Storm Warning 51, NWS Anchorage, AK

420 
FZAK61 PAFC 050018
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST THU MAR 4 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.

PKZ399-051500-
400 PM AKST THU MAR 4 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A WEATHER FRONT OVER KODIAK ISLAND AND THE WESTERN GULF THIS EVENING
MOVES ONSHORE NEAR PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND FRI MORNING. A 957 MB LOW
AT 55N 160 EARLY FRI MORNING MOVES TO 60N 153W FRI EVENING AT 973 MB
AND CONTINUES TO MOVE ONSHORE FRI NIGHT.

$$

PKZ351-051500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST THU MAR 4 2010

...STORM WARNING FRIDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT BECOMING SE 45 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
14 FT. SNOW.
.FRI...S WIND 50 KT. SEAS 17 FT BUILDING TO 23 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SNOW AND RAIN. 
.FRI NIGHT...SW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 17 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-051500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST THU MAR 4 2010

...STORM WARNING FRIDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT INCREASING TO S 45 KT. SEAS 16 FT. SNOW.
.FRI...S WIND 50 KT. SEAS 21 FT BUILDING TO 28 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...SW WIND 45 KT DIMINISHING TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
30 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 26 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.SUN...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT.  

$$

268 
FZAK61 PAFC 051308
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST FRI MAR 5 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.

PKZ399-060300-
400 AM AKST FRI MAR 5 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A WEATHER FRONT OVER THE
CENTRAL GULF MOVES ASHORE FRI MORNING. A 960 MB LOW NEAR 56N 158W
MOVES TO KAMISHAK BAY AND WEAKENS TO 967 MB FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
MOVES UP COOK INLET AND INLAND FRI NIGHT. A WEAK AREA OF HIGH
PRESSURE INTO THE WESTERN GULF ON SAT.
$$

PKZ351-060300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 AM AKST FRI MAR 5 2010

...STORM WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 35 TO 50 KT. SEAS 18 FT BUILDING TO 24 FT IN THE
AFTERNOON. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.SAT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 25 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT.  

$$

PKZ352-060300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 AM AKST FRI MAR 5 2010

...STORM WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...S WIND 50 KT. SEAS 23 FT BUILDING TO 29 FT IN THE
AFTERNOON. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 50 KT DIMINISHING TO 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
30 FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 24 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT.  

$$

922 
FZAK61 PAFC 060025
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST FRI MAR 5 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.

PKZ399-061500-
400 PM AKST FRI MAR 5 2010
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 975 MB LOW AT 61N 152W MOVES ONSHORE OVERNIGHT AND DISSIPATES. A
1000 MB LOW AT 56N 148W SAT NIGHT MOVES ONSHORE OVER YAKUTAT WITH
LITTLE CHANGE IN PRESSURE SUN AFTERNOON. A NORTH PACIFIC LOW MOVES TO
55N 151W AT 975MB SUN NIGHT.
$$

PKZ351-061500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W
400 PM AKST FRI MAR 5 2010

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 26 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SAT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 24 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT AND MON...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.TUE AND WED...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 

$$

PKZ352-061500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W
400 PM AKST FRI MAR 5 2010

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 45 KT DIMINISHING TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 28
FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 23 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 21 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 24 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 45 KT. SEAS 28 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 25 FT.  

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
405 PM AKST WED MAR 3 2010

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MAIN FOCUS WILL BE THE WATCH AND WARNING PERIOD
THROUGH THE NEXT 60 HRS(FRI AFTERNOON). MODEL INITIALIZATIONS ARE IN
GOOD AGREEMENT AS WELL AS FORECAST TRENDS.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
.500 MB...WEAKENING LOW OVER SW ALASKA AND ASSOCIATED TROUGH
EXTENDING SE ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA LIFTS NORTH THU AS RIDGE
BUILDS TO THE WEST. SHORT WAVE ALONG 165E THIS AFTERNOON INTENSIFIES
AS COLD AIR SPILLS SOUTH ACROSS THE WESTERN BERING SEA. A LOW CENTER
FORMS NEAR 50N 180W TONIGHT AND INTENSIFIES AS IT MOVES OVER THE
WESTERN AK PEN THU NIGHT. CENTER THEN WEAKENS AS IT MOVES TO BRISTOL
BAY FRI. RIDGE IN ADVANCE OF THIS CENTER AMPLIFIES AS IT MOVES TO
OVER THE AK PEN/BRISTOL BAY THU AFTERNOON AND TO THE EASTERN
GULF/BRITISH COLUMBIA FRI AFTERNOON. AMPLIFYING RIDGE WILL BRING A
SURGE OF WARM AIR ALOFT AS IT TRACKS ACROSS THE AREA. COOLER AIR THEN
SPREADS BACK OVER SW ALASKA FRI AFTERNOON AS TROUGH MOVES OVER THE
AREA.

