Gale Warning 348, NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
FZAK61 PAFC 082305
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKDT WED APR 8 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.

PKZ399-091400-
400 PM AKDT WED APR 8 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A STRONG FRONT EXTENDING FROM AN ALEUTIAN LOW WILL MOVE INTO THE
WESTERN GULF THU MORNING AND TRACK TO THE NORTHERN TO EASTERN GULF
THU NIGHT. THE ALEUTIAN LOW WILL TRACK TO 56N 153W FRI AFTERNOON AT
979 MB.
$$

PKZ351-091400-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKDT WED APR 8 2009

...GALE WARNING THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 15 KT INCREASING TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
BUILDING TO 13 FT. RAIN.
.THU NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT BECOMING S 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
15 FT. RAIN.
.FRI THROUGH SAT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-091400-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKDT WED APR 8 2009

...GALE WARNING THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 25 KT BECOMING SW WIND 35 KT DURING THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
BUILDING TO 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT BECOMING S 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
13 FT. 
.FRI...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SAT AND SUN...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT.  

$$

000 
FZAK61 PAFC 091148
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT THU APR 9 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.

PKZ399-100200-
400 AM AKDT THU APR 9 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A WEATHER FRONT IN THE WESTERN GULF THU MORNING MOVES TO THE NORTHERN
AND EASTERN GULF COAST THU NIGHT AND FRI MORNING. A 985 MB LOW MOVES
NORTHEAST TO 56N 149W FRI NIGHT.
$$

PKZ351-100200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKDT THU APR 9 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING SE 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 9 FT.
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT BECOMING SW 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
10 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.FRI...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-100200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKDT THU APR 9 2009

.TODAY...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
9 FT. 
.FRI...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$

000 
FZAK61 PAFC 092307
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKDT THU APR 9 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.

PKZ399-101400-
400 PM AKDT THU APR 9 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A WEATHER FRONT IN THE WESTERN GULF MOVES TO THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN
GULF COAST FRI MORNING. A 982 MB LOW NEAR 53N 158W THU NIGHT MOVES TO
NEAR 57N 145W SAT AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-101400-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKDT THU APR 9 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT BECOMING SW 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 9 FT.
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.FRI...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SAT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-101400-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKDT THU APR 9 2009

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 KT BECOMING SW 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
8 FT. 
.FRI...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 16 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SAT THROUGH SUN...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

000 
FZAK61 PAFC 101146
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 10 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.

PKZ399-110200-
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 10 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 980 MB LOW NEAR 54N 157W WILL MAINTAIN STRENGTH AND MOVE INTO THE
GULF OF ALASKA NEAR 55N 150W ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. IT WILL THEN WEAKEN
TO 985 MB AND MOVE TO 57N 148W ON SATURDAY MORNING. BY SUNDAY MORNING
IT WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY AND WEAKEN TO 993 MB.
$$

PKZ351-110200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 10 2009

.TODAY...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT...E WIND 20 KT BECOMING S IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-110200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 10 2009

