Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2011

Gale Warning 149, NWS Fairbanks, AK

December 18, 2011

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 18, 2011, 1:58 AM AKST. It was in force for 25 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 18, 2011, 1:58 AM AKST (10:58 UTC)
Expired
Dec 19, 2011, 3:05 AM AKST
In force
25 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

637 
FZAK52 PAFG 181058
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
158 AM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

NORTHWESTERN ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT THE AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-
THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ299-190015-
158 AM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...A 966 MB LOW 100 MILES SOUTHWEST OF 
NUNIVAK ISLAND AND A 960 MB LOW NEAR PORT HEIDEN WILL MERGE INTO
A SINGLE 975 MB LOW 100 MILES WEST OF DALL POINT BY MON MORNING.
MODERATE HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST OVER THE WESTERN ARCTIC OCEAN.


$$

PKZ200-190015-
NORTON SOUND-
158 AM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...E WINDS 25 KT. 
.TONIGHT...VARIABLE WINDS 10 KT BECOMING S 20 KT.
.MON...SE WINDS 25 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...SE WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE...S WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...E WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED...SE WINDS 15 KT. 
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-190015-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
158 AM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TODAY...NE WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.MON...N WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.MON NIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. 
.TUE...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ215-190015-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
158 AM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...E WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...SE WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...E WINDS 10 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 10 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-190015-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
158 AM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SUNDAY
NIGHT...

.TODAY...NE WINDS 30 KT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT.
.MON...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE...N WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 20 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

RF/RL DEC 11
2 follow-up statements
466 
FZAK52 PAFG 182248
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
148 PM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

NORTHWESTERN ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT THE AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-
THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ299-191230-
148 PM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE ARCTIC COAST WILL PERSIST
THROUGH TUE. A 967 MB LOW NEAR ST MATTHEW ISLAND WILL WILL MOVE
TO 150 NM WEST OF DALL POINT AS A 977 MB LOW BY 3PM MON AND TO ST
LAWRENCE ISLAND AS A 990 MB LOW BY 3PM TUE. A SECOND STRONG LOW IN
THE SOUTHWEST INTERIOR OF ALASKA WILL MOVE TO NOME AS 978 MB LOW
BY 3AM MON AND DISSIPATE NEAR THE BERING STRAIT MON PM. A THIRD
STRONG LOW WILL MOVE NORTH INTO BRISTOL BAY TUE.

$$

PKZ200-191230-
NORTON SOUND-
148 PM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT BECOMING E. SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.MON...S WINDS 30 KT. SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.MON NIGHT...S WINDS 30 KT. SNOW.
.TUE...S WINDS 25 KT BECOMING E. SNOW.
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 10 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 15 KT. 
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT. 
.FRI...N WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-191230-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
148 PM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. SNOW. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.MON...N WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.MON NIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.TUE...N WINDS 30 KT. SNOW.
.TUE NIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 30 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.FRI...N WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ215-191230-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
148 PM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS INCREASING TO 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON...E WINDS 20 KT. SNOW. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON NIGHT...SE WINDS 25 KT. SNOW. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE...E WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...NW WINDS 10 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...W WINDS 10 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 10 KT. 
.FRI...NW WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-191230-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
148 PM AKST SUN DEC 18 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.MON...NE WINDS 35 KT. SNOW. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.TUE...E WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.WED...N WINDS 30 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.FRI...N WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

DEC 11
988 
FZAK52 PAFG 191205
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
305 AM AKST MON DEC 19 2011

NORTHWESTERN ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT THE AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-
THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ299-200415-
305 AM AKST MON DEC 19 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
AN ELONGATED 974 MB LOW WITH CENTERS S OF ST MATTHEW
ISLAND AND NW OF DALL POINT WILL WEAKEN INTO A SINGLE
987 MB LOW CENTER NW OF DALL POINT BY EARLY TUE. 
MODERATELY STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST OVER THE 
FAR WESTERN ARCTIC OCEAN...WITH A WEAK RIDGE EXTENDING 
EASTWARD ACROSS THE BEAUFORT SEA. 


