Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2012

Gale Warning 812, NWS Anchorage, AK

December 14, 2012

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 14, 2012, 4:00 PM AKST. 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
Dec 14, 2012, 4:00 PM AKST (01:00 UTC)
Expired
Dec 15, 2012, 4:00 PM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

564 
FZAK62 PAFC 150001
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 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.

PKZ499-151500-
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL BERING WILL MOVE INLAND OVER
WESTERN ALASKA BY SAT AFTERNOON AND REMAIN STATIONARY. A 998 MB LOW
WILL FORM NEAR 59N 173E SAT NIGHT THAT WILL MOVE AND STRENGTHEN TO
993 MB NEAR 60N 174W BY SUN AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ411-151500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 2012

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY N OF 57N.
.SAT NIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT BECOMING W 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 8 FT
BUILDING TO 12 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW SHOWERS AND RAIN. 
.SUN...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-151500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 2012

.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 KT EXCEPT NW 25 KT E OF 175W. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. 
PATCHY FOG. FREEZING SPRAY.
.SAT...NW WIND 25 KT BECOMING SW 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 10 FT.
SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY IN THE MORNING.
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT BECOMING SW 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 11
FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SUN...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-151500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 2012

.TONIGHT...W WIND 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 13
FT. 
.SAT...W WIND 20 KT BECOMING SW 25 IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-151500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 2012

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT EXCEPT NW 10 KT W OF 168W. SEAS 9 FT. HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY E OF 168W. 
.SAT...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT BECOMING NW WIND 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SEAS 9 FT. PATCHY FOG. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IN THE MORNING N OF 57N. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT BECOMING SW 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY N OF 56N. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT.  

$$
2 follow-up statements
742 
FZAK62 PAFC 151205
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 15 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.

PKZ499-160300-
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 998 MB LOW NEAR 59N 176W WILL MOVE INLAND NEAR 62N 166W SUN
MORNING. A 999 MB LOW WILL DEVELOP SAT EVENING NEAR 57N 175E AND
STRENGTHEN TO 992 MB AS IT MOVES TO 61N 173W MON MORNING. A 986 MB
LOW WILL MOVE NEAR 49N 169E SUN EVENING AND MOVE TO 52N 179E MON
MORNING AT THE SAME STRENGTH.

$$

PKZ411-160300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...

.TODAY...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. SNOW SHOWERS. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SEAS 8 TO 11 FT. SNOW.
.SUN NIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT BECOMING N 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 9
FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-160300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING SUNDAY...

.TODAY...W WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TONIGHT...W WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-160300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING SUNDAY...

.TODAY...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-160300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING SUNDAY...

.TODAY...NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. PATCHY FOG. FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN...W WIND 25 KT BECOMING SW 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 11 FT.
SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 21 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 20 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$
583 
FZAK62 PAFC 160006
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 15 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.

PKZ499-161500-
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 998 MB LOW NEAR 61N 179W WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE OVER THE YUKON DELTA
SUN. A 1000 MB LOW NEAR 58N 178E TONIGHT WILL MOVE TO 62N 167W AT 988
MB SUN NIGHT...THEN MOVE INLAND. A DEVELOPING NORTH PACIFIC LOW WILL
MOVE TO 48N 168W AT 979 MB MON AFTERNOON.
$$

PKZ411-161500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT...EXCEPT VARIABLE WIND 15 KT BECOMING S 30
KT TOWARD MORNING N OF 57N. SEAS 10 FT. SNOW AND RAIN.
.SUN...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY AFTER
MIDNIGHT. 
.MON...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...W WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 17 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-161500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT BECOMING W 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
14 FT. SNOW.
.MON...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.TUE...W WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-161500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING SUNDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 30 KT BECOMING SE 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
14 FT. PATCHY FOG. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.MON...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NW WIND 45 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TUE...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.WED...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-161500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKST SAT DEC 15 2012

...GALE WARNING SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN...SW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.MON...SE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.TUE...NW WIND 40 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.THU...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 14, 2:00 PM AKST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 14, 2:00 PM AKST, 2 hours before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
200 PM AKST FRI DEC 14 2012