.SURFACE FEATURES...
.SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...GOES IMAGERY SHOWS WEAKENING LOW MOVING WEST
ACROSS THE KENAI PEN THIS AFTERNOON WITH TRAILING FRONTAL TROUGH
MAKING LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST. FRONT WILL CONTINUE
INLAND AND WEAKEN TONIGHT. OLD STORM SYSTEM WHICH MOVED TO THE GULF
OF ALASKA TRACKS TO WESTERN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND EARLY THU MORNING
AND WEAKENS. LOW THEN WEAKENS AND DRIFTS NORTH WITH UPPER TROUGH.
COLD AIR SPREADS ACROSS THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA AND THE KENAI PEN
THU. STORM CENTER RACING ALONG THE ALEUTIANS MOVES TO EASTERN BRISTOL
BAY FRI. ITS ASSOCIATED FRONTAL TROUGH BY FRI AFTERNOON EXTENDS FROM
BRISTOL BAY...THROUGH SOUTHCENTRAL...TO ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST.

GRADIENTS SHOULD RELAX ACROSS THE ANCHORAGE BOWL AS LOW CENTER OVER
THE KENAI WEAKENS AND PUSHES NORTH THIS EVENING. SNOW AND RAIN
SHOWERS ACROSS THE KENAI PEN AND NORTH GULF WILL TAPER OFF SOME LATE
THIS AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT TRACKS NORTH. INCREASE POPS OF SNOW MOVE
BACK IN THIS EVENING AS LOW OVER THE GULF MOVES TO WESTERN PRINCE
WILLIAM SOUND LATE TONIGHT. SIGNIFICANT SNOW POTENTIAL POSSIBLE FOR
THE ANCHORAGE BOWL...WESTERN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND...AND NORTHERN
KENAI PEN. SNOW SHOULD THEN TAPER OFF AND LIFT NORTH THU AFTERNOON
WITH UPPER TROUGH. COLD ADVECTION WILL BRING LOCALLY STRONG WESTERLY
WINDS TO THE WESTERN GULF TONIGHT. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH THU AS
GRADIENTS RELAX. NEXT SURGE OF MOISTURE AND WINDS MOVE IN THU NIGHT
AND FRI WITH ADVANCING ALEUTIAN STORM.

.WEST...
GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS ACROSS THE AK PEN WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN
THROUGH TONIGHT AND GULF LOW WEAKENS AND MOVES NORTH. DEVELOPING
NORTH PACIFIC STORM APPEARS TO BE STILL ON TRACK. THIS LOW
INTENSIFIES A 963 MB 290 NM SOUTHWEST OF ADAK TONIGHT THEN MOVES TO
COLD BAY THURSDAY NIGHT FURTHER INTENSIFYING TO 950 MB. THIS CENTER
SHOULD THEN WEAKEN AS IT TRACKS TO EASTERN BRISTOL BAY FRI.
ASSOCIATED FRONTAL TROUGH MOVES TO THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS LATE TONIGHT
AND PUSHES EAST TO SW ALASKA AND BRISTOL BAY THU EVENING. SHOULD SEE
SIGNIFICANT WARMING TO EAST OF LOW CENTER.

STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN ADVANCE OF LOW CENTER WITH HURRICANE TO
STORM FORCE OF THE BACKSIDE. EXPECT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP
ALONG THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS LATE TONIGHT THEN POTENTIALLY SPREAD TO
THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS FRI NIGHT WITH THE ONSET OF VERY STRONG
NORTHERLY WINDS. BLIZZARD POTENTIAL ALSO POSSIBLE FOR THE PRIBILOF
ISLANDS LATE THU AFTERNOON...ALTHOUGH STORM TRACK IS NOT AS FAVORABLE
THIS CURRENT RUN. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FOR BRISTOL
BAY THU NIGHT AS FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH ALEUTIAN STORM MOVES INTO THE
REGION.  WARM ADVECTION WITH FRONT WILL PRODUCE MIXED PRECIPITATION
OVER THE AK PEN THU NIGHT...BLOWING SNOW ISSUES WILL BE A CONCERN FRI
WITH ONSET OF STRONG NW WINDS WITH COLD ADVECTION AND SNOW/SNOW
SHOWERS ON BACKSIDE OF STORM CENTER.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING 187. BLIZZARD WATCH 185 195.
MARINE...HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING...172 175.
         STORM WARNING...132 150 155 170 171.
         GALE WARNING...120 130 138 160 165 176 179 180.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING...130 138 140 141 150 160 165
                                        170 172 179.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

RMC MAR 10