Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2011

Gale Warning 72, NWS Fairbanks, AK

August 20, 2011

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Aug 20, 2011, 1:45 AM AKDT. 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
Aug 20, 2011, 1:45 AM AKDT (09:45 UTC)
Expired
Aug 21, 2011, 2:14 AM AKDT
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

270 
FZAK69 PAFG 200945
OFFAFG

EXPERIMENTAL OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
145 AM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-210030-
145 AM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
A 980 MB LOW NEAR COOK INLET MOVES INTO THE INTERIOR MAINLAND
TODAY AND TO NEAR MACKENZIE BAY AS A 984 MB LOW BY 10 AM AKDT
SUNDAY. THE LOW THEN MOVES INTO THE SOUTHERN BEAUFORT SEA SUNDAY
NIGHT.  

$$

PKZ500-210030-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
145 AM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

.TODAY...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT.
.SUN...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.MON...NW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TUE...E WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-210030-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
145 AM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

.TODAY...E WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.MON...SW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.WED...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-210030-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
145 AM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

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

.TODAY...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TONIGHT...E WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.MON...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

DA/CB AUG 11
2 follow-up statements
416 
FZAK69 PAFG 202150
OFFAFG

EXPERIMENTAL OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
150 PM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-211300-
150 PM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
A 981 MB LOW OVER THE SUSITNA VALLEY WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES
NORTHEAST SAT NIGHT...THEN REDEVELOP NEAR DEMARCATION POINT
SUNDAY MORNING. THE NEW LOW WILL MOVE NORTHWEST OVER THE BEAUFORT
SEA SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

$$

PKZ500-211300-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
150 PM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TUE...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-211300-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
150 PM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.MON...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TUE...SW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.WED...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-211300-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
150 PM AKDT SAT AUG 20 2011

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

.TONIGHT...E WINDS 35 KT...DIMINISHING AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SEAS 10 FT.
.SUN...E WINDS 25 KT BECOMING N 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TUE...E WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU...N WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

DJH AUG 11
821 
FZAK69 PAFG 211014
OFFAFG

EXPERIMENTAL OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
214 AM AKDT SUN AUG 21 2011

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-220145-
214 AM AKDT SUN AUG 21 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
A 982 MB LOW NEAR DEMARCATION POINT WILL MOVE NORTHWEST ACROSS THE
BEAUFORT SEA AND SLOWLY WEAKEN TO 994 MB 350 NM NORTH OF BARROW
BY 4 AM AKDT TUESDAY.

$$

PKZ500-220145-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
214 AM AKDT SUN AUG 21 2011

.TODAY...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT BUILDING TO 10 FT. 
FOG IN THE MORNING.
.TONIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.MON...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 7 FT. FOG.
.MON NIGHT...N WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.WED...E WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.THU...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.

$$

PKZ505-220145-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
214 AM AKDT SUN AUG 21 2011

.TODAY...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. FOG IN THE MORNING. 
.TONIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.MON...NW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. FOG.
.MON NIGHT...NW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TUE...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.WED...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT.
.THU...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.

$$

PKZ510-220145-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
214 AM AKDT SUN AUG 21 2011

.TODAY...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT BECOMING W AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
SUBSIDING TO 5 FT.
.MON...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. FOG.
.MON NIGHT...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TUE...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.WED...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.
.THU...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.

$$

DA/CB AUG 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 Aug 19, 1:27 PM AKDT, 12 hours 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 19, 1:27 PM AKDT, 12 hours 18 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
127 PM AKDT FRI AUG 19 2011

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS ARE NOT SIMILAR IN HANDLING SURFACE FEATURES UNTIL AROUND
06Z SUN. CURRENT UPPER LEVEL LOW NEAR COLD BAY WILL MOVE TO NEAR
KODIAK BY LATE TONIGHT. SURFACE LOW DISPARITY BETWEEN MODELS LEAVE
ANYONE GUESSING WHERE THE SURFACE LOW WILL BE LOCATED EVEN BY
EARLY SAT MORNING. SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE TO NEAR DELTA JUNCTION BY
SAT AFTERNOON.

RAIN WILL WORK NORTHWARD TO NEAR THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF THE BROOKS
RANGE BY EARLY SAT MORNING. CLOSED LOW AT SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL
CREATE DECENT NORTHERLY GRADIENT OVER WESTERN HALF OF STATE
THROUGH SAT MORNING. RAINFALL OVER EASTERN INTERIOR MAY BE
RELATIVELY HEAVY IN SOME AREAS EAST OF EIELSON THROUGH SUN.

COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW IN HIGH ARCTIC WILL BEGIN TO DROP DOWN TO
NEAR WRANGEL ISLAND BY EARLY SUN MORNING. THIS WILL BRING COLD AIR
DOWN TO THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE BY SUN AFTERNOON. AIR MAY
BE COLD ENOUGH TO BECOME SNOW SHOWERS FOR THE AREA FROM THE
NORTHERN SEWARD PENINSULA NORTH TO ABOUT POINT LAY BY MON EVENING.

THE COLD AIR WILL SPREAD EAST TO NEAR THE ALCAN BORDER BY TUE
AFTERNOON WHILE UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES TO ARCTIC PLAIN.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

&&

.HYDROLOGY...

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ225-PKZ245.
&&

CF AUG 11

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 20, 2:13 AM AKDTGale WarningAFG24 hr
Aug 20, 2:13 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG49 hr
Aug 20, 2:15 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG39 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.