Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2011

Gale Warning 29, NWS Fairbanks, AK

February 17, 2011

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Feb 17, 2011, 12:59 AM AKST. It was in force for 27 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
Feb 17, 2011, 12:59 AM AKST (09:59 UTC)
Expired
Feb 18, 2011, 4:02 AM AKST
In force
27 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

987 
FZAK52 PAFG 170959
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1259 AM AKST THU FEB 17 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.

PKZ299-180045-
1259 AM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 968 MB LOW IN THE GULF OF ANADYR WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN
CHUKCHI SEA THIS AFTERNOON AND BEGIN TO SLOWLY WEAKEN. BY 3 PM
AKST FRIDAY THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO BE 978 MB 250 NM NORTHEAST OF
POINT BARROW. A STRONG WEATHER FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW WILL
EXTEND FROM NEAR ICY CAPE AND INTO THE WESTERN INTERIOR BY THIS
AFTERNOON. A 1000 MB LOW WILL DEVELOP NEAR THE BERING STRAIT ON
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ200-180045-
NORTON SOUND-
1259 AM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...
...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SE WINDS 35 KT BECOMING S AFTER NOON. SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM AT
TIMES.
.FRI...S WINDS 30 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 30 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN...SW WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.MON...S WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-180045-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
1259 AM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING...

.TODAY...S WINDS 50 KT. GUSTS TO 65 KT. SNOW BLOWING SNOW. VSBY
NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.FRI...SW WINDS 30 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 35 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN...SW WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.MON...SE WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ215-180045-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
1259 AM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SE WINDS 40 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. 
VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.FRI...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 35 KT. 
.MON...W WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-180045-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
1259 AM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...S WINDS 40 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 45 KT BECOMING SW BY MIDNIGHT. SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.FRI...SW WINDS 35 KT DECREASING TO 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW ENDS.
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 30 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 35 KT. 
.MON...W WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

JK/CB FEB 11
2 follow-up statements
508 
FZAK52 PAFG 172329
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
229 PM AKST THU FEB 17 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.

PKZ299-181430-
229 PM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 971 MB LOW IN THE SOUTHWEST CHUKCHI SEA WILL MOVE TO 370 MILES
NORTH OF LISBURNE AND WEAKEN TO 977 MB AND CONTINUE NORTHEAST. A
SECOND LOW WILL MOVE NORTH TO THE GULF OF ANADYR 3AM SUN AT 979 MB
AND TO CAPE LISBURNE 3PM SUN WEAKENING TO 994 MB.

$$

PKZ200-181430-
NORTON SOUND-
229 PM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...
...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW.
.FRI...S WINDS 30 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW.
.FRI NIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW.
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT DECREASING TO 15 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN...SW WINDS 35 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. 
.MON...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...S WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-181430-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
229 PM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING...
...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 30 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW.
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT BECOMING S 35 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.SUN...SW WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.MON...SE WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE...W WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ215-181430-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
229 PM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 35 KT DECREASING TO 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW
DIMINISHING. 
.FRI NIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN...S WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.MON...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...SW WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-181430-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
229 PM AKST THU FEB 17 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...
...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FRIDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 45 KT BECOMING SW 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.FRI...SW WINDS 35 KT DECREASING TO 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT BECOMING S. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN...S WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.MON...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...W WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

RL/CC/JL FEB 11
194 
FZAK52 PAFG 181302
CWFWCZ

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR NORTHWEST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
402 AM AKST FRI FEB 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.

