Alert archive / Alaska / Winter Storm Watches in 2011

Winter Storm Watch 3, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 2, 2011

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this winter storm watch at Dec 2, 2011, 5:04 AM AKST. It took effect at Dec 3, 2011, 12:00 PM AKST. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 2, 2011, 5:04 AM AKST (14:04 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 3, 2011, 12:00 PM AKST
Expired
Dec 2, 2011, 4:10 PM AKST
In force
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

705 
WWAK41 PAFC 021404
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
504 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

AKZ145-030315-
/X.NEW.PAFC.WS.A.0003.111203T2100Z-111205T0000Z/
SUSITNA VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TALKEETNA...WILLOW...CANTWELL
504 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* LOCATION...THROUGHOUT SUSITNA VALLEY.

* SNOW...SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF
  TALKEETNA. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATION COULD RANGE 8 TO 16 INCHES.

* FREEZING RAIN...POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ICE
  ACCUMULATION...GREATER THAN ONE QUARTER INCH...OVER THE SOUTHERN
  PART OF THE VALLEY MAINLY BETWEEN TALKEETNA AND WILLOW.

* TIMING...PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...THEN
  PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AND HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH
  SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTH TO NORTH SUNDAY
  AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS. VISIBILITIES MAY BE SEVERELY
  LIMITED IN HEAVY SNOWFALL. ICE ACCUMULATION MAY CAUSE DOWNED
  POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...
SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. PEOPLE ARE
ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION. PREPARATION
FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT SHOULD BEGIN NOW.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
785 
WWAK41 PAFC 021554
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
654 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

AKZ101-022000-
/X.NEW.PAFC.ZR.Y.0002.111202T1554Z-111202T2000Z/
ANCHORAGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANCHORAGE...EAGLE RIVER...INDIAN...
EKLUTNA
654 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM AKST THIS MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A FREEZING
RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM AKST THIS MORNING.

* LOCATION...THROUGHOUT ANCHORAGE BOWL AND ALONG GLENN HIGHWAY TO THE
  KNIK RIVER.

* ICE ACCUMULATION...A THIN ICE ACCUMULATION ON FROZEN GROUND AND
  ROADWAYS.

* TIMING...THROUGH THIS MORNING.

* IMPACTS...FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN FALLING ON FROZEN SURFACES WILL
  CREATE DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS FOR THE MORNING RUSH HOUR
  COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

&&

$$

AKZ145-030500-
/X.CON.PAFC.WS.A.0003.111203T2100Z-111205T0000Z/
SUSITNA VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TALKEETNA...WILLOW...CANTWELL
654 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* LOCATION...THROUGHOUT SUSITNA VALLEY.

* SNOW...SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF 
  TALKEETNA. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATION COULD RANGE 8 TO 16 
  INCHES. 

* FREEZING RAIN...POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATION... 
  GREATER THAN ONE QUARTER INCH...OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE 
  VALLEY MAINLY BETWEEN TALKEETNA AND WILLOW. 

* TIMING...PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...THEN 
  PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AND HEAVY AT TIMES 
  THROUGH SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTH TO 
  NORTH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS. VISIBILITIES MAY BE 
  SEVERELY LIMITED IN HEAVY SNOWFALL. ICE ACCUMULATION MAY CAUSE 
  DOWNED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...
SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. PEOPLE ARE
ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION. PREPARATION
FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT SHOULD BEGIN NOW.

&&

$$
103 
WWAK41 PAFC 021957
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1057 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

AKZ101-022200-
/X.EXT.PAFC.ZR.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-111202T2200Z/
ANCHORAGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANCHORAGE...EAGLE RIVER...INDIAN...
EKLUTNA
1057 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON...

THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON. 

* LOCATION...THROUGHOUT ANCHORAGE BOWL AND ALONG GLENN HIGHWAY 
  TO THE KNIK RIVER. 

* ICE ACCUMULATION...FREEZING RAIN MIXED WITH SNOW WITH LITTLE TO
  NO ICE ACCUMULATION.

* TIMING...THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST.

