Gale Warning 815, NWS Anchorage, AK

Issued

Dec 6, 2008, 9:44 AM AKST (18:44 UTC)

Expired

Dec 7, 2008, 2:45 AM AKST

In force

17 hr

Issued by

NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
FZAK51 PAFC 070016
CWFAER

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE ALASKA
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

MARINE FORECAST FOR THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA COAST
UP TO 100 NM OUT INCLUDING KODIAK ISLAND
AND COOK INLET

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.

PKZ197-071145-
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTH GULF COAST+KODIAK ISLAND WATERS+
COOK INLET...

A 1001 MB LOW NEAR KODIAK ISLAND WILL DISSIPATE NEAR MIDDLETON
ISLAND SUN. A 969 MB LOW 600 NM SOUTH OF COLD BAY SUN AFTERNOON WILL
MOVE TO 340 NM SOUTH OF KODIAK CITY AND STRENGTHEN TO 962 MB MON
AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ120-071145-
CAPE SUCKLING TO GORE POINT
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. RAIN.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.MON...E WIND 50 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.THU...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ121-071145-
RESURRECTION BAY
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 1 FOOT. RAIN AND
SNOW. 
.SUN...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 1 FOOT. SNOW.
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.MON AND MON NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

PKZ125-071145-
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...E WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.SUN...E WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.SUN NIGHT...NE WIND 10 KT INCREASING TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
3 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.MON...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.TUE...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

PKZ129-071145-
PASSAGE CANAL
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN AND SUN NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. SNOW
AND RAIN. 
.MON AND MON NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TUE...VARIABLE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.THU...W WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT.  

$$

PKZ130-071145-
BARREN ISLANDS AND KAMISHAK BAY WATERS
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.MON...E WIND 50 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.THU...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ132-071145-
SHUYAK ISLAND TO SITKINAK
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

...GALE WARNING SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 15 KT INCREASING TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
9 FT. RAIN.
.MON...E WIND 50 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.THU...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ138-071145-
SHELIKOF STRAIT
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.MON AND MON NIGHT...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.WED AND THU...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

PKZ140-071145-
COOK INLET NORTH OF KAMISHAK BAY AND ENGLISH BAY
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.MON AND MON NIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. HIGHEST WIND AND SEAS
SOUTH OF KALGIN ISLAND.
.TUE...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.WED...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

PKZ141-071145-
KACHEMAK BAY
244 PM AST SAT DEC 6 2008

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...NE WIND INCREASING TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.MON...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

NWS Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 6, 4:00 AM AKST, 5 hours 44 minutes earlier.

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 6 2008

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
AT UPPER LEVELS THIS MORNING IS A TROUGH OVER EASTERN ASIA...A RIDGE
OVER THE WESTERN BERING/ALEUTIANS...AND A TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN
BERING AND THE MAINLAND. THE PATTERN IS HIGHLY AMPLIFIED WITH THE
TROUGHS EXTENDING SOUTH INTO THE TROPICS AND THE RIDGE EXTENDING
NORTH INTO THE ARCTIC OCEAN. GETTING INTO A LITTLE MORE
DETAIL...THERE IS A SURFACE LOW JUST EAST OF ATKA RACING SOUTH INTO
THE NORTH PACIFIC ALONG A NORTHERLY UPPER JET. THIS LOW STILL HAS
SOME LINGERING STORM FORCE WINDS ON ITS NORTHWEST SIDE. ANOTHER
SURFACE LOW IS POSITIONED IN THE FAR WESTERN GULF JUST SOUTH OF
CHIGNIK. THIS WEAK LOW IS MORE DETACHED FROM THE UPPER LEVEL JET AND
WILL SLOWLY MOVE NORTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA AND
CONTINUE TO WEAKEN. A VERY MILD AIRMASS IS IN PLACE FROM THE EASTERN
BERING EAST INTO THE SOUTHERN MAINLAND...BUT AN UPPER LEVEL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE SEWARD PENINSULA THIS MORNING MOVING SOUTH
WILL BRING A GRADUAL RETURN TO COLD TEMPERATURES FOR MOST OF THE
AREA.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT OVERALL THROUGH ABOUT THURSDAY.
THE MAIN MODEL ISSUE IS AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR GULF
LOW MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. GFS CONTINUES TO HAVE RUN TO RUN
CONSISTENCY ISSUES AND THUS WE WILL CONTINUE TO FAVOR THE ECMWF.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
SOUTHCENTRAL...
MOST IMMEDIATE CONCERN IS FREEZING RAIN. ANCHORAGE SOUNDING
CONTINUES TO BE VERY FAVORABLE FOR FREEZING RAIN...BUT THANKFULLY
PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN QUITE LIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT
FOR ANY HEAVIER PRECIPITATION MAKING IT TO PORTIONS OF THE COOK
INLET REGION WHICH ARE STILL BELOW FREEZING. THE ATMOSPHERE SHOULD
BEGIN TO GRADUALLY COOL TONIGHT WITH THE FREEZING RAIN THREAT GOING
AWAY. WEAK LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE FROM THE FAR WESTERN GULF TO JUST
SOUTH OF SEWARD AND GRADUALLY DISSIPATE SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. ANY
SNOW SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT SHOULD GENERALLY BE LIGHT WITH THE
POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE COPPER RIVER BASIN...WHERE A DECENT
OVERRUNNING SNOW EVENT SHOULD SET UP. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL MOVE NORTHEAST INTO THE SOUTHWEST GULF OF ALASKA MONDAY AND
WILL BE A MAJOR PLAYER FOR SOUTHCENTRAL THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

SOUTHWEST MAINLAND...
ANY REMAINING PRECIPITATION OVER THE SOUTHWEST MAINLAND SHOULD TAPER
OFF BY MIDDAY SUNDAY AS COLDER DRIER AIR WORKS IN FROM THE NORTH.
THROUGH TONIGHT...MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION AROUND BRISTOL BAY WILL
FALL AS RAIN OR A RAIN SNOW MIX...WHILE THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA COULD
CONTINUE TO SEE SOME FREEZING RAIN THIS MORNING BEFORE COLDER DRIER
AIR MOVES IN THIS AFTERNOON.

BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...
THE LOW JUST EAST OF ATKA WILL RACE INTO THE NORTH PACIFIC
TODAY...ALLOWING FOR STRONG COLD ADVECTION FROM THE CENTRAL
BERING/ALEUTIANS EAST. HIGH PRESSURE IN THE WESTERN BERING/ALEUTIANS
THIS MORNING WILL RAPIDLY PROGRESS EAST AS A FRONT MOVES EAST INTO
THE WESTERN BERING/ALEUTIANS SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT
WILL HAVE TROUBLE MOVING ANY FURTHER EAST THAN ABOUT 173W AS IT HITS
THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE AND SOME OF THE ENERGY IS ABSORBED INTO
THE STRENGTHENING GULF LOW.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
FROM WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY...EXPECT LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN
GULF OF ALASKA...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN BERING...AND LOW
PRESSURE IN THE FAR WESTERN BERING. THE MODELS FALL APART BEYOND
THURSDAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORM WARNING ZONES 412 413.
         GALE WARNING ZONES 172 175 185 411.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING 180 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

FOISY DEC 08

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2008Every gale warning in 2008

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