PKZ299-190430-
402 AM AKST FRI FEB 18 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 1003 MB LOW NEAR CAPE NAVARIN WILL MOVE TO THE
SEWARD PENINSULA BY 9 PM FRI. A STRONG WEATHER FRONT
WILL APPROACH ST LAWRENCE ISLAND LATE SAT AFTERNOON.


$$

PKZ200-190430-
NORTON SOUND-
402 AM AKST FRI FEB 18 2011

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

.TODAY...SW WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT BECOMING NW. LOCAL GUSTS 30 KT
NEAR CHANNELED AREAS AFTER MIDNIGHT. BLOWING SNOW.
.SAT...NW WINDS 20 KT BECOMING S 5 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT INCREASING TO 35 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 35 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT.  
.MON...S WINDS 25 KT.  
.TUE...S WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ210-190430-
DALL POINT TO WALES-
402 AM AKST FRI FEB 18 2011

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

.TODAY...SW WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.SAT...VARIABLE WINDS 10 KT BECOMING SE 20 KT...EXCEPT INCREASING
TO SE 40 KT WEST OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW
WEST OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 40 KT BECOMING SW. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 40 KT.  
.MON...SE WINDS 25 KT.  
.TUE...SW WINDS 30 KT.  

$$

PKZ215-190430-
KOTZEBUE SOUND-
402 AM AKST FRI FEB 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...SW WINDS 25 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW IN THE MORNING. 
.TONIGHT...SE WINDS 10 KT BECOMING NW 20 KT. SNOW. 
.SAT...NW WINDS 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT BECOMING E 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN...SE WINDS 35 KT BECOMING SW 25 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT.  
.MON...S WINDS 20 KT.  
.TUE...SE WINDS 10 KT.  

$$

PKZ220-190430-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
402 AM AKST FRI FEB 18 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...SW WINDS 25 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 20 KT. 
.SAT...NW WINDS 15 KT BECOMING VARIABLE 5 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WINDS 35 KT. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN...SE WINDS 25 KT BECOMING SW. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT INCREASING TO 30 KT. 
.MON...W WINDS 15 KT. 
.TUE...NW WINDS 10 KT.

$$

RF/DJH FEB 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 Feb 16, 3:39 AM AKST, 21 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 16, 3:39 AM AKST, 21 hours 20 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
339 AM AKST WED FEB 16 2011

.DISCUSSION...
ALOFT...A SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA WILL
LIFT NORTHEAST AND WEAKEN TODAY...AND THEN DISSIPATE IN THE VCNTY
OF BARROW TONIGHT. A DEEP LOW ACROSS CENTRAL SIBERIA WILL
GRADUALLY LIFT INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA BY FRI AS ANOTHER STRONG UPPER
LOW IN THE SW BERING SEA MOVES NORTHEAST AND MERGES WITH THE
RUSSIAN LOW.

SURFACE...A 996 MB LOW ACROSS THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA MOVES NORTH
TODAY AND WEAKENS. A 965 MB LOW IN THE SW BERING SEA EARLY THIS
MORNING HAS A NICE PRESENTATION ON SATELLITE AS IT DEEPENED ABOUT
15 MILLIBARS IN THE LAST 12 HOURS AS IT CONTINUES TO TRACK TO THE
NORTHEAST AT AROUND 45 KTS. THE GFS/ECMWF/NAM/UKMET/GEM ARE IN
EXCELLENT AGREEMENT WITH TRACK AND DEPTH OF THE LOW THROUGH 12Z
FRI. THE GFS IS 2-4 MILLIBARS DEEPER THAN ANY OTHER MODEL...BUT
THAT IS ABOUT THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE NEXT 36-48
HOURS...AND DOES NOT HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT ON THE SENSIBLE
WEATHER THAT IS EXPECTED WITH THE STORM.

WEST COAST...WILL START THE DAY WITH A CLEAN SLATE AS THE REMAINING
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES IN ZONES 207 AND 209 HAVE BEEN CANCELLED
AS THE SNOW AND WIND FROM THE FIRST LOW WILL RAPIDLY DIMINISH THIS
MORNING. PLAN TO ISSUE BLIZZARD WATCHES FOR ZONES 207-209-210-211-
212-213-214 AND A WINTER STORM WATCHE FOR ZONE 215 THAT BEGIN AT
VARIOUS TIMES EITHER THIS EVENING OR AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND
RUN INTO THE DAY ON THURSDAY. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS SHOULD DEVELOP
FIRST ON SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND AND ALONG THE Y-K DELTA COAST AND
THEN SPREAD TO THE NORTHEAST LATER TONIGHT. WIND GUSTS TO 60+ MPH
ARE EXPECTED AT SAVOONGA AND WALES AND ALONG THE Y-K DELTA COAST
WHERE SEVERE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

