Gale Warning 93, NWS Anchorage, AK

891 
FZAK52 PAFC 190010
CWFALU

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE ALASKA
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHWEST ALASKA+BRISTOL BAY+THE
ALASKA PENINSULA WATERS AND THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS UP TO 100 NM OUT.

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.

PKZ199-191500-
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR SOUTHWEST ALASKA+BRISTOL BAY+THE ALASKA
PENINSULA WATERS AND THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD WEST ACROSS THE BERING SEA THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. A WEAK FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE BERING THURSDAY.
$$

PKZ150-191500-
COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF THE ALASKA PENINSULA SITKINAK TO CASTLE
CAPE
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU AND THU NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT AND SAT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SUN...NW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

PKZ155-191500-
COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF THE ALASKA PENINSULA CASTLE CAPE TO CAPE
SARICHEF
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 20 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 20 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 18 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.FRI...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT...NW WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...NW WIND 35 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.
$$

PKZ160-191500-
BRISTOL BAY WATERS CAPE NEWENHAM TO PORT HEIDEN
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. 
.THU AND THU NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 20 KT. 
.FRI NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 30 KT.  

$$

PKZ165-191500-
PORT HEIDEN TO CAPE SARICHEF
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 

$$

PKZ180-191500-
SOUTHWEST ALASKA WATERS CAPE NEWENHAM TO DALL POINT
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. GUSTS TO 35 KT NORTH OF KIPNUK. 
.THU AND THU NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. GUSTS TO 35 KT NORTH OF KIPNUK.
.FRI THROUGH SAT...N WIND 25 KT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 35 KT. 

$$

PKZ170-191500-
EASTERN ALEUTIANS CAPE SARICHEF TO NIKOLSKI
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT BERING SIDE...19 FT PACIFIC
SIDE. 
.THU...NE WIND 30 KT BECOMING N 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 10 FT
BERING SIDE...20 FT PACIFIC SIDE. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT BERING SIDE...17 FT PACIFIC
SIDE. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 

$$

PKZ171-191500-
UNALASKA BAY
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT SUBSIDING TO 3 FT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.FRI NIGHT...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.  

$$

PKZ172-191500-
EASTERN ALEUTIANS NIKOLSKI TO ADAK
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 

$$

PKZ175-191500-
WESTERN ALEUTIANS ADAK TO KISKA
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.THU...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.FRI THROUGH SAT...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 

$$

PKZ176-191500-
WESTERN ALEUTIANS KISKA TO ATTU
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 23 FT. 
.THU...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 22 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.FRI THROUGH SAT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ185-191500-
ST MATTHEW ISLAND WATERS
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI THROUGH SAT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. 

$$

PKZ179-191500-
PRIBILOF ISLANDS NEAR-SHORE WATERS
400 PM AKST WED JAN 18 2012

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT AND THURSDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SUN AND MON...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
200 PM AKST TUE JAN 17 2012

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS ARE IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT ON
SYNOPTIC FEATURES THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. DIFFERENCES WHICH DO OCCUR
SHOULD ONLY RESULT IN MINOR SENSIBLE WEATHER ADJUSTMENTS.

.UPPER LEVELS...A LARGE BLOCKING HIGH WAS EVIDENT OVER THE EASTERN
BERING SEA THIS MORNING WITH STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW OVER THE MAINLAND
AND SOUTHERLY SLOW OVER THE WESTERN BERING SEA. THIS HIGH CENTER
MOVES TO NE RUSSIA WED AND THU AS AN EAST TO WEST TROUGH AXIS
DEVELOPS OVER THE GULF AND STRETCHES WEST TO SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIANS.
HEIGHTS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER OVER THE MAINLAND THROUGH THE WEEKEND
AS A STRONG TROUGH DROPS SOUTH OUT OF THE BEAUFORT SEA AND SETS UP
RESIDENCE OVER THE MAINLAND AND WESTERN GULF LATE SUN. THIS WILL
USHER IN A CHANGE FROM A COLD AND DRY PATTERN TO WETTER AND A
SLIGHTLY WARMER IN THE EAST AND A LITTLE WETTER AND STILL COLD IN THE
WEST EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
MAINLAND...HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE GENERALLY COLD AND DRY
CONDITIONS AROUND THE REGION THROUGH MID TO LATE WEEK. GUSTY GAP
LOWS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA WILL DIMINISH WED NIGHT
AND THU AS PRESSURE GRADIENTS RELAX SOME WITH WEAKENING MAINLAND
HIGH.

WEAK RETROGRADING (SW MOVEMENT) TROUGH OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL
BRING SNOW TO KODIAK ISLAND TONIGHT. SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF TO SNOW
SHOWERS LATER WED AS TROUGH CLEARS AREA AND EASTERLY FLOW DIMINISHES.

A WEAKENING FRONTAL TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WILL CONTINUE
WESTWARD PROGRESSION THROUGH TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WITH GENERALLY
EAST OR NORTHEAST FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF THE BERING SEA OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. EXPECT CLOUDS AND SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE
EASTERN BERING SEA AS COLD AIR MOVING OFF THE ICE PACK GATHERS
MOISTURE. EXPECT SOME MOISTURE TO CONTINUE TO CLIP THE ALEUTIANS AS
WEAK SYSTEMS TRANSIT TO THE SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...WIND CHILL ADVISORY 155
MARINE...GALE 150 155 170 172 175 176 179 352
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

RMC JAN 12