Gale Warning 244, NWS Anchorage, AK

944 
FZAK61 PAFC 171057
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT TUE MAR 17 2009

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

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.

PKZ399-180200-
400 AM AKDT TUE MAR 17 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...A BROAD AND COMPLEX LOW
WILL PERSIST IN THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH THU MORNING.

$$

PKZ351-180200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKDT TUE MAR 17 2009

.TODAY...S WIND 15 TO 25 KT DIMINISHING TO SW 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SEAS 10 FT. FREEZING SPRAY WEST OF 148W.
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  
.WED...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-180200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKDT TUE MAR 17 2009

.TODAY...S WIND 30 KT BECOMING SE 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
8 TO 12 FT. FREEZING SPRAY WEST PF 148W. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 15 KT BECOMING NW 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
10 FT. 
.WED...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
400 PM AKDT MON MAR 16 2009

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODEL ARE DOING WELL WITH THE OVERALL PATTERN
WHICH WILL NOT BE CHANGING FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK. THIS PATTERN IS A
SITUATION WHERE DETAILS WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA AREA. THE GFS IS LOOKING GOOD IN THE WESTERN AREAS WITH A
SLIGHT PREFERENCE FOR THE NAM IN THE EAST DUE TO THE SMALL SCALE
FEATURES.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE EXTENDS OVER THE
CENTRAL BERING SEA AND INTO EASTERN RUSSIA. A COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
IS EXTENDING OVER THE MAINLAND PART OF THE STATE INTO THE GULF OF
ALASKA. THE COMBINATION IS GIVING GOOD UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR WINDS
OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND THE ALASKA PENINSULA. THE SURFACE HIGH JUST
NORTHWEST OF BARROW WITH A COMPLEX LOW IN THE GULF IS CREATING A
STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE STATE. THE DETAILS OF THIS COMPLEX
LOW WILL DETERMINE THE WEATHER IN AREAS ALONG AND NEAR THE GULF FOR
MOST OF THE WEEK.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...FOR AN OVERALL PATTERN THAT WILL NOT CHANGE
MUCH THERE CAN BE LARGE CHANGES IN THE WEATHER IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF
TIME AS A SMALL LOW SPINS UP IN THE LOW COMPLEX AND BRINGS MODERATE
SNOWFALL OVER AN AREA AND THEN CLEARS OUT AGAIN SHORTLY. THESE ARE
THE DETAILS THAT WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT FEW
DAYS.
STRONG WINDS IN THE EASTERN BERING SEA AND ACROSS THE ALASKA
PENINSULA WILL PERSIST FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
STRONG OFFSHORE WINDS WILL PERSIST ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST AS
WELL. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WILL ALSO BE PREVALENT IN THESE AREAS
INTO TUESDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...THE UPPER LEVEL LONG WAVE PATTERN DOES NOT
CHANGE MUCH UNTIL THE WEEKEND WHICH WILL KEEP THINGS ON THE COLDER
SIDE THROUGH LATE IN THE WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE
MARINE...GALE 120 130 150 155 160 165 180
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY 121 130 132 138 140 141 150 155 160 165
                              179 180 185
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

MAR 09