NORTH SLOPE...THERE WILL BE SOME AREAS OF SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS...
MAINLY ALONG THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN ARCTIC COAST OUT AHEAD OF
THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH. THE SNOW DOES NOT LOOK TO MAKE IT MUCH
FURTHER EAST THAN BARROW AS THE UPPER TROUGH WEAKENS NEAR BARROW
TONIGHT. SNOW AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE MORE THAN AN INCH OR
TWO. AS THE SECOND LOW MOVES UP TO THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA STRONG
S'LY FLOW IS EXPECTED TO DOWN-SLOPE OFF THE BROOKS RANGE AND SHOULD
KEEP MOST OF THE COAST DRY...AT LEAST UNTIL THE LOW LIFTS NORTH OF
THE AREA FRIDAY. POTENTIAL FOR SOME HEAVIER SNOW ON THE SOUTH
FACING SLOPES OF THE WESTERN BROOKS RANGE THU AFTERNOON INTO THUR
NIGHT.

INTERIOR...THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHUKOTSK
PENINSULA LOW WIMPS OUT TODAY AS IT OUTRUNS IT'S SUPPORT ALOFT ACROSS
THE WESTERN INTERIOR.  THERE MAYBE ENOUGH MOISTURE FOR A FEW SNOW
SHOWERS IN PARTS OF THE WESTERN INTERIOR...BUT NOTHING MORE.  SHOULD
SEE AN INCREASE IN HIGH A FEW MID LEVEL CLOUDS IN THE FAIRBANKS
AREA...BUT NO SNOW.  A MUCH STRONGER FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
SECOND LOW MOVES INTO THE WESTERN INTERIOR THURSDAY WITH SNOW
DEVELOPING FROM THE SOUTHWEST DURING THE DAY.  THE SNOW WILL LIKELY
MOVE INTO THE FAIRBANKS AREA BY THURSDAY EVENING AND WITH THE STRONG
SW FLOW AND SHORTWAVE ENERGY TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT
INTO FRIDAY THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF PICKING UP A FEW INCHES OF
SNOW...AND POSSIBLE MORE ON THE HILLS WHERE THERE WILL BE SOME
OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT. THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD INTO
EASTERN INTERIOR THURS NIGHT.

MEDIUM RANGE...THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES WITH A THIRD LOW
EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE WEEKEND.  THE MODELS
ARE IN REASONABLY GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE NEXT LOW FOLLOWS A SIMILAR
TRACK TO LOW # 2. THE LOW LOOKS TO BE A LITTLE WEAKER THAN IT'S
PREDECESSOR AND MAY FOLLOW A TRACK A BIT FURTHER TO THE NORTHWEST.
AFTER ABOUT 96 HOURS THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLES DIVERGE RAPIDLY AND
FORECAST CONFIDENCE RAPIDLY DROPS. AS WOULD BE EXPECTED IN A VERY
PROGRESSIVE PATTERN THE NCEP RMOPS ARE VERY LOW.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BLIZZARD WATCH FOR AKZ207-AKZ209-AKZ210-AKZ211-AKZ212-AKZ213-
AKZ214.

WINTER STORM WATCH FOR AKZ215.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225.

STORM WARNING FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.
&&

CB FEB 11

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 16, 3:47 PM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFG35 hr
Feb 16, 3:47 PM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG31 hr
Feb 17, 12:59 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG37 hr
Feb 17, 4:04 AM AKSTWinter Storm WarningAFG23 hr
Feb 17, 2:29 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG37 hr
Feb 17, 2:29 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG71 hr
Feb 17, 2:29 PM AKSTGale WarningAFG13 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.