Gale Warning 357, NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 142356
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKDT TUE APR 14 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.

PKZ499-151400-
400 PM AKDT TUE APR 14 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
STRONG NORTHERLIES BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WEST CENTRAL 
BERING AND LOW PRESSURE SOUTH OF THE ALASKA PENINSULA WILL PERSIST
THROUGH TUE NIGHT AND THEN DIMINISH WED AS THE LOW COMPLEX MOVES 
AWAY FROM THE AREA.
$$

PKZ411-151400-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKDT TUE APR 14 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY
NORTH OF 56 N. 
.WED...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...W WIND 25 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
SEAS 9 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.THU AND THU NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT AND SUN...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT.

$$

PKZ412-151400-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT TUE APR 14 2009

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT SUBSIDING TO 7
FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW SHOWERS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED AND WED NIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT.
SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. 
.SAT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-151400-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT TUE APR 14 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 40 KT DIMINISHING TO NW 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
SEAS 13 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED AND WED NIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.FRI...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT.
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-151400-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKDT TUE APR 14 2009

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TONIGHT...
...GALE WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 14 FT. 
SNOW SHOWERS. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT. SNOW SHOWERS.
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. 
SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU THROUGH FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. 
.SAT AND SUN...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT. 

$$

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 151108
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT WED APR 15 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.

PKZ499-160200-
400 AM AKDT WED APR 15 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE CENTRAL BERING SEA THROUGH THU
NIGHT. 

$$

PKZ411-160200-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKDT WED APR 15 2009

.TODAY...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT IN THE EVENING BECOMING VARIABLE 15 KT.
SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...E WIND 15 KT BECOMING SE 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT.
.SUN...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-160200-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT WED APR 15 2009

.TODAY...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS IN ICE FREE
WATERS 6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.THU...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. 
.FRI...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-160200-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT WED APR 15 2009

.TODAY...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.FRI...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-160200-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKDT WED APR 15 2009

.TODAY...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT AND FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. 
.SAT...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 4 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
400 AM AKDT TUE APR 14 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
A 997 MB LOW SOUTH OF DUTCH HARBOR IS EVIDENT ON SATELLITE
IMAGERY...WITH AN ASSOCIATED FRONT STRETCHING NORTH ALONG THE AKPEN
AND INTO SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA. THIS LOW IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN WHILE A
COMPLEX LOW CENTER FORMS OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA. ELSEWHERE AT THE
SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE IS BUILDING OVER THE WESTERN BERING SEA AND
WESTERN ALEUTIANS.

IN THE UPPER LEVELS...A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED PATTERN HAS SET UP ACROSS
THE AREA. A DEEP TROUGH EXTENDS OVER THE WESTERN MAINLAND THROUGH THE
EASTERN ALEUTIANS. AN ASSOCIATED CUT OFF LOW IS AT THE BASE OF THIS
TROUGH. A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED RIDGE IS BUILDING OVER THE WESTERN BERING
AND WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALEUTIANS.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT IN HANDLING THE LOW COMPLEX
MOVING FROM THE NORTH PACIFIC INTO THE GULF OF ALASKA. CONSENSUS IS
GOOD THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH THE CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENCES IN
INDIVIDUAL LOW PLACEMENT AND INTENSITY. THE GFS WAS AGAIN USED FOR
CONSTRUCTING THE MORNING FORECAST PACKAGE...WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES
TO THE EXISTING FORECAST.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
.SOUTHCENTRAL...
SNOW AND RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED WEATHER FRONT IS
IMPACTING THE MAJORITY OF SOUTHCENTRAL THIS MORNING. A BLIZZARD
WARNING CONTINUES FOR PORTAGE VALLEY AND TURNAGAIN ARM...AS SNOW AND
STRONG EASTERLY WINDS CONTINUE TO REDUCE VISIBILITIES. SNOW ALONG
INTERIOR SECTIONS OF SOUTHCENTRAL WILL BE DECREASING THIS MORNING AS
INITIAL OVERRUNNING WANES. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MAINLY FOR COASTAL AREAS...WITH LOCATIONS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST
MIXING WITH RAIN. WINDS THROUGH CHANNELED TERRAIN WILL BE DIMINISHING
TONIGHT AS THE GRADIENT RELAXES AND THE FRONT WEAKENS OVER THE
NORTHERN GULF. THE LOW COMPLEX IS STILL EXPECTED TO REMAIN NEARLY
STATIONARY OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN GULF...KEEPING THE CHANCE OF
SHOWERS CONFINED MAINLY TO COASTAL LOCATIONS AS WE HEAD THROUGH
WEDNESDAY.

.SOUTHWEST...
PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW COMPLEX WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST
IMPACT ALONG THE AKPEN AND BRISTOL BAY...WHERE RAIN AND SNOW WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...ALONG WITH STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW.
UPSLOPE SNOW ALONG THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY WILL LINGER THROUGH WEDNESDAY
BUT WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH AS THE LOW IN THE GULF BECOMES DOMINANT
AND FLOW SWITCHES AROUND TO THE NORTH. CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
KUSKOKWIM DELTA WILL REMAIN DRY...ALTHOUGH GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS CAN
BE EXPECTED ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW.

.BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS...
MAIN STORY IN THE NEAR TERM WILL BE THE WEAKENING LOW SOUTH OF DUTCH
HARBOR...AND STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE DEVELOPING
GULF LOW COMPLEX. SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE MOST PREVALENT ACROSS THE
EASTERN ALEUTIANS AND PRIBILOFS TODAY...BUT WILL BE DIMINISHING AS WE
HEAD INTO TONIGHT. OTHERWISE EXPECT GUSTY NORTHERLY FLOW TO CONTINUE
OVER THE EASTERN ISLANDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS THE GRADIENT REMAINS
TIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALEUTIANS
WILL RESULT IN GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
EXPECT THE HIGHLY AMPLIFIED PATTERN TO REMAIN THROUGH THE END OF THE
WEEK...CHARACTERIZED BY A TROUGH OVER MAINLAND ALASKA AND A RIDGE
OVER THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS. THIS WILL RESULT IN DRY OFFSHORE
FLOW FOR THE MAINLAND AND RELATIVELY TRANQUIL WEATHER ACROSS THE
ALEUTIANS. TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED TO REMAIN NEAR NORMAL THROUGH
THE END OF THE WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING...125
MARINE...GALE...120 130 132 138 155 165 170 171 172 179
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY...179
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

NRH APR 09