$$

PKZ200-200415-
NORTON SOUND-
305 AM AKST MON DEC 19 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...E WINDS 15 KT BECOMING S 25 KT.
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE...S WINDS 25 KT BECOMING E 15 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT.  
.THU...N WINDS 15 KT.  
.FRI...N WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-200415-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
305 AM AKST MON DEC 19 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...N WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.TONIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT.  
.TUE...NE WINDS 25 KT.  
.TUE NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 25 KT.  
.FRI...N WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ215-200415-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
305 AM AKST MON DEC 19 2011

.TODAY...E WINDS 20 KT.  
.TONIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT.  
.WED...N WINDS 15 KT.  
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT.  
.THU...W WINDS 10 KT.  
.FRI...N WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-200415-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
305 AM AKST MON DEC 19 2011

.TODAY...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...N WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. 
.THU...N WINDS 25 KT.  
.FRI...N WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

RF/RL DEC 11

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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 17, 4:02 PM AKST, 9 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 17, 4:02 PM AKST, 9 hours 56 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
402 PM AKST SAT DEC 17 2011

.SYNOPSIS...
ALOFT...THE LONG WAVE PATTER CONSISTING OF A TROUGH IN THE BERING
AND A RIDGE OVER NW CANADA WILL PERSIST THROUGH NEXT WEEK. THIS
WILL CAUSE SW FLOW TO PERSIST AND KEEP CONDITIONS CLOUDY AND TEMPERATURES
ABOVE NORMAL.

A CHINOOK WIND BLOWING ACROSS THE ALASKA RANGE WILL INCREASE
TONIGHT THEN WEAKEN LATE SUN AS A STRONG SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES
NORTH OVER THE INTERIOR. THERE WILL BE CHANCE OF SNOW WITH THE
SHORT WAVE IN THE SOUTHERN INTERIOR AND MORE LIKELY SNOW FALL IN
THE NORTHERN INTERIOR.

SURFACE...
HIGH PRESSURE NORTH OF THE ARCTIC COAST WILL PERSIST THROUGH
MON. A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH OVER THE BROOKS RANGE WILL DISSIPATE
OVER THE ARCTIC COAST OF ALASKA SUN. THIS IS CAUSING EAST WINDS
AND SNOW IN THE WESTERN ARCTIC COAST AND WILL CAUSE WINDS TO
INCREASE OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE COAST TONIGHT. THIS HAS CAUSED
BLOWING SNOW AND LOW VISIBILITY FROM POINT LAY WEST. WIND CHILLS
WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT AS THE WINDS INCREASE.

A STRONG LOW IN THE SOUTHEAST BERING SEA WILL MOVE TO 100 NM WEST
OF NUNIVAK ISLAND AS A 966 MB LOW BY 3PM SUN AND TO DALL POINT AS
A 982 MB LOW BY 3PM MON. A WEATHER FRONT FROM THIS LOW EAST WILL
MOVE OVER NORTON SOUND TONIGHT...TO THE BERING STRAIT TO MCGRATH
BY 3PM SUN...TO THE BERING STRAIT TO FORT YUKON BY 3AM MON...AND
TO THE BERING STRAIT TO ARCTIC VILLAGE BY 3PM MON. EXPECT 1-2
INCHES OF SNOW ALONG THE FRONT TONIGHT...2-4 INCHES SUN AND
ANOTHER FEW INCHES SUN NIGHT. THIS COULD BRING SEVERAL INCHES TO
THE EASTERN INTERIOR SUN NIGHT AND MON WITH THE MOST LIKELY SNOW
FALL NORTH AND WEST OF FAIRBANKS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS INITIALIZE WELL. GFS MOVES THE FRONT AND TROUGH ALOFT
NORTHWARD OVER ALASKA MORE QUICKLY SUN THAN THE NAM, BUT PREFER
THE GFS DUE TO THE STRONG SOUTH FLOW ALOFT WITH THIS FEATURE.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ202-AKZ203-AKZ204-AKZ205.

WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ215.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ201-AKZ213-AKZ216.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ225-PKZ230.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ240.
&&

JB DEC 11

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 17, 4:42 PM AKSTWind AdvisoryAFG21 hr
Dec 18, 1:46 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG35 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2011Every gale warning 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.