Alert archive / Alaska / Storm Warnings in 2009

Storm Warning 266, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 19, 2009

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this storm warning at Dec 19, 2009, 4:00 AM AKST. It was in force for 24 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 19, 2009, 4:00 AM AKST (13:00 UTC)
Expired
Dec 20, 2009, 4:00 AM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

000 
FZAK62 PAFC 191248
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 19 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.

PKZ499-200300-
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 965 MB LOW NEAR 53N 174E WILL MOVE TO 52N 176E WITH LITTLE CHANGE
IN STRENGTH SUNDAY MORNING...THEN MOVE TO 53N 176W AT 971 MB MONDAY
MORNING. A 973 MB LOW NEAR 51N 177W WILL MOVE TO 56N 173W AT 966 MB
SATURDAY EVENING...THEN MOVE TO NEAR 58N 174W AT 974 MB SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. A 970 MB LOW WILL MOVE TO 54N 169W MONDAY MORNING.
$$

PKZ411-200300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...E WIND 40 TO 50 KT. SEAS 19 TO 25 FT. SNOW AND RAIN.
FREEZING SPRAY NORTH OF 56N. 
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 45 KT DIMINISHING TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 18
TO 22 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY NORTH OF 56N.
.SUN...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. SNOW SHOWERS AND RAIN. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-200300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 15 TO 19 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 40 KT...EXCEPT BECOMING VARIABLE 20 KT EAST OF
175W DURING THE EVENING. SEAS 14 TO 18 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS.
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-200300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...W WIND 40 KT...EXCEPT BECOMING VARIABLE 20 KT WEST OF 175W
DURING THE EVENING. SEAS 16 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SUN...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SUN NIGHT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-200300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...STORM WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...S WIND 30 KT BECOMING SE 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
16 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 50 KT DIMINISHING TO 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
19 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SUN...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
FZAK62 PAFC 200040
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 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.

PKZ499-201500-
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 964 MB LOW NEAR 55N 174W WILL STRENGTHEN TO 960 MB NEAR 59N 176W
SUN AFTERNOON THEN WILL DISSIPATE NEAR 68N 178W MON AFTERNOON. A 966
MB LOW NEAR 52N 172E WILL MOVE EAST AND DISSIPATE NEAR 52N 170W MON
AFTERNOON. A DEVELOPING 966 MB LOW NEAR 46N 162W SUN AFTERNOON WILL
STRENGTHEN TO 959 MB 56N 161W MON AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ411-201500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SUNDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN NIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY.
.MON...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-201500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. FREEZING
SPRAY WEST OF 175W.
.SUN...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY WEST
OF 175W. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. SNOW SHOWERS.
.MON...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-201500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...STORM WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT BECOMING SW 50 KT THIS EVENING. WINDS
DIMINISHING TO W 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 17 FT. SNOW AND RAIN.
.SUN...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SNOW.
.MON...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-201500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 19 2009

...STORM WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT INCREASING TO S 50 KT THIS EVENING THEN
DIMINISHING TO S 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 19 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING NE 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 11
FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.MON...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED AND THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 

$$
000 
FZAK62 PAFC 201249
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM 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.

PKZ499-210300-
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 959 MB LOW NEAR 57N 174W WILL BECOME A LARGE AND COMPLEX LOW
PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN BERING THAT PERSISTS
THROUGH EARLY MON MORNING.

$$

PKZ411-210300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING THROUGH MONDAY...

.TODAY...N WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 13 TO 18 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 13 TO 18 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.MON NIGHT...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-210300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...NW TO SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-210300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING TODAY AND MONDAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 35 TO 45 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SEAS 15 TO 20 FT. 
.TONIGHT...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.MON NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-210300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST SUN DEC 20 2009

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 45 KT BECOMING S 20 KT. SEAS 14 TO 18 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT BECOMING NW 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
12 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this storm 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 storm warning went out at Dec 18, 5:00 PM AKST, 11 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 18, 5:00 PM AKST, 11 hours before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AKST FRI DEC 18 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
UPPER LEVELS...A UPPER LOW OVER THE LOWER YUKON VALLEY EXTENDS A
TROUGH SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY, SUSITNA VALLEY AND
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND. ANOTHER LOW OVER THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS EXTENDS
A TROUGH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BERING SEA.
AT THE SURFACE...AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND
THE WESTERN GULF CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST. A STRONG 964 MB LOW IS
VERTICALLY STACK BENEATH THE UPPER LOW. AN OCCLUDED FRONT LIES ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN BERING SEA AND ACROSS THE ALASKA PENINSULA. A WEAK LOW
JUST SOUTH OF PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND WILL DISSIPATE THIS EVENING.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
THE MODELS ARE IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT, THOUGH THE NAM DOES A
BETTER JOB IN THE FINE-SCALE FEATURES AROUND SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
UPPER LEVELS...THE LOW OVER WESTERN ALASKA WILL MOVE INTO THE
NORTHERN BERING SEA SATURDAY THEN MOVE INTO SIBERIA SUNDAY. THE
ASSOCIATED TROUGH OVER SOUTHERN ALASKA WILL SWING NORTH INTO THE
NORTHERN INTERIOR SATURDAY AND INTO THE BEAUFORT SEA SUNDAY. A RIDGE
DEVELOPING OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA TONIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD
INTO THE EASTERN MAINLAND THROUGH SUNDAY. A STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW
WILL DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN MAINLAND OVER THE WEEKEND.

SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA AND THE GULF OF ALASKA...
A WEATHER FRONT WILL OVER THE BERING SEA WILL MOVE INTO KODIAK ISLAND
AND THE WESTERN GULF SATURDAY MORNING THEN WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES
INTO PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND THE EASTERN GULF SATURDAY NIGHT THEN
WILL DISSIPATE SUNDAY. AREA OF SNOW MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT
WILL MOVE THROUGH KODIAK ISLAND TONIGHT AND MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL
GULF COAST, KENAI PENINSULA AND SUSITNA VALLEY SATURDAY THROUGH
SUNDAY.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA...THE WEATHER FRONT OVER THE BERING WILL MOVE
THROUGH SOUTHWEST ALASKA TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. AREAS OF SNOW AHEAD OF
THE FRONT WILL BECOME SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS BEHIND IT. ANOTHER
WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.
MORE SNOW IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH THE FRONT.

BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS...
THE SURFACE LOW OVER THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WILL REMAIN NEARLY
STATIONARY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE WEATHER FRONT OVER THE SOUTHEAST
BERING WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST ALASKA EARLY SATURDAY. A DEVELOPING
LOW SOUTH OF THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHEAST
BERING SEA LATE SATURDAY AND WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN BERING
SUNDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE UPPER RIDGE WILL REMAIN OVER THE EASTERN MAINLAND AND AN UPPER
LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE WESTERN BERING THROUGH TUESDAY.
STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL REMAIN OVER WESTERN ALASKA INTO THE FIRST
HALF OF THE WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE 120 130 132 150 155 160 165 170 172 175 176
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

NM DEC 09

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 18, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 18, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC48 hr
Dec 18, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Dec 18, 10:36 PM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFC10 hr
Dec 19, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 19, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC24 hr
Dec 19, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Dec 19, 4:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC60 hr
Dec 19, 4:49 AM AKSTBlizzard WatchAFC13 hr
Dec 19, 4:49 AM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFC13 hr
Dec 19, 5:09 AM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFC11 hr
Dec 19, 5:09 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFC24 hr

Nearby

Storm Warnings in Alaska, 2009Every storm 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.