Alert archive / Alaska / Storm Warnings in 2008

Storm Warning 185, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 2, 2008

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this storm warning at Dec 2, 2008, 4:00 PM AKST. It was in force for 24 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
Dec 2, 2008, 4:00 PM AKST (01:00 UTC)
Expired
Dec 3, 2008, 4:00 PM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 030000
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 2 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.

PKZ499-031500-
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 959 MB LOW NEAR 46N 171W WEAKENS TO 975 MB NEAR 51N 168W THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. A 978 MB LOW NEAR 51N 159W LATE TONIGHT MOVES TO 56N 174W
AT 976 MB WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ411-031500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 2 2008

...STORM WARNING WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED...N WIND 50 KT. SEAS 27 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.WED NIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU THROUGH FRI...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 26 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-031500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 2 2008

...STORM WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 50 KT. SEAS 22 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS.
.WED...NE WIND 50 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WIND 45 KT. GUSTS TO 60 KT. SEAS 26 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS. 
.THU...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 26 FT. 
.THU NIGHT THROUGH FRI...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-031500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 2 2008

...STORM WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND INCREASING TO 50 KT. SEAS 25 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS.
.WED...NE WIND 50 KT. SEAS 27 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED NIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU THROUGH SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 17 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-031500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 2 2008

...GALE WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...E WIND INCREASING TO 45 KT. SEAS 15 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS. 
.WED...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 16 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
15 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.FRI THROUGH SAT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
FZAK62 PAFC 031301
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST WED DEC 3 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.

PKZ499-040300-
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 960 MB LOW NEAR 49N 173W WILL WEAKEN TO 983 MB AT 52N 165W FRIDAY
MORNING. 

$$

PKZ411-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...N WIND 50 KT. SEAS 27 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 27 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 27 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU NIGHT THROUGH FRI...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 50 KT. SEAS 25 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS.
.THU...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 26 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 50 KT. SEAS 26 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 27 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 27 FT. SNOW SHOWERS WITH RAIN. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...E WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
17 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK62 PAFC 031556 AAA
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
655 AM AKST WED DEC 3 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.

PKZ499-040300-
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 960 MB LOW NEAR 49N 173W WILL WEAKEN TO 983 MB AT 52N 165W FRIDAY
MORNING. 

$$

PKZ411-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
655 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...N WIND 40 TO 50 KT. SEAS 20 TO 27 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 35 TO 45 KT. SEAS 20 TO 27 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU NIGHT THROUGH FRI...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
655 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 50 KT. SEAS 25 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS.
.THU...N WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 22 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
655 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 40 TO 50 KT. SEAS 20 TO 26 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 35 TO 45 KT. SEAS 20 TO 27 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS. 
.THU...N WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 20 TO 27 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-040300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
655 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...E WIND 40 TO 50 KT. SEAS 17 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...NE TO SE WIND 35 TO 45 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 30 KT 
AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 12 TO 17 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK62 PAFC 040006
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST WED DEC 3 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.

PKZ499-041500-
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 965 MB LOW NEAR 49N 172W WILL WEAKEN TO 985 MB AS IT SLOWLY 
MOVES TO 53N 163W FRI AFTERNOON. A 972 MB LOW NEAR 55N 166W WILL 
MOVE TO 57N 170W THU AFTERNOON AT 982 MB AND THEN TO 53N 172W 
FRI AFTERNOON AT 989 MB.

$$

PKZ411-041500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.FRI...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-041500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING T0NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 50 KT. SEAS 24 FT. SNOW SHOWERS AND RAIN.
.THU...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT. SNOW SHOWERS WITH RAIN. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT. SNOW.
.FRI...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SUN...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-041500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 23 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS. 
.THU...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW SHOWERS WITH RAIN. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.FRI...N WIND 50 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 50 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-041500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...STORM WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 50 KT BECOMING NE 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 17
FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT BECOMING SE 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.FRI...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT THROUGH SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this storm 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 storm warning went out at Dec 2, 5:00 AM AKST, 11 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 2, 5:00 AM AKST, 11 hours before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 AM AKST TUE DEC 2 2008

