Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2009

Gale Warning 914, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 3, 2009

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 3, 2009, 4:00 PM AKST. It was in force for 60 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, 2009, 4:00 PM AKST (01:00 UTC)
Expired
Dec 6, 2009, 4:00 AM AKST
In force
60 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

159 
FZAK61 PAFC 032346
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST THU DEC 3 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.

PKZ399-041500-
400 PM AKST THU DEC 3 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH
SAT. 
$$

PKZ351-041500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST THU DEC 3 2009

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT BECOMING VARIABLE WIND 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 20 KT INCREASING TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
9 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON AND TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 

$$

PKZ352-041500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST THU DEC 3 2009

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT BECOMING SE AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 30 KT INCREASING TO 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
11 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.MON AND TUE...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 

$$
5 follow-up statements
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 041240
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST FRI DEC 4 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.

PKZ399-050300-
400 AM AKST FRI DEC 4 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH LATE SAT
NIGHT. 
$$

PKZ351-050300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST FRI DEC 4 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...

.TODAY...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 16 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-050300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKST FRI DEC 4 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TODAY...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 25 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 050013
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 4 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.

PKZ399-051500-
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 4 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH MONDAY. 

$$

PKZ351-051500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 4 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND
SEAS W OF 146W.
.SAT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 14 TO 19 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND SEAS
W OF 146W.
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 14 TO 21 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND
SEAS W OF 146W.
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-051500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 4 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 TO 45 KT. SEAS BUILDING 15 TO 21 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 26 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. RAIN.
.SUN AND SUN NIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 051245
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 5 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.

PKZ399-060330-
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
STRONG SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUN NIGHT.
$$

PKZ351-060330-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.TUE...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-060330-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SUNDAY...

.TODAY...SE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 25 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 25 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.WED...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 060039
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 5 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.

PKZ399-061500-
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...STRONG SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL
PERSIST OVER THE WESTERN GULF THROUGH SUN NIGHT AS ANOTHER STRONG
PACIFIC STORM TRACKS INTO THE BERING.

$$

PKZ351-061500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 16 TO 22 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND
SEAS W OF 147W. 
.SUN...SE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 13 TO 20 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND SEAS
W OF 147W. 
.SUN NIGHT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 TO 16 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.TUE...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-061500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 20 TO 25 FT. RAIN. HIGHEST WINDS
AND SEAS W OF 147W. 
.SUN...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 18 TO 24 FT.  HIGHEST WINDS AND SEAS
W OF 147W. 
.SUN NIGHT...SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 13 TO 18 FT. HIGHEST WINDS AND
SEAS W OF 148W. 
.MON...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.THU...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$
000 
FZAK61 PAFC 061218
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 6 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.

PKZ399-070300-
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 6 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

$$

PKZ351-070300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 6 2009

.TODAY...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TUE...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  
$$

PKZ352-070300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 6 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  
$$

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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 3, 12:23 PM AKST, 3 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 3, 12:23 PM AKST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
1223 PM AKST THU DEC 3 2009

.MODEL DISCUSSION...FOCUS FOR NEXT 4 DAYS IS ON THE ALEUTIANS AND
BERING SEA AS A SERIES OF VERY POWERFUL STORMS MOVE ACROSS THE
REGION. GFS AND NAM IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE FIRST ALEUTIAN
SYSTEM WHICH WILL START TO IMPACT THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALEUTIANS
THIS AFTERNOON. THROUGH FRI NIGHT MODELS IN STEP ON POSITION AND
DEPTH
BUT ON SAT THE NAM DEEPENS ANOTHER 8 MB OVER THE GFS AS MAIN CENTER
LIES IN THE SOUTHERN BERING SEA. WOULD TEND TO GO WITH GFS SOLUTION.
YET ANOTHER POWERFUL LOW (940S) MOVES NEAR THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS SAT
NIGHT BUT STALLS NEAR 50N 170W SUN AND MON.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...MAIN UPPER LEVEL FEATURE IS THE
DEVELOPMENT OF AN HIGH AMPLITUDE SE TO NW ORIENTED RIDGE OVER THE
GULF OF ALASKA WHICH PERSISTS THROUGH MON.  THE AFOREMENTIONED LOWS
MOVE UP THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIDGE INSTEAD OF MOVING EASTWARD.
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR ON FRI.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...EASTERN ALEUTIANS AND AK PEN CAN EXPECT VERY
STRONG WINDS AND PLENTY OF PRECIP...SHOULD START OFF AS SNOW THU
NIGHT AND FRI MORNING BUT CHANGING OVER TO RAIN BY MIDDAY ON FRIDAY.
RAIN COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES ESPECIALLY ALONG THE AK PEN WITH
CONSIDERABLE UPSLOPE FLOW.  BY FRI NIGHT FRONT IS OVER KODIAK ISLAND
BRING VERY STRONG WINDS AND RAIN.  WOULD EXPECT SOME LOCALIZED HIGH
WATER PROBLEMS BY LATE IN THE WEEKEND DUE TO RAIN AND SNOW MELT ALONG
THE AK PEN AND POSSIBLY KODIAK IS. ALSO EXPECTING THE FRONT TO MOVE
INTO BRISTOL BAY AND KUSKO DELTA FRI NIGHT...WINDY WITH SNOW MIXED
WITH RAIN ON SAT IN COASTAL LOCALES.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...SECOND MAJOR SYSTEM ON SUN WILL ONCE AGAIN
GENERATE VERY STRONG WINDS AND PRECIP FROM THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS
EASTWARD TO KODIAK ISLAND. AT THE CURRENT TIME THIS WOULD APPEAR TO
BE A REPEAT OF THE FIRST STORM.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNINGS: 187 185 181  HIGH SURF: 181 171
MARINE...STRMS AND GALES IN ALL WEST ZONES
FIRE WEATHER...NOT AND ISSUE AT PRESENT

JMP DEC 09

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 3, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 3, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Dec 3, 4:00 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC48 hr
Dec 3, 4:29 PM AKSTBlizzard WatchAFC10 hr
Dec 3, 4:29 PM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFC10 hr
Dec 3, 4:55 PM AKSTHigh Wind WatchAFC17 hr
Dec 4, 2:43 AM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFC44 hr
Dec 4, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC27 hr
Dec 4, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC4 days
Dec 4, 4:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC24 hr
Dec 4, 4:00 AM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC12 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2009Every gale warning in 2009

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.