Alert archive / Alaska / Areal Flood Warnings in 2012

Areal Flood Warning 7, NWS Anchorage, AK

September 16, 2012

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this areal flood warning at Sep 16, 2012, 1:09 PM AKDT. It was in force for 23 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Sep 16, 2012, 1:09 PM AKDT (21:09 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2012, 12:00 PM AKDT
In force
23 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

The nearest sounding before it

Anchorage Iap/Pt. Campbe, (PANC), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 193 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Anchorage Iap/Pt. Campbe, at 12:00Z on 2012-09-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Anchorage Iap/Pt. Campbe, at 12:00Z on 2012-09-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 501 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
937 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
501 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
773 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

282 
WGAK48 PAFC 162109
FLWAFC

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
109 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

AKZ131-172000-
/O.NEW.PAFC.FA.W.0007.120916T2109Z-120917T2000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
109 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WARNING FOR NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND INCLUDING VALDEZ

* UNTIL NOON AKDT MONDAY

* AT 1256 PM AKDT STORM TOTAL RAINFALL OF 3 TO 4 INCHES IN VALDEZ IS 
PRODUCING MINOR FLOODING AND SMALL ROCKSLIDES ALONG THE HIGHWAY 
THROUGH THE CANYON.

RADAR INDICATES ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 OR POSSIBLY 2 INCHES OVER 
THE NEXT 8 TO 12 HOURS.  FREEZING LEVELS CURRENTLY AROUND 3000 FT 
WILL RISE TO 5000 FT LATER THIS AFTERNOON. RAIN SHOULD TURN 
TO SHOWERS LATE THIS EVENING.

SOLOMON CREEK HAS RISEN 3 FEET SINCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.  THE RIVER 
GAGE ON THE LOWE RIVER IS NOT OPERATIONAL...BUT WATER LEVELS ARE 
APPROACHING BANKFULL IN PLACES.


A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR HAS BEEN REPORTED.
STREAM RISES WILL BE SLOW AND FLASH FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.
HOWEVER...ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS
IMMEDIATELY.


ROCK AND MUDSLIDES REMAIN POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 6108 14608 6100 14677 6128 14684 6129 14622

$$

JMP
1 follow-up statement
298 
WGAK88 PAFC 171634
FLSAFC

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
834 AM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

AKZ131-171642-
/O.CAN.PAFC.FA.W.0007.000000T0000Z-120917T2000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AK-
834 AM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

...THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR NORTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM
SOUND...

WATER LEVELS AT SOLOMON GULCH AND NEARBY STREAMS HAVE DROPPED.  
HOWEVER...SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS PREDICTED TO START DURING THE 
EARLY HOURS OF TUESDAY. REMAIN ALERT FOR UPDATES.

COMMENTS: THIS STATEMENT WILL NOT BE UPDATED UNLESS CONDITIONS 
CHANGE.



$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this areal flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this areal flood warning went out at Sep 16, 5:00 AM AKDT, 8 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 5:00 AM AKDT, 8 hours 9 minutes before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
IMPRESSIVE EXTRA TROPICAL CYCLONE NOW LOOKS TO BE FULLY MATURED OVER
BRISTOL BAY THIS MORNING WITH THE CENTRAL PRESSURE OF THE SURFACE LOW
SITTING AROUND 972 MB. RAIN SHIELD ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW SPRAWLS
FROM THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA THROUGH THE NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST. WINDS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW HAVE BEEN TRICKIER THAN A NORMAL GULF COAST
RIDGE/TURNAGAIN ARM SETUP. WITH THE SURFACE LOW TRACKING FARTHER WEST
MORE OF A DOWN COOK INLET GRADIENT EXISTS KEEPING THE WINDS OUT OF
MOST OF THE ANCHORAGE BOWL. TURNAGAIN ARM AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS ARE
STILL SEEING WARNING LEVEL WINDS BUT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO VERIFY
GIVEN MCHUGH CREEK...BIRD POINT...AND GLEN ALPS ARE ALL OUT OF
COMMISSION. A 91 MPH GUST REPORT DID COME FORM GLEN ALPS SHORTLY
BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND THE TURNAGAIN ARM WINDS CAN BE INFERRED FROM
GUSTS TO 77 MPH AT PARADISE VALLEY AND GUSTS TO 62 MPH AT PORTAGE
WHERE WINDS ARE GENERALLY NOT AS STRONG AS THE BIRD POINT/BELUGA
POINT REGION. NORTHWESTERLY WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SYSTEM ARE
STRONGER THAN INITIALLY PROGGED...ESPECIALLY THROUGH CHANNELED
TERRAIN WITH FALSE PASS NEARING WARNING LEVEL.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
GUIDANCE IN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH QUICKLY MOVING THE SURFACE LOW
INLAND TODAY AS WELL AS THE OCCLUSION PASSING ANCHORAGE IN THE LATE
MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON TIME FRAME. FURTHER WEST...SOME SMALL
DISCREPANCIES ARISE WITH A LOW MOVING INTO THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS FROM
KAMCHATKA AND THE EVOLUTION OF A TRIPLE POINT LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE
SYSTEM AS IT WORKS INTO BRISTOL BAY MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...WIDESPREAD RAIN CONTINUES THIS MORNING AS THE
STRONG LOW PRESSURE WRAPS UP. CURRENTLY THIS MORNING THE HIGHEST
WINDS REMAIN CONFINED TO TURNAGAIN ARM AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS BUT WILL
SPREAD TO THE REMAINDER OF THE ANCHORAGE BOWL AS THE FRONT PASSES
LATE THIS MORNING USHERING IN SOUTHEAST WINDS IN THE 30 TO 45 MPH
RANGE. WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THE STEADY
RAIN WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND BEGIN TO WANE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS
MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. HEAVY PRECIPITATION ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST HAS PROMPTED FLOOD WARNINGS FOR WESTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN PRINCE
WILLIAM SOUND AS WELL AS FLOOD ADVISORIES FOR NORTHEASTERN PRINCE
WILLIAM SOUND AND ANCHORAGE BOWL.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA...THE WIDESPREAD RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THE OCCLUSION
IS PUSHING NORTHEASTWARD OVER THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA. A SHOWERY REGIME
BEHIND THE FRONT IS TAKING HOLD ALONG WITH BLUSTERY SOUTHEASTERLY
WINDS. THESE CONDITIONS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN AS THE SURFACE LOW
MOVES TOWARD THE COAST...THOUGH RAIN WILL FILL BACK INTO THE BRISTOL
BAY REGION AS THE UPPER TROUGH/SURFACE LOW PUSH INTO THE INTERIOR
LATER THIS AFTERNOON. ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SYSTEM GUSTY WESTERLY
WINDS WILL REMAIN AFTER PRECIPITATION TAPERS OFF IN MOST LOCATIONS.

BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS...AS THE LARGE STORM ENCOMPASSES THE EASTERN
BERING AND BRISTOL BAY STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS FROM THE PRIBILOF
ISLANDS EAST THROUGH THE DAY TODAY...THE NEXT FRONT IS ALREADY
AFFECTING THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALEUTIANS. LATE TONIGHT THAT
LOW/FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL ELONGATE RIGHT OVER THE CHAIN AND SPAWN A
TRIPLE POINT LOW BRINGING A MORE SHOWERY REGIME EARLY THIS WEEK.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE HIGHLY AMPLIFIED WET PATTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE FOR THE EXTENDED
PERIOD. THE LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE BERING IS GOING TO PERSIST
THROUGH THE COMING WEEK INTO NEXT WEEK AS WELL AS THE STOUT
NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC RIDGE KEEPING THE SOUTHERN MAINLAND UNDER A
SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNING 101 125 135 181
         FLOOD WARNING 125 135
MARINE...HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING 120
         STORM 125 138 140 160 165 170 180
         GALE 121 129 130 132 141 150 155 171 176 179 185
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

MTL SEP 12

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 16, 12:34 PM AKDT, 35 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1234 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0100 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 10 SE ANCHORAGE         61.11N 149.66W
09/16/2012  M120 MPH                            AK   PUBLIC

            MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM THE BEAR VALLEY SUBDIVISION ON THE
            ANCHORAGE HILLSIDE OF WINDS OVERNIGHT OVER 100 MPH WITH
            THE PEAK GUSTS SO FAR MEASURED AT 120 MPH BETWEEN 1AM AND
            4AM.

0236 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 10 SE ANCHORAGE         61.11N 149.66W
09/16/2012  M112 MPH                            AK   MESONET

            A 112 MPH WIND GUST WAS MEASURED AT GLEN ALPS ON THE
            ANCHORAGE HILLSIDE AT 236 AM SUNDAY SEP 16 2012

1133 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 12 SE ANCHORAGE         61.09N 149.62W
09/15/2012  M77 MPH                             AK   MESONET

            A WIND GUST TO 77 MPH WAS MEASURED AT PARADISE VALLEY
            NEAR POTTER MARSH AT 1133 PM SAT SEP 15 2012.

&&

ADIXON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 15, 4:00 PM AKDTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 15, 4:00 PM AKDTStorm WarningAFC24 hr
Sep 15, 4:00 PM AKDTStorm WarningAFC36 hr
Sep 16, 1:58 AM AKDTHigh Wind WarningAFC9 hr
Sep 16, 4:00 AM AKDTGale WarningAFC4 days
Sep 16, 4:00 AM AKDTGale WarningAFC48 hr
Sep 16, 4:00 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC41 hr
Sep 16, 4:00 AM AKDTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 16, 4:00 AM AKDTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 16, 9:53 AM AKDTAreal Flood WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 16, 12:03 PM AKDTAreal Flood WarningAFC28 hr

Nearby

Areal Flood Warnings in Alaska, 2012Every areal flood warning in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.