Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2011

Gale Warning 45, NWS Fairbanks, AK

February 25, 2011

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Feb 25, 2011, 2:56 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
Feb 25, 2011, 2:56 AM AKST (11:56 UTC)
Expired
Feb 26, 2011, 3:39 AM AKST
In force
25 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

368 
FZAK51 PAFG 251156
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 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.

PKZ298-260300-
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A 980 MB LOW 150 NM NORTH OF BARROW WILL MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARD
TO BE A 975 MB LOW OVER BANKS ISLAND BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE EASTERN BERING
SEA AND WEST COAST OF ALASKA FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY.

$$

PKZ225-260300-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TODAY...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1/2 NM.
.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 30 KT BECOMING W 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
BLOWING SNOW IN THE EVENING.
.SAT...S WINDS 15 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT. 
.MON...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...SW WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-260300-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TODAY...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1/2 NM.
.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 30 KT BECOMING W 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...SW WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-260300-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TODAY...SW WINDS 45 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1/4 NM.
.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.SAT...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT DECREASING TO 10 KT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...S WINDS 15 KT. 
.MON...SW WINDS 15 KT. 
.TUE...S WINDS 5 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-260300-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING...
...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH
TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SW WINDS 45 KT INCREASING TO 50 KT BY NOON.
BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1/4 NM.
.TONIGHT...W WINDS 50 KT BECOMING NW 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
VSBY LESS THAN 1/4 NM IN THE EVENING.
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.SUN...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...S WINDS 10 KT. 
.MON...SW WINDS 10 KT. 
.TUE...E WINDS 5 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-260300-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
256 AM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING...
...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY
SATURDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...W WINDS 45 KT INCREASING TO 55 KT BY NOON.
BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1/4 NM.
.TONIGHT...W WINDS 50 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1/4 NM. 
.SAT...W WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WINDS 35 KT. 
.SUN...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...W WINDS 10 KT. 
.TUE...E WINDS 5 KT.  

$$

RL/CC/TF FEB 11
2 follow-up statements
501 
FZAK51 PAFG 252237
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 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.

PKZ298-261730-
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A 976 LOW NEAR BANKS ISLAND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AND
SOUTHEAST. RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WITH 1048 MB CENTER NEAR SAINT
MICHAEL ISLAND WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD AND SLIDE EAST TO NEAR
CAPE ROMANZOF SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS A 1055 MB HIGH WITH THE RIDGE
BUILDING ACROSS THE CENTRAL INTERIOR AND ARCTIC SLOPE OF ALASKA.

$$

PKZ225-261730-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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


.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 35 KT DECREASING TO 25 KT.  
.SAT...S WINDS 20 KT.  
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT.  
.MON...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.MON NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.TUE...SW WINDS 15 KT.  
.WED...SW WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-261730-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 35 KT DECREASING TO 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.SAT...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.MON...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.MON NIGHT...SW WINDS 15 KT.  
.TUE...SW WINDS 15 KT.  
.WED...SW WINDS 10 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-261730-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TONIGHT...N WINDS 35 KT BECOMING NW 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.SAT...W WINDS 25 KT.  
.SAT NIGHT...W WINDS 15 KT.  
.SUN...SW WINDS 10 KT.  
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 10 KT.  
.MON...SW WINDS 10 KT.  
.MON NIGHT...SW WINDS 15 KT.  
.TUE...S WINDS 5 KT.  
.WED...SW WINDS 10 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-261730-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TONIGHT...W WINDS 45 KT BECOMING NW 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. 
.SAT...W WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.SAT NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.SUN...SW WINDS 20 KT.  
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 10 KT.  
.MON...SW WINDS 10 KT.  
.MON NIGHT...W WINDS 10 KT.  
.TUE...E WINDS 5 KT.  
.WED...S WINDS 10 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-261730-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
137 PM AKST FRI FEB 25 2011

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

.TONIGHT...W WINDS 50 KT DIMINISHING TO 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.
SNOW. 
.SAT...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. SNOW. 
.SAT NIGHT...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW.  
.SUN...W WINDS 30 KT DECREASING TO 20 KT.  
.SUN NIGHT...W WINDS 15 KT.  
.MON...W WINDS 10 KT.  
.MON NIGHT...W WINDS 5 KT.  
.TUE...E WINDS 5 KT.  
.WED...SE WINDS 10 KT.  

$$

SDB/RF FEB 11
412 
FZAK51 PAFG 261239
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 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.