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
ALL MODELS DID A GOOD JOB OF INITIALIZING AND ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN
THE SHORT TERM EXCEPT FOR THE GFS OUT WEST. THE ECMWF AND THE NAM
SEEM TO HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THE NEXT FRONTAL WAVE ROTATING AROUND
THE NORTH PACIFIC LOW SOUTH OF THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS. THE GFS ENSEMBLE
MEMBERS AND ENSEMBLE MEAN SUPPORT THE ECMWF POSITION. SO OUT WEST WE
TRENDED TOWARD THE ECMWF AND IN THE EAST USING THE NAM FOR ITS DETAIL.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
A LARGE CUTOFF LOW CONTINUES TO REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY INTO WEDNESDAY
WITH A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA.
AS THE WEEKEND APPROACHES RIDGE AXIS WILL SHIFT OVER THE EASTERN
GULF/PANHANDLE. THE WESTERN LOW WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN INTO A TROUGH AND
DRIFT EAST OVER THE ALASKA PENINSULA WHILE A DECENT RIDGE OF HIGH
PRESSURE DEVELOPING TO THE WEST THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS.

SHORT TERM FORECAST...
SOUTHCENTRAL...
HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE STATE THIS MORNING WILL QUICKLY SHIFT EAST INTO
CANADA BY THIS EVENING. MOISTURE MOVING IN FROM THE GULF WILL RESULT IN
INCREASING CLOUDS TODAY. AS THE UPPER TROUGH ROTATES IN FROM THE WEST
THE UPPER FLOW TURNS SOUTHERLY AND HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE BACK IN THE
TWENTIES BY WEDNESDAY.

SOUTHWEST...
WITH AN APPROACHING FRONT TODAY TEMPERATURES SHOULD CONTINUE TO MODERATE
WITH WARM ADVECTION PUSHING INTO BRISTOL BAY BUT EXPECT PRECIPITATION TO
REMAIN AS SNOW BUT WITH WARM AIR MOVING IN ALOFT WE MAY SEE SOME
FREEZING RAIN ALONG LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING ALONG BRISTOL
BAY. ELSEWHERE EXPECT GENERALLY DRY CLOUDY CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL REMAIN
NORTHERLY AND GUSTY ALONG THE WEST COAST AND BRISTOL BAY.

ALASKA PENINSULA/ALEUTIANS/BERING SEA...
WITH THE LOW COMPLEX IN THE VICINITY OF THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS CONDITIONS
WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY WINDY OVER MOST AREAS THROUGH TODAY AND
TONIGHT.  WITH THIS LOW ALMOST STATIONARY THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WILL
CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG NORTHWESTERLIES INTO THURSDAY. EXPECT STRONG
SOUTHEASTERLY WIND AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONT FOR THE ALASKA
PENINSULA AND EASTERN ALEUTIANS AGAIN FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE MODEL ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT IN TO NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE
CONTINUES BUILDING OVER THE CENTRAL BERING SEA. WHILE A DEVELOPING NORTH
PACIFIC LOW DEEPENS AND MOVE INTO THE THE SOUTHERN GULF OF ALASKA BY
MONDAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORMS 176 185.
         GALES 120 130 132 138 140 150 155 160 165 170 171 172 175 179
               180.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

DEC 08

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 2, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC4 days
Dec 2, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC36 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 3, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC18 hr
Dec 3, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC4 days
Dec 3, 4:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC24 hr
Dec 3, 6:55 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC15 hr
Dec 3, 7:15 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC9 hr
Dec 3, 7:15 AM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC8 days
Dec 3, 9:26 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFC27 hr
Dec 3, 10:58 AM AKSTFreezing Rain AdvisoryAFC18 hr

Nearby

Storm Warnings in Alaska, 2008Every storm 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.