Gale Warning 133, NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 231918 AAA
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1015 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

UPDATED AREAS 413 AND 414

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA

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.

PKZ499-240300-
400 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 1001 MB LOW NEAR 50N 171E WEAKENS TO 1005 MB NEAR 65N 173W AND THEN
DISSIPATES. A NORTH PACIFIC LOW INTENSIFIES TO 992 MB TUE MORNING AS
IT MOVES TO 51N 176E. THIS LOW THEN INTENSIFIES TO 977 MB TUE NIGHT
NEAR 59N 173W.
$$

PKZ411-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TUESDAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW SHOWERS.
.TONIGHT...W WIND 35 KT...DIMINISHING TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
20 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TUE...NE WIND 40 KT...EXCEPT VARIABLE WIND 20 KT BECOMING NE 35 KT
DURING THE AFTERNOON NORTH OF 56 N. SEAS 15 FT. SNOW.
.TUE NIGHT...NW WIND 55 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.FRI...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TUESDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 26 FT. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 40 KT BECOMING W 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 24 FT.
SNOW.
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT BECOMING SE 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 20 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...SE WIND 55 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 60 KT. SEAS 30 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
1015 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...STORM WARNING TUESDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 30 KT INCREASING TO 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
23 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 21 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TUE...S WIND 30 KT BECOMING SE 40 TO 50 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 18
TO 24 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.TUE NIGHT...W WIND 60 TO 70 KT. SEAS 25 TO 30 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 55 KT. SEAS 25 TO 32 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  
$$

PKZ414-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
1015 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 13 FT. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 16 FT. SNOW
AND RAIN. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 17 FT.
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 40 KT BECOMING SW 60 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
IN ICE FREE WATERS 23 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 60 TO 70 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 33 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 45 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 22 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 16 FT.  
$$

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 240024
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA

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.

PKZ499-241500-
400 PM AKST MON FEB 23 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 1000 MB LOW NEAR 54N 178E WILL WEAKEN TO 1005 MB NEAR 65N 173W
TUESDAY. A 990 MB LOW NEAR 50N 176E TUE MORNING WILL MOVE TO 58N 172W
AT 982 MB TUESDAY NIGHT AND THEN MOVE ONSHORE NEAR 61N 165W AT 987 MB
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
$$

PKZ411-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...STORM WARNING TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
20 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE...S OF 56 N...NE WIND 30 KT INCREASING TO 45 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 16 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. N OF 56 N...VARIABLE
WIND 15 KT.  SEAS 13 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.TUE NIGHT...NW WIND 55 KT BECOMING W 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
16 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 50 KT. SEAS 27 FT. 
.FRI...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 27 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...STORM WARNING TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT BECOMING W WIND 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
22 FT. SNOW.
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT BECOMING SE IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 17 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...E WIND 45 KT BECOMING NW 60 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
21 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...W WIND 55 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 50 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT BECOMING W AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 20 FT. RAIN
AND SNOW. 
.TUE...VARIABLE WIND 20 KT BECOMING SE 45 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
18 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.TUE NIGHT...W WIND 70 KT. SEAS 27 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.WED...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 20 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

...STORM WARNING TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT DECREASING TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS IN
ICE FREE WATERS 15 FT. SNOW.
.TUE...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 14 FT.
.TUE NIGHT...SE WIND 50 KT BECOMING S 60 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS IN
ICE FREE WATERS 25 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED...W WIND 65 KT BECOMING 55 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS IN ICE FREE
WATERS 31 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 50 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 25 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 14 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 15 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 18 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
347 AM AKST MON FEB 23 2009

.MODEL DISCUSSION...

FORECASTS WERE BLENDED TOWARDS THE GFS THROUGH THE MEDIUM RANGE AS IT
IS SHOWING BETTER CONSISTENCY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL RUNS.  THIS IS
TRUE ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO THE MULTIPLE STORM SYSTEMS THAT WILL
BE AFFECTING THE BERING SEA THROUGH THE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...

HIGH PRESSURE IS IN CONTROL OVER MOST OF THE MAINLAND BOTH AT THE
SURFACE AND ALOFT....WITH ONLY A HIGH DECK OF CLOUDS OVER THE
MAINLAND FROM THE ALASKA RANGE EAST.  A WEAKENING FRONT ALONG THE
WEST COAST IS BRINGING LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO THE Y-K DELTA REGION.
A WEAK SHORTWAVE WITH ASSOCIATED 1001 MB SURFACE LOW IS LOCATED SOUTH
OF SHEMYA AT 50N 170E.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...THE DECAYING FRONT OVER THE BERING SEA
BRINGING PRECIPITATION TO THE DELTA REGION WILL MOVE FARTHER INLAND
TODAY AND CONTINUE TO WEAKEN...BRINGING ONLY LIGHT PRECIPITATION WEST
OF THE ALASKA RANGE THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY.  THE LOW CURRENTLY SOUTH
OF SHEMYA WILL TRACK NORTH THROUGH THE BERING TOWARDS THE BERING
STRAIT TODAY...BRINGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO THE BERING SEA THROUGH
TONIGHT.  ANOTHER STRONGER LOW FORECAST BY THE GFS AT 985 MB TUESDAY
MORNING WILL MOVE THROUGH THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALEUTIANS AND TRACK
TOWARDS THE YUKON-KUSKOKWIM DELTA REGION LATE WEDNESDAY.  THIS STORM
WILL LIKELY BRING STORM FORCE WINDS TO A GOOD PORTION OF THE BERING
SEA...AND POSSIBLY EVEN HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OVER OFFSHORE WATERS.
AS THE SYSTEM MAKES LANDFALL IN THE YUKON DELTA LATE WEDNESDAY
PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL OVERSPREAD A GOOD PART
OF THE MAINLAND.  STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS
UPPER TROUGH COULD MAKE FOR GUSTY WINDS EARLY THURSDAY ON THE AKPEN
AND WEST OF THE ALASKA RANGE AS A STRONG SURFACE HIGH BUILDS ACROSS
THE BERING SEA.  ON THE WEST SIDE OF THIS SURFACE HIGH...STRONG
SOUTHERLY FLOW COULD BRING HIGH WINDS TO THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL
ALEUTIANS AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM FOR WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...

STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE INTERIOR FROM THE SOUTHWEST
TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK.  COMBINED WITH A WEAK LOW FORECAST BY
THE GFS IN THE NORTHERN GULF...WINDY CONDITIONS THROUGH CHANNELED
TERRAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE EAST OF THE ALASKA RANGE.  ANOTHER FRONT
WITH SIGNIFICANT WINDS AND PRECIPITATION WORKS ITS WAY ACROSS THE
BERING THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY BEFORE MOVING INLAND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WEST OF THE ALASKA RANGE FRIDAY INTO
SATURDAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE
MARINE...GALE WARNING...170 176 179 185 411 412
         STORM WARNING...172 175 413
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

CC/DS FEB 09