Gale Warning 310, NWS Anchorage, AK

950 
FZAK62 PAFC 061144
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 6 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.

PKZ499-070300-
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 1000 MB LOW NEAR 57N 175W WILL MOVE TO 60N 170W AT 1010 MB FRI
EVENING AND THEN DISSIPATE. A 998 MB LOW NEAR 52N 172E WILL MOVE TO
60N 178E SAT AFTERNOON AT 995 MB THEN DISSIPATE SAT NIGHT. A 984 MB
LOW IN THE NORTH PACIFIC WILL MOVE TO 57N 180 SAT NIGHT.

$$

PKZ411-070300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...S WIND 25 KT BECOMING SE 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. N OF
56N...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. N OF 56N...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SAT...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING E 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 12 FT.
SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SAT NIGHT...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-070300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...W OF 176W...NE WIND 25 KT BECOMING VARIABLE 15 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. E OF 176W...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT.
SNOW.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT. SNOW
SHOWERS AND RAIN. 
.SAT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 14 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 16 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-070300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SAT...S WIND 25 KT BECOMING SE 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 13 FT.
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-070300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 35 KT. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.SAT...S WIND 25 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. 
.SUN...S WIND 40 KT. 
.MON...E WIND 20 KT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT.  

$$

830 
FZAK62 PAFC 062346
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 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.

PKZ499-071500-
400 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 1009 MB LOW NEAR 57N 169W WILL DISSIPATE TONIGHT. A 995 MB LOW NEAR
55N 175E WILL WEAKEN TO 999 MB NEAR 60N 180 SAT AFTERNOON THEN
DISSIPATE SAT EVENING. A 992 MB LOW NEAR 46N 168E LATE TONIGHT WILL
DEEPEN TO 983 MB SAT AFTERNOON NEAR 52N 167E. THE LOW WILL DEEPEN TO
977 MB NEAR 60N 180 SUN AFTERNOON.
$$

PKZ411-071500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SAT...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING E 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 12 FT.
SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-071500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT. SNOW AND
RAIN. 
.SAT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 14 FT. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT. SNOW AND
RAIN. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 13 FT.
.MON...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-071500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SAT...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...W WIND 45 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-071500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.SAT...S WIND 25 KT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT. SNOW SHOWERS AND RAIN. 
.SUN...S WIND 35 KT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 40 KT. 
.MON...S WIND 25 KT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT. 
.WED...NW WIND 20 KT.  

$$

371 
FZAK62 PAFC 071158
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 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.

PKZ499-080300-
400 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 993 MB LOW NEAR 58N 178E WILL WEAKEN TO 998 MB NEAR 61N 180 THIS
AFTERNOON THEN DISSIPATE THIS EVENING. A 992 MB LOW NEAR 46N 167E 
WILL DEEPEN TO 983 MB THIS EVENING NEAR 54N 178E. THE LOW WILL WEAKEN
TO 988 MB NEAR 63N 180 SUN NIGHT.

$$

PKZ411-080300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 25 KT BECOMING E 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
13 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT BECOMING NW 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
9 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 12 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-080300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012

...GALE WARNING TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. 
SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 KT INCREASING TO 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...S WIND 30 KT BECOMING W 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS IN ICE
FREE WATERS 13 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 40 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 15 FT.
.MON...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. 
.WED...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-080300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...

.TODAY...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...W WIND 45 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.MON...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$ 

PKZ414-080300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012

...STORM WARNING SUNDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT INCREASING TO 50 KT BY MIDNIGHT. 
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...S WIND 55 KT DIMINISHING TO 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. 
RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 40 KT. 
.MON...SE WIND 20 KT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT. 
.WED...N WIND 30 KT.  