* IMPACTS...FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN FALLING ON FROZEN SURFACES WILL
  CREATE DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

&&

$$

AKZ145-030900-
/X.CON.PAFC.WS.A.0003.111203T2100Z-111205T0000Z/
SUSITNA VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TALKEETNA...WILLOW...CANTWELL
1057 AM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* LOCATION...THROUGHOUT SUSITNA VALLEY.

* SNOW...SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF 
  TALKEETNA. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATION COULD RANGE 8 TO 16 
  INCHES. 

* FREEZING RAIN...POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATION... 
  GREATER THAN ONE QUARTER INCH...OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE 
  VALLEY MAINLY BETWEEN TALKEETNA AND WILLOW. 

* TIMING...PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...THEN 
  PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AND HEAVY AT TIMES 
  THROUGH SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTH TO 
  NORTH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS. VISIBILITIES MAY BE 
  SEVERELY LIMITED IN HEAVY SNOWFALL. ICE ACCUMULATION MAY CAUSE 
  DOWNED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...
SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. PEOPLE ARE
ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION. PREPARATION
FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT SHOULD BEGIN NOW.

&&

$$
434 
WWAK41 PAFC 022200
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
100 PM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

AKZ101-022300-
/X.EXP.PAFC.ZR.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-111202T2200Z/
ANCHORAGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANCHORAGE...EAGLE RIVER...INDIAN...
EKLUTNA
100 PM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED...

THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 


$$

AKZ145-031100-
/X.CON.PAFC.WS.A.0003.111203T2100Z-111205T0000Z/
SUSITNA VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TALKEETNA...WILLOW...CANTWELL
100 PM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* LOCATION...THROUGHOUT SUSITNA VALLEY.

* SNOW...SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF 
  TALKEETNA. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATION COULD RANGE 8 TO 16 
  INCHES. 

* FREEZING RAIN...POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATION... 
  GREATER THAN ONE QUARTER INCH...OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE 
  VALLEY MAINLY BETWEEN TALKEETNA AND WILLOW. 

* TIMING...PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...THEN 
  PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AND HEAVY AT TIMES 
  THROUGH SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTH TO 
  NORTH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS. VISIBILITIES MAY BE 
  SEVERELY LIMITED IN HEAVY SNOWFALL. ICE ACCUMULATION MAY CAUSE 
  DOWNED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...
SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. PEOPLE ARE
ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION. PREPARATION
FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT SHOULD BEGIN NOW.

&&

$$
965 
WWAK41 PAFC 030110
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
410 PM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

AKZ145-031545-
/X.UPG.PAFC.WS.A.0003.111203T2100Z-111205T0000Z/
/X.NEW.PAFC.WW.Y.0032.111203T2100Z-111205T0000Z/
SUSITNA VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TALKEETNA...WILLOW...CANTWELL
410 PM AKST FRI DEC 2 2011

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN IN EFFECT
FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 3 PM AKST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 3 PM AKST SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS
NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 


LOCATION...THROUGHOUT SUSITNA VALLEY.

 SNOW...SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF
TALKEETNA. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATION WILL RANGE 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH THE
GREATEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE ALASKA RANGE.

 FREEZING RAIN...ICE ACCUMULATION...LESS THAN ONE QUARTER
INCH...OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE VALLEY MAINLY BETWEEN
TALKEETNA AND WILLOW.

 TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP BY SATURDAY MORNING AND BECOME HEAVIER
BY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF
FROM SOUTH TO NORTH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS. VISIBILITIES MAY BE
SEVERELY LIMITED IN HEAVY SNOWFALL. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.


&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this winter storm watch 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 winter storm watch went out at Dec 2, 4:38 AM AKST, 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 2, 4:38 AM AKST, 26 minutes before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKST THU DEC 1 2011

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...

BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH EXTENDS FROM KAMCHATKA TO THE ALCAN THIS
MORNING...WITH EMBEDDED CUT-OFF LOWS WEST OF ATTU AND OVER THE
NORTHERN BERING. A STRONG RIDGE IS CENTERED JUST EAST OF THE ALCAN.
AT THE SURFACE...A TRIPLE POINT LOW IS DISSIPATING OVER THE SOUTHERN
KENAI PENINSULA WHILE LOW PRESSURE CENTERS ARE LOCATED OVER THE
NORTHWESTERN BERING AND WELL SOUTH OF THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS. HIGH
PRESSURE IS OVER SE AK AND THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...

