Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2011

Gale Warning 36, NWS Fairbanks, AK

February 22, 2011

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Feb 22, 2011, 4:07 AM AKST. It was in force for 24 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 22, 2011, 4:07 AM AKST (13:07 UTC)
Expired
Feb 23, 2011, 4:04 AM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

195 
FZAK51 PAFG 221307
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

ARCTIC 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.

PKZ298-230415-
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
STRONG 1046 MB HIGH PRESSURE WILL STRENGTHEN TO 1055 MB AND BUILD
FROM SOUTHWEST ALASKA INTO THE YUKON TERRITORY BY WED EVENING.
1002 MB LOW NEAR IN THE FAR WESTERN BERING SEA WILL STRENGTHEN TO
992 MB AND REACH THE GULF OF ANADYR TUE NIGHT. THE LOW WILL MOVE
RAPIDLY NORTH TO BE A 989 MB CENTER 200 NM NORTHEAST OF WRANGEL
ISLAND WED AFTERNOON. A NORTHWEST PACIFIC LOW WILL STRENGTHEN TO
976 MB AND REACH THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WED AM. IT WILL CONTINUE
NORTH TO BE A 972 MB CENTER JUST OFF CAPE NAVARIN WED NIGHT. IT
WILL CONTINUE RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARD AND REACH THE NORTHWEST
BEAUFORT SEA THU NIGHT.

$$

PKZ225-230415-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

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

.TODAY...S WINDS 15 KT INCREASING TO 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.WED...S WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT BECOMING W 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU...S WINDS 35 KT. SNOW.
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT. 
.FRI...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-230415-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.WED...S WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.WED NIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT BECOMING SW 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU...S WINDS 35 KT. SNOW.
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT. 
.FRI...S WINDS 25 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-230415-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 15 KT INCREASING TO 25 KT. 
.WED...S WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.WED NIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU...SW WINDS 25 KT. 
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 25 KT. 
.FRI...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-230415-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

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

.TODAY...W WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT.
.WED...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.THU...SW WINDS 30 KT. 
.THU NIGHT...W WINDS 35 KT.
.FRI...W WINDS 40 KT.
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-230415-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
407 AM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

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

.TODAY...W WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.WED...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.THU...SW WINDS 35 KT.
.THU NIGHT...W WINDS 40 KT.
.FRI...W WINDS 45 KT.
.SAT...W WINDS 30 KT.

$$

TF/DJH FEB 11
2 follow-up statements
366 
FZAK51 PAFG 222334
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

ARCTIC 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.

PKZ298-231615-
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A 1008 MB LOW 400 NM SW OF THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA WILL MOVE TO
200 NM NORTH OF BARROW BY WED EVENING AT 995 MB. HIGH PRESSURE
RIDGE OVER THE ARCTIC COAST WILL PUSH EAST OF BARTER ISLAND BY WED
MORNING. THE NEXT STRONG LOW WILL MOVE FROM THE NORTH PACIFIC TO
THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA BY THU AFTERNOON AT 982 MB.

$$

PKZ225-231615-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT...

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 45 KT INCREASING TO 55 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
BLOWING SNOW. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED...S WINDS 55 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW SHOWERS.  
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.THU...N WINDS 20 KT BECOMING SE 35 KT. SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT.  
.FRI...W WINDS 35 KT.  
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT.  
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-231615-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.WED...S WINDS 30 KT INCREASING TO S WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
SNOW SHOWERS. 
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.THU...W WINDS 20 KT BECOMING SE 30 KT. SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT.  
.FRI...W WINDS 35 KT.  
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT.  
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  
.SUN...S WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-231615-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT INCREASING TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
BLOWING SNOW. 
.WED...S WINDS 30 KT. SNOW SHOWERS.  
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT.  
.THU...SW WINDS 25 KT.  
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 30 KT.  
.FRI...SW WINDS 35 KT.  
.FRI NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  
.SUN...S WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-231615-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

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

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 25 KT.  
.WED...S WINDS INCREASING TO 30 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT.  
.THU...SW WINDS 30 KT.  
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT.  
.FRI...SW WINDS 30 KT.  
.FRI NIGHT...SW WINDS 15 KT.  
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN...W WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-231615-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
234 PM AKST TUE FEB 22 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.WED...S WINDS 15 KT INCREASING TO 25 KT.  
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. SNOW SHOWERS.  
.THU...W WINDS 30 KT.  
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.FRI...W WINDS 30 KT.  
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 15 KT.  
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN...NW WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

CF/SDB FEB 11
651 
FZAK51 PAFG 231304
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

ARCTIC 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.