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
205 PM AKDT THU APR 5 2012

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN HAD A LARGE
BROAD TROUGH OVERT HE NORTHERN PART OF THE BERING SEA WITH A HIGH
AMPLITUDE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN GULF AND ALONG THE ALCAN BORDER.
THE JET STREAM IS JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS HEADING
DUE WEST TO EAST UNTIL IT IS STEERED SOUTHEAST AND AWAY FROM THE AREA
BY AN UPPER LEVEL CUT OFF LOW THAT IS DEVELOPING SOUTH OF THE WESTERN
GULF.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS ARE VERY CONSISTENT WITH EACH OTHER AND
HAVE ONLY MINOR DIFFERENCES WITH THE COMPLEX PATTERN IN THE BEING
SEA. ONE DIFFERENCE THAT IS SMALLER BUT IMPORTANT LIES BETWEEN THE
NAM AND THE GFS IN REGARDS TO THE LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURES IN THE COOK
INLET AND SUSITNA VALLEY AREAS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THE NAM IS
BRINGING IN COLDER AIR QUICKER TONIGHT AND THE GFS IS DELAYING IT
INTO FRIDAY. THIS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE FORECASTS IN THESE
AREA...AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE GFS IS A BETTER REPRESENTATION WITH
THE WARM AIR REMAINING IN THE AREA AT LITTLE BIT LONGER.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...THE MOST CHALLENGING AREA TO CALL THE WEATHER
ON FROM TONIGHT THROUGH TOMORROW WILL BE IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA.
THERE HAVE BEEN CHINOOK WINDS AND GAP WINDS ALONG THE KENAI AND
CHUGACH MOUNTAINS WHICH WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH THE NIGHT. THESE
WINDS ARE STILL ADVECTING IN WARM AIR AND AS LONG AS THEY ARE AROUND
ANY PRECIPITATION THAT IS NOT IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL FALL AS RAIN.
THERE IS ALSO COLDER AIR TO THE WEST THAT WILL BE FILTERING INTO THE
AREA OVERNIGHT. THE ISSUE IS WHETHER THE COLD AIR WILL MOVE IN FAST
ENOUGH TO CHANGE PRECIPITATION TO SNOW BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION
STOPS. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE WARM AIR WILL BE AROUND LONG
ENOUGH THAT AS THE DOWNSLOPE WINDS DIMINISH ANY PRECIPITATION THAT
FALLS IN THE ANCHORAGE AREA WILL BE LIGHT RAIN THROUGH MOST OF THE
NIGHT. TOWARD MORNING IT MAY TURN TO SNOW A GIVE SMALL ACCUMULATIONS
BUT NOTHING MORE IS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. FRIDAY NIGHT MAY
BE A DIFFERENT STORY AS THE COLD AIR WILL BE ENTRENCHED IN THE AREA
AND THE DOWNSLOPE WILL HAVE ENDED WITH A WEAK SURFACE REMAINING OVER
THE AREA. THERE IS ALSO A SHARP UPPER LEVEL WAVE APPROACHING FROM THE
SOUTHWEST WHICH SHOULD PRODUCE SOME SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY
FOR THE ENTIRE ANCHORAGE AREA.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA WILL SEE SOME PARTIAL CLEARING THIS EVENING WHICH
WILL ENHANCE THE CHANCES FOR FOG IN THE AREA LATER TONIGHT THROUGH
TOMORROW MORNING.
FROM THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS THROUGH ALASKA PENINSULA THERE WILL BE
SOME PERIODS OF SNOW AND SOME BLOWING SNOW AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH
THE AREA. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED AS BOTH WINDS AND
PRECIPITATION INTENSITY WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO SEVERELY RESTRICT
VISIBILITY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...THE STRONG STORM IN THE BERING SEA THIS WEEKEND
WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES NORTHWEST EARLY NEXT WEEK AND A NEW LOW
SKIRTS JUST SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIANS. THIS SECOND LOW WILL GET
DEFLECTED SOUTH OF THE GULF OF ALASKA MID WEEK AS A RIDGE OF HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS ALONG THE WESTERN COAST OF THE STATE.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE 175.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

APR 12

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
155 PM AKDT THU APR 5 2012

AKZ101-060800-

...ACCUMULATING SNOW EXPECTED AGAIN IN ANCHORAGE...

AFTER NEARLY A MONTH OF NO ACCUMULATING SNOW IN THE ANCHORAGE AREA
THERE IS SNOW EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AND THEN
AGAIN FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING.

THE FRONT THAT HAS BEEN CAUSING THE GUSTY SOUTHEAST WINDS IN THE
ANCHORAGE AREA WILL WEAKEN TONIGHT AND MOVE EASTWARD WITH COLDER AIR
MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO
START LATE THIS EVENING AS LIGHT RAIN AND REMAIN LIGHT RAIN MOST OF
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHANGING TO SNOW TOWARD MORNING. SNOW SHOULD FALL
INTO THE MORNING HOURS BUT THE ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO TOTAL IN
THE ONE TO ONE AND A HALF INCH RANGE.

THE SECOND WAVE WHICH MOVES INTO THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BE COLD
ENOUGH FOR PRECIPITATION TO REMAIN SNOW THE ENTIRE TIME. AT THIS TIME
WE EXPECT 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW IS LIKELY WHICH RESULTS IN TOTAL SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS IN THE 2 TO 3.5 INCH RANGE. THE CURRENT SEASONAL TOTAL
IS 3.2 INCHES SHORT OF THE ALL TIME RECORD. THIS WOULD LIKELY KEEP US
SHY OF THE RECORD AS THE LOCATION OF RECORD IS LIKELY TO BE ON THE
LOWER END OF THE RANGE.

HOWEVER...THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THE FRONT WILL STALL OVER THE
ANCHORAGE AREA FRIDAY. IF THIS HAPPENS...SNOW WILL PERSIST OVER THE
AREA FOR THE MAJORITY OF TOMORROW AND THE RECORD WOULD LIKELY BE
BROKEN.