PM AKST, 11 hours before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST SUN JAN 20 2008

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
MODEL ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE EASTERN DOMAIN THROUGH TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. MODELS OVER THE WESTERN DOMAIN STAY IN FAIR AGREEMENT
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING THEN BEGIN TO DIVERGENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE LOW
MOVING TOWARD THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA. CURRENTLY PREFER THE GFS MODEL
SINCE IT HAS A MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD SOLUTION.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
IT APPEARS THE PROGRESSION OF THE SYSTEMS HAVE SLOWED A BIT FROM WHAT
WAS PROGGED YESTERDAY. THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN GULF IS STILL
DRIFTING EAST WITH THE 300 MB JET OVER WESTERN ALASKA.

AT THE SURFACE, THE OLD LOW OVER THE NORTHERN BERING SEA SATURDAY HAS
MOVED NORTH INTO THE ARCTIC OCEAN. THE WEATHER FRONT OVER THE
KUSKOKWIM VALLEY AND EASTERN BRISTOL BAY CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
.SOUTHCENTRAL AK AND THE GULF...
BOTH THE 300 MB WIND MAX AND THE 500 MB VORTICITY MAX WILL MOVE
THROUGH KODIAK ISLAND AND ENTER THE SUSITNA VALLEY THIS EVENING THEN
MOVE INTO PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND THE COPPER RIVER BASIN WHERE BOTH
WILL WEAKEN TONIGHT.

THE SURFACE FRONT WILL MIRROR THE UPPER FEATURES BY MOVING INTO THE
SUSITNA VALLEY AND THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA THIS EVENING THEN WILL
WEAKEN OVER PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND THE COPPER RIVER BASIN TONIGHT.
WE STILL LOOKING FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IN THE SUSITNA VALLEY BASED
ON THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE FLOWING UP THE FRONT AND THE DURATION STAYS
OVER THE AREA. THE ANCHORAGE BOWL AND THE MATANUSKA VALLEY SHOULD
REMAIN DRY THROUGH EARLY EVENING DUE TO STRONG DOWNSLOPING BUT WILL
PICK UP A LITTLE RAIN AND SNOW EARLY TONIGHT AS THE FRONT PASSES
THROUGH THE AREA. RAIN WILL SPREAD INTO PRICE WILLIAM SOUND THIS
EVENING WITH SOME SNOW OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATION THEN WILL BECOME
SHOWERS TOWARD MORNING.

ANOTHER WEATHER FRONT IS EXPECTED TO INTO THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND
WESTERN GULF EARLY TUESDAY AND RAPIDLY MOVE EAST TO THE CANADIAN
BORDER BY EARLY EVENING. A SHORTER PERIOD OF PRECIPITATION AND
STRONGER WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS SYSTEM.

.SOUTHWEST ALASKA, ALEUTIANS AND BERING SEA...
THE OLD WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE EASTERN DOMAIN THIS
EVENING ENDING THE RAIN AND SNOW OVER EASTERN BRISTOL BAY AND THE
KUSKOKWIM VALLEY. A WEAK LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SOUTHWEST OF KUSKOKWIM
BAY WILL MOVE UP THE COAST THIS EVENING AND DISSIPATE NEAR CAPE
ROMANZOF AFTER MIDNIGHT. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WILL MOVE INTO THE
DELTA COAST THIS EVENING.

THE NEXT MAJOR STORM SOUTH OF THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST THROUGH THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS MONDAY AFTERNOON THEN TURN
NORTH AND MOVE INTO THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA MONDAY NIGHT AND INTO
NORTHWEST ALASKA TUESDAY. THE ASSOCIATED FRONT WILL MOVE AHEAD OF THE
STORM CENTER INTO THE ALASKA PENINSULA MONDAY MORNING THEN PUSH INTO
THE REST OF SOUTHWEST ALASKA MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GALE TO
STORM FORCE WINDS WILL PERSIST WITHIN 400 MILES OF THE CENTER THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING THEN WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN.

HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE WESTERN BERING MONDAY NIGHT.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE UPPER TROUGH OVER WESTERN ALASKA TUESDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EAST
INTO WESTERN CANADA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. PERIODS OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL
MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN ALASKA WITH THE TROUGH. WEATHER WILL IMPROVE
FROM THE WEST WEDNESDAY AS ANOTHER UPPER RIDGE MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN
ALASKA THURSDAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNING ZONE 101 TURNAGAIN ARM AND THE HIGHER
         ELEVATIONS.
         HEAVY SNOW WARNING ZONE 145.
MARINE...GALE WARNING 120 125 130 132 138 150 160 165 170 171
                      172 179 180 185.
         STORM WARNING 155.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

NM JAN 08

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 20, 5:43 PM AKST, 5 hours 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1043 PM AST SUN JAN 20 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST GLEN ALPS               61.10N 149.69W
01/20/2008  M87 MPH                             AK   MESONET

0700 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST GLEN ALPS               61.10N 149.69W
01/20/2008  M87 MPH                             AK   MESONET

            THE GLEN ALPS HANDAR REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 87 MPH AT
            700 PM AST SUNDAY JANUARY 20 2008. THE WINDS FREQUENTLY
            GUSTED ABOVE 73 MPH BETWEEN 400 AM AND 800 PM SUNDAY
            JANUARY 20.

&&

DANG
Local storm report, Jan 20, 7:47 PM AKST, 3 hours 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1247 AM AST MON JAN 21 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1230 AM     HEAVY SNOW       PETERS CREEK            61.41N 149.43W
01/21/2008  M14.0 INCH                          AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            THE PETERSVILLE AREA IN THE SUSITNA VALLEY RECEIVED 14
            INCHES OF SNOW BETWEEN NOON AND 1030 PM ON SUNDAY JANUARY
            20 2008.

1230 AM     HEAVY SNOW       MOUNT SUSITNA           61.47N 150.73W
01/21/2008  M14.0 INCH                          AK   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MOUNT SUSITNA IN THE SUSITNA VALLEY RECEIVED 14 INCHES OF
            SNOW BETWEEN NOON AND 1000 PM ON SUNDAY JANUARY 20 2008.

&&

DANG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Anchorage, AK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 20, 4:45 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC18 hr
Jan 20, 11:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Jan 20, 11:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC24 hr
Jan 21, 12:22 AM AKSTHigh Wind WatchAFC15 hr
Jan 21, 11:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC60 hr
Jan 21, 11:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC4 days
Jan 21, 11:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Jan 21, 11:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC36 hr
Jan 21, 11:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Jan 21, 12:35 PM AKSTBlizzard WatchAFC21 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2008Every gale warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.