.TODAY...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
140 PM AKDT TUE APR 7 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...NEAR ZONAL FLOW EXISTS THIS MORNING
ACROSS THE NORTH PACIFIC WITH MANY LOWS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE
LONG-WAVE TROUGH TO THE NORTH. THE MAIN WEATHER PRODUCER AT THE
MOMENT IS NEARLY STATIONARY MATURE LOW OVER THE NORTHERN BERING.
A WEAK COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW IS MOVING INLAND ACROSS
SOUTHWEST ALASKA...PRODUCING AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW. COLD ADVECTION
SOUTH OF THE LOW CENTER IS PRODUCING AN AREA OF SHOWERS OVER THE
NORTHERN BERING AS CLEARLY SEEN IN SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS MORNING.
THERE ARE NO OTHER MAJOR FEATURES TO SPEAK OF OVER THE BERING
REGION...ALTHOUGH CLOUD COVER IS EXTENSIVE. SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA
IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A SHORT-WAVE RIDGE THIS MORNING...WHICH
ALONG WITH LOW LEVEL OFFSHORE FLOW HAS RESULTED IN MOSTLY SUNNY
SKIES ACROSS THE REGION. A DEVELOPING LOW NEAR 44N 170E WILL BE
THE NEXT MAJOR STORM TO AFFECT THE FORECAST AREA.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH
HANDLING OF NEXT SYSTEM. THERE ARE MINOR DIFFERENCES IN POSITION
OF MAIN LOW AND TRIPLE POINT LOW THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY..BUT
THESE DIFFERENCES HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE FORECAST.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...A WEAK UPPER LEVEL SHORT-WAVE JUST SOUTH OF
THE NORTHERN BERING LOW WILL AMPLIFY  TONIGHT A RIDGE BUILDS
UPSTREAM IN RESPONSE TO DEVELOPING PACIFIC LOW. THIS SHORT-WAVE
TROUGH WILL MOVE TO KODIAK ISLAND WEDNESDAY AND ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL PUSH REMNANT MOISTURE FROM SOUTHWEST
ALASKA FRONT ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL AND THERE SHOULD BE JUST ENOUGH
LIFT WITH THE TROUGH TO PRODUCE A FEW SHOWERS. THE FRONT ASSOCIATED
WITH THE NEXT MAJOR STORM MOVING ALONG THE ALEUTIANS THIS WEEK WILL
REACH THE WESTERN GULF THURSDAY MORNING AND SPREAD TO SOUTHCENTRAL
THURSDAY NIGHT. FRONTAL ORIENTATION LOOKS FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT
OF A BARRIER JET ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST...ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE
SHORT-LIVED AS UPPER LEVELS QUICKLY PUSH THE FRONT NORTHWARD WHERE
IT FALLS APART. STRONG SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL LIMIT PRECIPITATION ON
THE LEE SIDE OF MOUNTAINS. WITH DECENT DYNAMICS ALOFT DO EXPECT AT
LEAST A FEW SHOWERS IN MOST LOCATIONS. TEMPERATURES ALOFT WILL
REMAIN COLD ENOUGH TO PRODUCE SNOW MOST LOCATIONS...WITH RAIN MIXED
IN ALONG THE COAST DUE TO INFLUENCE OF WARMER GULF WATERS.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA...THERE IS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PUSH BEHIND THE
COLD FRONT...SO IT WILL BE SLOW TO EXIT THE REGION. AREAS OF SNOW
WILL CONTINUE FROM BRISTOL BAY TO THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH REMNANTS OF THE FRONT HANGING UP IN THE
ALASKA RANGE BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE...NORTHERN BERING LOW
WILL SLOWLY TRACK TOWARD NORTON SOUND WHILE UPPER LEVEL SHORT-WAVE
AMPLIFIES AND SWINGS INTO SOUTHWEST ALASKA WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS
WILL PRODUCE SNOW SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA.
FRONT FROM THE NEXT STORM WILL MOVE INTO BRISTOL BAY THURSDAY...BUT
WONT MAKE IT ANY FURTHER NORTH THAN THAT AS TRIPLE POINT LOW FORMS
AND MOVES TO THE GULF. MOISTURE WILL HOWEVER SPREAD NORTH AND WEST
OF THE FRONT INTO THE REST OF SOUTHWEST ALASKA. MEANWHILE...A
SHORT-WAVE TROUGH WILL DROP SOUTHWARD OVER THE EASTERN BERING
BEHIND THE STORM BRINGING A SHOT OF COLD ADVECTION. THIS WILL
RESULT IN GUSTY WINDS ALONG THE SOUTHWEST COAST LATE THIS WEEK
WITH POTENTIAL FOR BLOWING SNOW.

BERING SEA ALEUTIANS...THE PACIFIC STORM WILL RAPIDLY DEEPEN UNDER
FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL CONDITIONS (IN AN AREA OF STRONG UPPER
DIVERGENCE BETWEEN TWO JET STREAKS) AS IT TRACKS TO THE WESTERN
ALEUTIANS WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE LOW WILL THEN GRADUALLY WEAKEN
AS IT TRACKS EASTWARD WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. STORM FORCE WINDS
ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE BENT-BACK OCCLUSION WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY
NIGHT...WHICH WILL AFFECT THE WESTERN ALEUTIAN MARINE AREAS. THE
AIR MASS OVER THE FAR WESTERN ALEUTIANS (INCLUDING SHEMYA) WILL
REMAIN COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW...BUT INITIALLY EASTERLY FLOW SHOULD
HELP WARM SURFACE TEMPERATURE INTO THE MID 30S. AS FLOW BACKS TO
THE NORTH THERE MAY BE SOME COOLING OF THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE...BUT
EXPECT IT TO REMAIN NEAR FREEZING. THEREFORE...EXPECT LOW
VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...BUT DONT EXPECT BLIZZARD
CRITERIA TO BE MET. COLD ADVECTION SNOW SHOWERS WILL KICK INTO GEAR
BEHIND THE STORM ACROSS THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...LONG-WAVE PATTERN WILL REMAIN PROGRESSIVE
THROUGH THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD. THIS WILL MAINTAIN THE GENERAL
WEST TO EAST STORM TRACK AND PROVIDE FOR CONTINUED COOL TEMPERATURES
ACROSS THE ALASKA REGION...ALTHOUGH THE LONGER DAYS ARE CERTAINLY
PROVIDING FOR MORE AFTERNOON HEATING FROM THE SUN.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORM WARNING...175 176.
         GALE WARNING...150 155 165 170 171 172 179.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

SEB APR 09