Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2008

Gale Warning 72, NWS Fairbanks, AK

December 3, 2008

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 3, 2008, 2:40 PM AKST. It was in force for 28 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 3, 2008, 2:40 PM AKST (23:40 UTC)
Expired
Dec 4, 2008, 6:15 PM AKST
In force
28 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

000
FZAK52 PAFG 032340
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
240 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

NORTHWESTERN ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

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

PKZ299-041445-
240 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 974 MB LOW NEAR COLD BAY WILL MOVE WESTWARD TO THE PRIBILOFS
BY 3 PM THU WEAKENING TO 982 MB. THE ASSOCIATED STRONG WEATHER
FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE LOW CENTER TO DALL POINT AND EASTWARD
BY 3 PM FRI.


$$

PKZ200-041445-
NORTON SOUND-
240 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS.
.THU...NE WINDS 30 KT BECOMING E 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY
1 NM OR LESS.
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...E WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-041445-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
240 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 16 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY.
.THU...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 17 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 18 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM
OR LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM
OR LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...SE WINDS 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.MON...S WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ215-041445-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
240 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 10 KT INCREASING TO 20 KT.
.THU...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 10 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...E WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 10 KT. 
.MON...SE WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-041445-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
240 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.THU...NE WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 25 KT. 
.MON...SE WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

RF/DA DEC 08
2 follow-up statements
000
FZAK52 PAFG 032341
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
241 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

NORTHWESTERN ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

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

PKZ299-041445-
241 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 974 MB LOW NEAR COLD BAY WILL MOVE WESTWARD TO THE PRIBILOFS
BY 3 PM THU WEAKENING TO 982 MB. THE ASSOCIATED STRONG WEATHER
FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE LOW CENTER TO DALL POINT AND EASTWARD
BY 3 PM FRI.


$$

PKZ200-041445-
NORTON SOUND-
241 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS.
.THU...NE WINDS 30 KT BECOMING E 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY
1 NM OR LESS.
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...E WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-041445-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
241 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 16 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY.
.THU...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 17 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 18 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM
OR LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM
OR LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR
LESS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...SE WINDS 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.MON...S WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ215-041445-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
241 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 10 KT INCREASING TO 20 KT.
.THU...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 10 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...E WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 10 KT. 
.MON...SE WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-041445-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
241 PM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.THU...NE WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 25 KT. 
.MON...SE WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

RF/DA DEC 08
000
FZAK52 PAFG 041152
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
252 AM AKST THU DEC 4 2008

NORTHWESTERN ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

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

PKZ299-050315-
252 AM AKST THU DEC 4 2008

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 974 MB LOW JUST EAST OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS WILL WEAKEN TO
986 MB BY FRI AFTERNOON AS IT ROTATES NORTH AND WEST AROUND 
THEM. THE ASSOCIATED STRONG WEATHER FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE 
LOW CENTER TO DALL POINT AND EASTWARD BY 3 PM FRI.

$$

PKZ200-050315-
NORTON SOUND-
252 AM AKST THU DEC 4 2008

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...NE WINDS 30 KT. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.MON...NE WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-050315-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
252 AM AKST THU DEC 4 2008

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING...

.TODAY...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 16 FT. SNOW. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 17 FT. SNOW. HEAVY FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 45 KT. SEAS 18 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WINDS 40 KT. SEAS 15 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ215-050315-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
252 AM AKST THU DEC 4 2008

.TODAY...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...E WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...NE WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-050315-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
252 AM AKST THU DEC 4 2008

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING...

.TODAY...N WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...N WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 35 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. 
.SAT...NE WINDS 35 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...NE WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

CF/MAR DEC 08

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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 3, 11:43 AM AKST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 3, 11:43 AM AKST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1143 AM AKST WED DEC 3 2008

.DISCUSSION...

CURRENT SURFACE PROGS THROUGH DAY 3 ARE SIMILAR ON THE
MAJOR FEATURES...EXCEPT FOR THE DEEPENING TRIPLE POINT
LOW SOUTH OF THE WESTERN ALASKA PENINSULA WHERE THE
ECMWF/GFS ARE CARRYING A SOMEWHAT DEEPER CENTER IN
THE NEAR TERM THAN THE NAM. GFS/ECMWF RESOLVE THIS LOW MUCH
BETTER THAN THE NAM THROUGH 00Z SAT AS IT ROTATES AROUND THE
OLD PARENT LOW. GFS/ECMWF SOLUTIONS ARE PREFERRED. BROAD
SCALE WIND FIELDS FROM ALL 3 MODELS OVER THE FORECAST
AREA ARE GENERALLY SIMILAR.

WILL UPGRADE THE EXISTING HIGH WIND WATCH FOR AKZ213
TO A WARNING ON THIS AFTERNOONS FORECAST SUITE.
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40-50 MPH OVER AKZ213...A
GOOD LIKELIHOOD OF OCCASIONAL 60 MPH GUSTS OVER THE
NORMALLY WINDY AREAS SUCH AS GAMBELL AND NEAR THE BERING
STRAIT.

STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY BE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY
AS THE TRIPLE POINT LOW ROTATES WESTWARD AND MAKES ITS
CLOSEST APPROACH TO OUR FORECAST AREA...TIGHTENING
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE NORTHERN BERING. SOME
SNOW MAY MAKE IT WESTWARD TO SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND
THURSDAY...MAYBE TO THE BERING STRAIT THURSDAY NIGHT
BUT THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN CONSIDERABLY BY
THAT TIME.

ALONG THE ARCTIC COAST...WINDS WILL REMAIN AT 15 MPH
OR LESS OVER MOST OF ALL AREAS EAST OF WAINWRIGHT
THROUGH FRI AS HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BUILDS IN
FROM THE WEST.

SNOW WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD TO NORTON SOUND AND THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF THE WESTERN INTERIOR TONIGHT...
AND TO MUCH OF THE SEWARD PENINSULA AND INTERIOR
SOUTH OF SELAWIK-BETTLES-FORT YUKON THU MORNING.

SNOW MAY BECOME MIXED WITH RAIN OVER THE SOUTHERN
PARTS OF AKZ214-AKZ215 LATE THU MORNING OR THU AFTERNOON
AS 1000-850 MB LAYER MEAN TEMPERATURE NUDGES UP TO 0C
OR A LITTLE ABOVE. GFS CARRYING THE LARGEST PRECIP
AMOUNTS OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA THROUGH 18Z THU...ECMWF
SOMEWHAT LESS AND THE NAM CONSIDERABLY LESS. WILL
OPT OUT FOR MAXIMUM SNOW AMOUNTS OF AROUND 5 INCHES IN
AKZ214 AND UP TO 7 INCHES IN AKZ215-AKZ216.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ212-AKZ214-AKZ215-AKZ216.

HIGH WIND WARNING FOR AKZ213.

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ210.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ220-PKZ225.
&&

RF DEC 08

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 3, 3:36 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG3 days
Dec 3, 10:48 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG16 hr
Dec 3, 10:48 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG31 hr
Dec 3, 10:50 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG31 hr
Dec 3, 10:50 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG31 hr
Dec 3, 10:50 AM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG31 hr
Dec 3, 1:35 PM AKSTHigh Wind WarningAFG38 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.