PKZ298-270015-
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A 980 LOW 250 NM EAST OF BANKS ISLAND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST
AND SOUTHEAST. RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WITH 1050 MB CENTER NEAR
SAINT MICHAEL ISLAND WILL CONTINUE TO SLIDE EAST TO NEAR CAPE
ROMANZOF SATURDAY NIGHT AS A 1052 MB HIGH WITH THE RIDGE BUILDING
ACROSS THE CENTRAL INTERIOR AND ARCTIC SLOPE OF ALASKA.

$$

PKZ225-270015-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 2011

.TODAY...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...S WINDS 25 KT. 
.TUE...S WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED...S WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-270015-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 2011

.TODAY...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.MON...S WINDS 15 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. 
.TUE...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...S WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-270015-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 2011

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

.TODAY...W WINDS 25 KT. 
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 15 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WINDS 15 KT. 
.MON...S WINDS 10 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...SE WINDS 15 KT. 
.TUE...SE WINDS 15 KT. 
.WED...SE WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-270015-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 2011

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.TONIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. 
.SUN...SW WINDS 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WINDS 15 KT. 
.MON...NW WINDS 10 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...SE WINDS 10 KT. 
.TUE...SE WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...E WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-270015-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
339 AM AKST SAT FEB 26 2011

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

.TODAY...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...W WINDS 40 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.SUN...W WINDS 30 KT DECREASING TO 20 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...NW WINDS 15 KT. 
.MON...NW WINDS 10 KT. 
.MON NIGHT...E WINDS 10 KT. 
.TUE...E WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...E WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

CC/CF 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 24, 4:36 PM AKST, 10 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 24, 4:36 PM AKST, 10 hours 20 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
436 PM AKST THU FEB 24 2011

.DISCUSSION...
OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WINTER WINTER CONTINUES OVER THE CWA.
SEVERE BLIZZARD ALONG THE ARCTIC COAST AS 988 MB LOW
OVER THE CHUKCHI SEA DEEPENS ABOUT 10 MB AND SHOOTS EASTWARD
ACROSS THE BEAUFORT SEA. MANY AREAS WILL SEE GUSTS TO 60+
MPH...BARTER ISLAND WILL LIKELY SEE GUSTS TO 75 MPH.

ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW AND VERY STRONG WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF
THE INTERIOR. STRONG PRESSURE RISE FIELD WILL HELP SPIKE UP THE
WINDS BOTH OVER THE INTERIOR AND IN THE ARCTIC ZONES.

6-10 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED IN THE FAIRBANKS AREA...BOOSTED
GFS SNOW QPF BY ABOUT 50% WHICH SHOULD BE A REASONABLE ESTIMATE...
UNLESS ANOTHER LONG MESOSCALE SNOW BAND DOES ITS THING.

STRONG SOUTH WINDS ALONG THE WEST COAST WILL SHIFT TO SOUTHWEST
OVERNIGHT AND START TO DIMINISH LATE. SEA ICE IS BEING PUSHED UP
AGAINST THE COAST IN THE NOME AREA...ADDITIONALLY A TIDAL SURGE
COMBINED WITH MILD TEMPERATURES IS CREATING OPEN WATER AT RIVER
MOUTHS AND IN ESTUARIES.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ205-AKZ207-AKZ208-AKZ209-AKZ210-
AKZ211-AKZ212-AKZ213-AKZ214-AKZ215-AKZ216-AKZ217-AKZ218-AKZ219-
AKZ220-AKZ221-AKZ222.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ201-AKZ202-AKZ203-AKZ204-AKZ206.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ223-AKZ224-AKZ225-AKZ227.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ230-PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245.

STORM WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ240-PKZ245.
&&

RF FEB 11

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 24, 3:21 PM AKSTBlizzard WarningAFG62 hr
Feb 25, 2:56 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG25 hr
Feb 25, 1:07 PM AKSTCoastal Flood WarningAFG25 hr
Feb 25, 1:39 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG14 hr
Feb 25, 1:53 PM AKSTWind Chill AdvisoryAFG3 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.