00Z MODELS HAVE COME INTO AGREEMENT AFTER THE VARIABILITY OF EARLIER
RUNS. THE TRIPLE POINT LOW DISSIPATES THIS MORNING OVER THE KENAI
PENINSULA. THE LOW SPINNING IN THE NORTHWEST BERING DISSIPATES
TONIGHT...WHILE THE LOW CURRENTLY WELL SOUTH OF THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS
INTENSIFIES AND RACES NORTH TO THE BERING STRAIT BY SUN MORNING. A
WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW AFFECTS THE AKPEN AND GULF THIS
AFTERNOON INTO SAT AND AS FAR NORTH AS THE AK RANGE SAT INTO
SUN...AND A COLD FRONT MAKES ITS WAY ACROSS THE AKPEN SAT AND THE
GULF COAST AND INLAND AREAS SUN INTO MON. THE FORECAST UTILIZES THE
GFS AND NAM EARLY...AND THEN THE GFS AND HPC IN THE EXTENDED RANGE.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...

IN THE WEST...RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES WILL AFFECT THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS
THROUGH TONIGHT WITH SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE REST OF THE REGION. GALES
AND STORMS WILL AFFECT THE EASTERN HALF OF THE BERING INTO SUN AS THE
LOW MOVES TO THE BERING STRAIT.  SNOW SHOWERS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE
AREA ON NORTHWEST FLOW UNTIL THE NEXT FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE WEST
BRINGS SNOW CHANGING TO RAIN SUN NIGHT THROUGH MON.

FOR SW AK...SNOW WILL CHANGE TO RAIN TONIGHT AND THEN CHANGE BACK TO
SNOW SHOWERS SAT AFTERNOON INTO SAT NIGHT. BLOWING SNOW WILL BE AN
ISSUE THIS EVENING FOR THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA UNTIL SNOW CHANGES TO
RAIN. SNOW SHOWERS WILL AFFECT THE AREA SAT AFTERNOON THROUGH MON.

SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AK RANGE...SNOW...WITH RAIN ALONG THE COAST
TODAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY BRIEF DRYING TONIGHT. THE WARM FRONT FROM
THE BERING LOW WILL THEN BRING RAIN ALONG THE COAST TONIGHT INTO
SAT...WITH POTENTIALLY HEAVY SNOWFALL ALONG THE ALASKA RANGE...AND
POSSIBLE FREEZING RAIN IN THE SUSITNA VALLEY AS THE COLD AIR AT THE
SURFACE IS NOT SCOURED OUT. THESE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST INTO SUN.
BY SUN AFTERNOON THE COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AK RANGE FROM THE
WEST...AND PRECIPITATION BECOMES ALL SNOW THROUGH MON.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...

IN THE WEST...RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW BY TUE AS THE BERING FRONT
MOVES TO MAINLAND AK...AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP WED. SW AK WILL
BE DRY ON TUE...BUT SNOW POSSIBLY CHANGING TO RAIN OVER BRISTOL BAY
WILL BEGIN TUE NIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH WED. SE OF THE AK RANGE WILL
BE DRY TUE INTO WED. SNOW WILL THEN DEVELOP AND CHANGE TO RAIN ALONG
THE COAST WITH SNOW SHOWERS INLAND.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...WINTER STORM WATCH 145 HIGH WIND WATCH 101
MARINE...STORMS 179 185
         GALES 120 125 130 132 150 155 160 165 170 172  175 176 180
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

DS DEC 11

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 1, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 1, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC4 days
Dec 1, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC4 days
Dec 1, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Dec 1, 4:00 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 1, 4:00 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC32 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC60 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC48 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC48 hr
Dec 2, 4:00 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC24 hr
Dec 2, 5:04 AM AKSTHigh Wind WatchAFC11 hr
Dec 2, 6:54 AM AKSTFreezing Rain AdvisoryAFC6 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Watches in Alaska, 2011Every winter storm watch in 2011

Sources

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