Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2010

Gale Warning 1010, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 20, 2010

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 20, 2010, 4:00 PM AKST. It was in force for 36 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 20, 2010, 4:00 PM AKST (01:00 UTC)
Expired
Dec 22, 2010, 4:00 AM AKST
In force
36 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

610 
FZAK61 PAFC 210033
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST MON DEC 20 2010

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.

PKZ399-211500-
400 PM AKST MON DEC 20 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A BROAD 992 MB LOW NEAR 58N 145W MOVES TO NEAR 56N 150W AT 990 MB BY
TUE NIGHT AND DISSIPATES WED MORNING.
$$

PKZ351-211500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST MON DEC 20 2010

...GALE WARNING TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW TO NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. SNOW.
.TUE...NW TO NE WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TUE NIGHT...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED AND WED NIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  
$$

PKZ352-211500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST MON DEC 20 2010

...GALE WARNING TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN SHOWERS. 
.TUE...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE TO NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.WED NIGHT AND THU...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  
$$
3 follow-up statements
213 
FZAK61 PAFC 211220
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

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.

PKZ399-220300-
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 990 MB LOW NEAR 57N 145W WILL MOVE TO 54N 150W AT 990 MB TUE NIGHT
AND THEN DISSIPATE WED MORNING.
$$

PKZ351-220300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...E WIND 40 KT BECOMING NE 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED NIGHT THROUGH FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  
$$

PKZ352-220300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

...GALE WARNING WEDNESDAY...

.TODAY...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED NIGHT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.FRI AND SAT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
$$
798 
FZAK61 PAFC 220008
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

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.

PKZ399-221500-
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 988 MB LOW NEAR 56N 147W MOVES TO NEAR 54N 144W AT 989 MB BY WED
MORNING AND DISSIPATES WED AFTERNOON. A 980 MB LOW NEAR 52N 137W WED
EVENING MOVES TO 52N 141W AT 984 MB BY THU AFTERNOON.
$$

PKZ351-221500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT.  
$$

PKZ352-221500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

...GALE WARNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW TO NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS.
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.WED NIGHT AND THU...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT.
.SUN...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  
$$
304 
FZAK61 PAFC 221221
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

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.

PKZ399-230300-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 22 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 987 MB LOW NEAR 54N 145W MOVES TO 53N 146W BY WED AFTERNOON 
AND DISSIPATES WED NIGHT. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS 
OVER THE NORTHERN GULF WED MORNING AND PERSISTS THROUGH THU.
$$

PKZ351-230300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

.TODAY...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TONIGHT AND TUE...NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI AND SAT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-230300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 8 TO 14 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT AND THU...NE WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 8 TO 14 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SUN...VARIABLE WIND 20 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 20, 5:00 AM AKST, 11 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 20, 5:00 AM AKST, 11 hours before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKST MON DEC 20 2010

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH 120 HOURS.
GFS PREFERRED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM FOR CONSISTENCY. TRENDED INTO
THE HPC SOLUTION IN THE MID AND LONG RANGE.

.ANALYSIS AND SHORT TERM FORECAST...
REMNANTS OF OCCLUDED FRONT EXTEND FROM THE NORTHERN SUSITNA VALLEY TO
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND INTO THE GULF. FEATURE IS DRIFTING SLOWLY
EASTWARD AS IT GRADUALLY DETERIORATES. FRONT LEVEL 1 TO 3 INCHES OF
SNOW IN ITS WAKE ACROSS THE SUSITNA VALLE...MAT VALLEY...AND
ANCHORAGE BOWL OVERNIGHT BUT PRECIPITATION IS BEGINNING TO TAPER OFF
AND PARTLY SUNNY SKIES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS WHOLE OF SOUTHCENTRAL BY
LATE AFTERNOON.
999 MB LOW JUST WEST OF SHEMYA MAINTAINS INTENSITY AS IT MOVES ACROSS
THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS TODAY. GALE FORCE WINDS AND A MIX OF RAIN AND
SNOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SURFACE...BUT PATH OF LOW SHOULD MINIMIZE
ITS IMPACT ON ALEUTIAN SETTLEMENTS.
COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE HOLDS OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH TUESDAY.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE BERING SEA ON TUESDAY. GAP WINDS
THROUGH NORTH AND NORTHEASTERN CHANNELS WILL RETURN IN FORCE ON
TUESDAY...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

.UPPER LEVELS AND LONG TERM FORECAST...
LONG WAVE TROUGH OVER MAINLAND ALASKA DEEPENS THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT
WHILE STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE ALEUTIANS AND BERING
SEA. STRONG COLD ADVECTION ALONG ALASKAS WEST COAST AND THE EASTERN
BERING SEA WILL KNOCK TEMPERATURES OVER MAINLAND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
INTO THE SUBZERO RANGE AGAIN AS THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND APPROACHES.
SURFACE GRADIENT ACROSS SOUTHERN ALASKA AND THE EASTERN GRADIENT
TIGHTENS DRAMATICALLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AS SURFACE HIGH OVER BERING
ATTEMPTS TO PRESS EASTWARD. GAP WINDS THROUGH NORTH AND NORTHEASTERN
CHANNELS WILL RETURN IN FORCE ON WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH
SATURDAY. UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE MIGRATING DOWN THE EASTERN FLANK OF
THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL ENHANCE NORTHERLY FLOW AT THE SURFACE.
POTENTIAL FOR WARNING LEVEL WINDS THROUGH ALASKA PENINSULA CHANNELS
ON WEDNESDAY WHERE SURFACE FORCING AND UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL BE
MAXIMIZED. OTHERWISE CLEAR AND COLD FOR MOST MAINLAND AREAS. AREAS OF
STRATUS AND FOG DEVELOPING OVER THE BERING.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE 121 130 132 150 160 172 175 179 352 411 412 413 414
         HEAVY SPRAY 121 129 130 140 141 414
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

ASB DEC 10

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 20, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 20, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC60 hr
Dec 20, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Dec 20, 4:00 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC7 days
Dec 20, 6:15 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC10 hr
Dec 21, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC60 hr
Dec 21, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC36 hr
Dec 21, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC42 hr
Dec 21, 4:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC60 hr
Dec 21, 4:00 AM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 21, 5:02 AM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFC24 hr
Dec 21, 5:50 AM AKSTDense Fog AdvisoryAFC3 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2010Every gale warning in 2010

Sources

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