Gale Warning 926, NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 210006
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST SUN DEC 20 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.

PKZ499-211500-
400 PM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 960 MB LOW NEAR 50N 165W WILL STRENGTHEN TO 948 MB NEAR 60N 
176W MON AFTERNOON THEN WILL WEAKEN TO 969 MB NEAR 61N 175E TUE
AFTERNOON. A 970 MB LOW NEAR 49N 178E WILL DISSIPATE NEAR 49N 173W
SUN NIGHT. 

$$

PKZ411-211500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH MONDAY...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.MON NIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 16 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.THU...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-211500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

.TONIGHT...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.MON NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-211500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING MONDAY AND MON NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.MON...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.MON NIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TUE...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-211500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT BECOMING NW AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 14 FT.
RAIN. 
.MON...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 211231
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST MON DEC 21 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.

PKZ499-220300-
400 AM AKST MON DEC 21 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE CENTER IN THE CENTRAL BERING WILL CONSOLIDATE
INTO A 955 MB LOW AT 61N 178W THIS EVENING. THE LOW THEN WEAKENS TO
974 MB AT 59N 171E EARLY WED MORNING.

$$

PKZ411-220300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...NW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 20 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 17 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.THU...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-220300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

.TODAY...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE NIGHT THROUGH WED...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-220300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.THU THROUGH FRI...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-220300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

.TODAY...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 220006
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST MON DEC 21 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.

PKZ499-221500-
400 PM AKST MON DEC 21 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 955 MB LOW AT 59N 170W MOVES TO 61N 179W AT 958 MB LATE
TONIGHT...THEN MERGES INTO A COMPLEX 972 MB LOW CENTERED AROUND 58N
178E ON TUE. THIS COMPLEX LOW REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY AS IT 
WEAKENS TO 982 MB ON WED. 

$$

PKZ411-221500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TUE NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.THU...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-221500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

...GALE WARNING TUESDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
12 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-221500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TUE NIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SAT...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-221500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST MON DEC 21 2009

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 221241
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 22 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.

PKZ499-230300-
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 22 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 956 MB LOW NEAR 61N 179W WILL RAPIDLY WEAKEN TO 981 MB NEAR 58N
170E LATE TONIGHT. THE LOW THEN REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY AS IT
MERGES INTO A COMPLEX LOW AND SLOWLY WEAKENS TO 989 MB BY EARLY THU
MORNING. A WEATHER FRONT WILL APPROACH THE EASTERN BERING EARLY THU
MORNING.

$$

PKZ411-230300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 22 2009

.TODAY...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI THROUGH SAT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 

$$

PKZ412-230300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 22 2009

.TODAY...SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-230300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 22 2009

.TODAY...S TO W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...VARIABLE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-230300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 22 2009

.TODAY...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
UPPER LEVEL...A MULTI-CENTERED LOW PRESSURE AREA IS CURRENTLY
CENTERED OVER THE BERING SEA. AN UPPER RIDGE LIES OVER THE EASTERN
GULF AND EASTERN ALASKA. A STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW IS BEGINNING TO FORM
OVER WESTERN ALASKA.
AT THE SURFACE...THE SURFACE PATTERN GENERALLY MIRRORS THE UPPER AIR
PATTERN. AN AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE COVERED THE EASTERN GULF OF
ALASKA, SOUTHEAST ALASKA AND YUKON TERRITORY. A STRONG 964 MB LOW
LIES OVER THE SOUTH-CENTRAL BERING SEA AND ANOTHER 966 MB LOW IS OVER
THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS. A WEATHER FRONT LIES OVER THE KENAI PENINSULA
AND WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA.

MODEL DISCUSSION...
MODELS INITIATE WELL BUT THE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS OVER THE BERING SEA
BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY SUNDAY NIGHT. THE NAM AND GFS ARE IN CLOSER
AGREEMENT THAN THE EUROPEAN MODEL THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT BUT DEVELOP
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. NEEDLESS TO SAY, OVERALL
CONFIDENCE BEYOND THE FIRST 24 HOURS IS RATHER LOW DUE TO THE HIGH
LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE MODELS.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
.SOUTHCENTRAL...
THE WEATHER FRONT OVER THE THE WESTERN BERING WILL SWING NORTHEAST
AND DISSIPATE ALONG THE CENTRAL GULF COAST AND THE EASTERN BERING BY
SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL PERSISTING THROUGH MONDAY OVER
THE WESTERN GULF WILL CONTINUE TO FEED A WARM MOIST AIR MASS INTO
SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA. SNOW MAINLY ALONG THE CENTRAL GULF COAST, OVER
KENAI PENINSULA AND THE WEST SIDE OF THE SUSITNA VALLEY WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH MONDAY. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE REGION WILL GRADUALLY RISE
THROUGH MONDAY AS A WARMER AIRMASS MOVES INTO THE AREA.

.SOUTHWEST ALASKA...
STRONG MOIST FLOW FROM THE SOUTH WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA
THROUGH MONDAY. FLOW FROM THE SOUTHEAST AT LOWER LEVELS WILL TENDED
TO PRODUCE MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF KING
SALMON IN THE BRISTOL BAY ZONE AND GENERALLY WEST OF SLEETMUTE IN THE
SOUTHERN KUSKOKWIM VALLEY ZONE. AREAS OF STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE
TO BLOW OUT OF THE PASSES ALONG THE ALASKA AND ALEUTIAN RANGE THROUGH
MONDAY. POSSIBLE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP ALONG THE KUSKOKWIM
DELTA COAST AS INCREASING WINDS AND FALLING SNOW REDUCE VISIBILITIES
IN BLOWING SNOW. ISOLATED POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY OVER THE BRISTOL BAY ZONE.

.BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...
A SERIES OF PROGRESSING LOWS WILL GENERATE SOME GALE FORCE WINDS
ACROSS MUCH OF THE ALEUTIANS AND THE BERING SEA SUNDAY. RAIN AND
SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN DUE TO WARMER
TEMPERATURES.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE MODELS TEND TO WEAKEN THE UPPER LOW OVER THE WESTERN BERING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY WHILE THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN MAINLAND
DRIFTS EAST INTO CANADA. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW OVER WESTERN ALASKA WILL
WEAKEN A BIT AND SPREAD INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA THROUGH THE FIRST
HALF OF NEXT WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING...131 155
MARINE...STORM...150 155 160 165 172
         GALE...130 132 138 170 176 179 180 185
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

NM DEC 09