PKZ298-240415-
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
992 MB LOW OVER CHUKOTSK PENINSULA WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO BE
150 NM NORTHWEST OF BARROW AT 3PM WED AND THEN TO 250 NM
NORTHEAST OF BARTER ISLAND BY 3AM THU. A NEW LOW WILL MOVE FROM
THE BERING SEA INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA THU NIGHT...TO BE A 980 MB
CENTER 50 NM NORTHWEST OF BARROW AT 3AM FRI.

$$

PKZ225-240415-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

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

.TODAY...S WINDS 50 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT BECOMING NW 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU...E WINDS 25 KT BECOMING S 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 40 KT BECOMING W. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW
SHOWERS. 
.FRI...W WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SAT...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-240415-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

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

.TODAY...S WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 40 KT DECREASING TO 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU...W WINDS 20 KT BECOMING SE 30 KT. SNOW.
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SAT...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-240415-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

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

.TODAY...S WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU...W WINDS 25 KT BECOMING S. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...NW WINDS 40 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-240415-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

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

.TODAY...S WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.THU...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 40 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SUN...W WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-240415-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
404 AM AKST WED FEB 23 2011

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

.TODAY...S WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW.
.THU...W WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.FRI NIGHT...W WINDS 45 KT. 
.SAT...W WINDS 40 KT. 
.SUN...W WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

DJH/RT 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 21, 3:39 PM AKST, 12 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 3:39 PM AKST, 12 hours 28 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
339 PM AKST MON FEB 21 2011

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HOURS. STRONG WESTERLY FLOW
THAT BROUGHT A PLETHORA OF SNOWFALL TO THE MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY
SUN AND MON WILL START CHANGING TO A MORE NORTHWESTERLY FLOW MON
NIGHT WHICH WILL START THE DRYING OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE. AS THE
HUGE RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD IN THE NORTH PACIFIC AND PUSH
NORTHWARD...THIS WILL USHER IN MUCH WARMER AIR.

IN THE NEAR FUTURE...STRONG COLD ADVECTION WILL RAPIDLY PUSH
EASTWARD ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS WILL SERVE A
CATALYST TO CONTINUE SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE CENTRAL
PORTION OF THE STATE THROUGH TONIGHT. WARM ADVECTION WILL RAPIDLY
PUSH EASTWARD BEHIND THE COLD AIR ON TUE.

THE NEXT IN A SERIES OF LOWS MOVING OUT OF THE NORTH PACIFIC WILL
DEEPEN ND MOVE TO NEAR THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA BY LATE TUE NIGHT
WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION SHIELD PUSHING TO THE WEST COAST BY
WED MORNING. THE LOW WILL RAPIDLY PUSH NORTHWARD OVER THE TOP OF
THE RIDGE BY WED AS THE RIDGE BEGINS TO FLATTEN OUT A BIT. THE
RIDGE WILL THEN SHARPEN AGAIN BUT WILL BECOME PROGRESSIVE AS THE
NEXT SURFACE LOW PUSHES NORTH AND EAST AND BEGINS TO PUSH THE
RIDGE TO THE EAST WITH DECENT COLD ADVECTION PUSHES IN BEHIND THE
FRONT ON FRIDAY.

THE FIRST LOW TO MOVE ONTO THE WEST COAST...TUE NIGHT WILL BRING
WITH IT MUCH WARM AIR AND WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAIN INTO THE AREA AS
WELL AS BEGINNING AS SNOWFALL.

THE STRONG MOISTURE LADEN WESTERLY FLOW THAT STREAMED INTO THE
INTERIOR FROM SUN AND MON BROUGHT ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 10 TO 20
INCHES OF SNOWFALL OVER THE AREA. IT APPEARS THAT THE AREA WITH
THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL CAME IN LONG WEST TO EAST BANDS FROM THE
AREA OF ABOUT EIELSON AFB TO JUST SOUTH OF FAIRBANKS...WITH NORTH
POLE RECEIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 20 INCHES OF SNOW. SNOW
SHOWERS OVER THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD
ADVECTION COULD ADD ANOTHER INCH OR TWO TO THESE TOTALS. STRONG
WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD ADVECTION AND THE INCREASING
PRESSURE GRADIENT AS THE SURFACE HIGH BUILDS TO NEAR 1050 MB OVER
THE INTERIOR BY TUE WILL CONTINUE THE BLOWING SNOW THROUGH MUCH OF TUE.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ204-AKZ205-AKZ206-AKZ219-AKZ220-
AKZ221-AKZ222-AKZ223-AKZ224-AKZ225-AKZ227.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ203-AKZ204.

WINTER STORM WATCH FOR AKZ207-AKZ210-AKZ211-AKZ213.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ225-PKZ240-
PKZ245.
&&

CF FEB 11

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 21, 3:12 PM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFG22 hr
Feb 21, 3:12 PM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG3 hr
Feb 22, 4:07 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG58 hr
Feb 22, 5:24 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG49 hr
Feb 22, 11:32 AM AKSTWind Chill AdvisoryAFG7 hr
Feb 22, 12:47 PM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFG5 days
Feb 22, 1:37 PM AKSTWinter Storm WarningAFG3 days
Feb 22, 2:32 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFG14 hr
Feb 22, 2:34 PM AKSTGale WarningAFG24 hr
Feb 22, 2:34 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFG37 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.