Gale Warning 29, NWS Anchorage, AK

776 
FZAK62 PAFC 261253
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST THU JAN 26 2012

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ499-270300-
400 AM AKST THU JAN 26 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE BERING SEA WEAKENS AND DRIFTS NORTH FRI.

$$

PKZ411-270300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST THU JAN 26 2012

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 27 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.MON...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-270300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST THU JAN 26 2012

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...N WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.FRI...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 45 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-270300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST THU JAN 26 2012

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT AND SAT...E WIND 45 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-270300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST THU JAN 26 2012

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT. HEAVY FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 4 FT. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.FRI...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI NIGHT AND SAT...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 14 FT.
.SUN...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. 
.MON...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT.  

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
200 PM AKST WED JAN 25 2012

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HRS(FRI
AFTERNOON). THE GFS/ECMWF CONTINUE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH
THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM...THOUGH THE NAM DIVERGES.

.UPPER LEVELS...
A BROAD UPPER LOW OVER THE SOUTHCENTRAL MAINLAND WEAKENS AS IT MOVES
EAST INTO CANADA FRI. A WEAK SHORT WAVE TRAILS THIS CENTER ON FRI
BEFORE THE FLOW BECOMES WESTERLY OVER THE SOUTHERN MAINLAND ON SAT. A
RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN BERING SEA/BRISTOL BAY SAT MORNING AS A
LOW COMPLEX MOVES TO THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
.SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...A WEAKENING LOW PRESSURE CENTER NEAR
HINCHINBROOK ENTRANCE THIS AFTERNOON WILL MOVE INTO PRINCE WILLIAM
SOUND TONIGHT AND WEAKEN. IT WILL THEN DRIFT SOUTH OF PRINCE WILLIAM
SOUND THU NIGHT AND CONTINUE TO WEAKEN. STRONG NW WINDS ACROSS THE
WESTERN GULF AND SOUTHERN COOK INLET TODAY WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT
WITH WEAKENING PRESSURE GRADIENTS. PERIODS OF SNOW/SNOW SHOWERS
ACROSS THE GULF AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHCENTRAL WILL CONTINUE THRU THU.
CONDITIONS WILL BECOME MORE SHOWERY THU NIGHT AND FRI AS THE SURFACE
LOW DROPS SOUTH AND A UPPER SHORT WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE REGION.

.SOUTHWEST ALASKA...
COLD TEMPS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH FRI. PRESSURE
GRADIENTS HAVE RELAXED OVER MOST AREAS SO WIDE SPREAD WIND CHILL
CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED. FOG AND STRATUS MAY BECOME MORE OF
A CONCERN TONIGHT THROUGH THU NIGHT AS WEAK RIDGING MOVES OVER THE
REGION.

.ALEUTIANS/BERING SEA...
A HIGH CENTER OVER EASTERN RUSSIA WILL HANG AROUND THROUGH THU...THEN
WEAKEN AND DRIFT NORTH. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE COMPLEX OVER THE NORTH
PACIFIC MOVES NORTH THU NIGHT AND FRI AND INCREASES PRESSURE
GRADIENTS ACROSS THE ALEUTIANS AND SOUTHERN BERING SEA. STRONG
EASTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE INTENSIFYING PRESSURE GRADIENTS.
MOISTURE AHEAD OF ADVANCING FRONT MOVES TO THE ALEUTIANS FRI AND
BRINGS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SNOW AS TEMPS AND THICKNESS VALUES WILL
REMAIN LOW. THAT SAID...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MAY BE A CONCERN.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE ALASKAN UPPER LOW WILL DRIFT WESTWARD INTO THE BERING SEA LATER
IN THE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF
UNCERTAINTY DURING THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD...HOWEVER A MORE
ACTIVE PATTERN LOOKS TO BE IN STORE WITH THE ZONAL FLOW ALOFT SETTING
UP ACROSS SOUTHERN AK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORM WARNING 130 132 352.
         GALE WARNING 120 121 127 129 138 140 150 175 176.
FIRE WEATHER...

RMC JAN 12