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODEL SYNOPTIC INITIALIZATIONS REASONABLE.
FORECAST TRENDS IN THE EAST ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE
WEEKEND. OUT WEST...MODEL CONSENSUS IS POOR WITH THE NEXT WAVE WHICH
IS FORECAST TO IMPACT THE ALEUTIANS/BERING SEA SUN AND MON. THE
NAM/GFS ARE FASTER AND STRONGER WITH THIS LOW...WHERE AS THE GEM AND
ECMWF AND SLOWER AND INITIALLY A LITTLE WEAKER. CURRENT THINKING IS
TO LEAN TOWARD A BLEND OF THE CURRENT GRIDS WITH THE THE FASTER AND
STRONGER GFS/NAM SOLUTIONS.

.ANALYSIS...
STRONG INVERSIONS AND ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE PRODUCED WIDESPREAD
STRATUS AND FOG OVER COOK INLET...ANCHORAGE BOWL...AND THE MATANUSKA
VALLEY. LOW PRESSURE OVER THE GULF PUSHED SNOW SHOWERS UP ALONG THE
NORTH GULF COAST AND PRODUCED GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS OVER THE EASTERN
KENAI AND WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA.

FURTHER WEST...A WEAK LOW PRESSURE CENTER ALONG THE SW COAST PRODUCED
SNOW AND SNOW SHOWERS OVER MUCH OF SW ALASKA. BRISK NORTHERLY WINDS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE ALSO PRODUCED BLOWING SNOW OVER THE
DELTA. SNOW SHOWERS WERE EVIDENT OVER MUCH OF THE BERING SEA AND
ALEUTIANS.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...
THE INVERSIONS SHOULD WEAKEN SOME OVER COOK INLET...ANCHORAGE
BOWL...MAT VALLEY TONIGHT WITH THE ONSET OF COLD ADVECTION. THUS WE
SHOULD SEE A REDUCTION IN EXTENT OF STATUS AND FOG. LOW PRESSURE
STRENGTHENS OVER THE GULF TONIGHT AND SAT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS
ACROSS THE MAINLAND. BUILDING PRESSURE GRADIENTS ALONG WITH COLD
ADVECTION FROM THE INTERIOR WILL PRODUCE STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS ACROSS
THE THE REGION...THE STRONGEST ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST AND EASTERN
KENAI.

.SW ALASKA...THE LOW OVER KUSKOKWIM BAY WILL MOVES SE AND WEAKEN
TONIGHT. SNOW SHOULD DIMINISH RAPIDLY FROM THE WEST ACROSS THE REGION
OVERNIGHT. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE DELTA THIS
EVENING...BUT INCREASE ACROSS BRISTOL BAY. EXPECT SOME PATCHY FOG
ACROSS THE DELTA LATE TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ALONG THE SW
COAST. A WEAK WAVE OVER THE NORTHERN BERING SEA APPROACHES SW AK ON
SAT NIGHT AND BRINGS A CHANCE OF SNOW TO THE DELTA...THEN A CHANCE TO
BRISTOL BAY SUN.

.ALEUTIANS/BERING SEA...UNSETTLED WEATHER WITH SNOW/MIXED RAIN
SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF WEEKEND. A DEVELOPING STORM
OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC BRINGS STRONG WINDS AND SOME RAIN AND SNOW TO
THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS LATE SUN. MODEL CONSENSUS WITH THIS CENTER IS
POOR...SO TIMING AND INTENSITY AT THIS TIME IS PROBLEMATIC.

LONG TERM...LOW CONFIDENCE IN THE LONG TERM FORECAST AS MODELS DIFFER
IN THE AMPLIFICATION OF A RIDGE OVER THE BERING TUESDAY THROUGH
THURSDAY. THE TREND WITH FOR THE WEATHER NEXT WEEK LOOKS DRIER AND
COLD AS THE RIDGE STRENGTHENS THROUGH MID WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORM 130 132. GALES 121 127 129 138 150 155 165.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

RMC DEC 12

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 14, 4:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Dec 14, 4:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC24 hr
Dec 14, 4:00 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC48 hr
Dec 15, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC5 days
Dec 15, 4:00 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC48 hr
Dec 15, 4:00 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC60 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2012Every gale 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.