Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2012

Gale Warning 102, NWS Fairbanks, AK

December 23, 2012

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 23, 2012, 2:33 PM AKST. It was in force for 13 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 23, 2012, 2:33 PM AKST (23:33 UTC)
Expired
Dec 24, 2012, 3:15 AM AKST
In force
13 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

496 
FZAK51 PAFG 232333
CWFNSB

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR ARCTIC ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

ARCTIC ALASKA COASTAL WATERS OUT 100 NM

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

PKZ298-241215-
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHING FROM NORTH OF THE ARCTIC COAST OF ALASKA
TO THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA OF RUSSIA WILL MOVE NORTH MON. A LOW
PRESSURE TROUGH OVER THE INTERIOR OF ALASKA WILL MOVE NORTHWEST TO
LIE FROM THE BERING STRAIT TO PRUDHOE BAY ON MON PM. A LOW IN THE
GULF OF ALASKA WILL MOVE TO THE YUKON DELTA AS A 994 MB LOW BY 3AM
TUE.

$$

PKZ225-241215-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT INCREASING TO 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.THU...NE WINDS 30 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 30 KT.  

$$

PKZ230-241215-
CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN-
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.THU...NE WINDS 25 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 30 KT.  

$$

PKZ235-241215-
POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT-
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON...E WINDS 30 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.THU...NE WINDS 20 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 20 KT.  

$$

PKZ240-241215-
CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND-
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.MON...E WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. VSBY LESS THAN 1 NM.
.MON NIGHT...E WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.WED...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.THU...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

PKZ245-241215-
FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-
233 PM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON...E WINDS 35 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.MON NIGHT...E WINDS 25 KT. BLOWING SNOW. 
.TUE...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 10 KT. 
.WED...N WINDS 15 KT. 
.WED NIGHT...NE WINDS 15 KT. 
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 15 KT.  

$$

DEC 12

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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 23, 6:00 AM AKST, 8 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 23, 6:00 AM AKST, 8 hours 33 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
600 AM AKST SUN DEC 23 2012

.DISCUSSION...

UPPER AIR...HIGH PRESSURE WITH 555 DM CENTER OVER THE NORTHERN
BEAUFORT SEA AND RIDGE EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO EASTERN SIBERIA WILL
MOVE WEST AND BY MONDAY AFTERNOON THE CENTER OF THE HIGH WILL BE
546 DM OVER THE WESTERN CHUCKCHI SEA WITH RIDGING SOUTH OVER
SIBERIA. A 505 DM LOW PRESSURE WITH CENTER OVER BRISTOL BAY WILL
MOVE WEST AND BY TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE 495 DM OVER THE NORTH
CENTRAL BERING SEA. ECMWF AND GFS AGREE WITH THIS PROGNOSIS. THIS
WILL ESTABLISH SOUTHERLY FLOW OVER MOST OF NORTHERN ALASKA WHICH
WILL CONTINUE...EXCEPT FOR BRIEF BREAKS...THROUGH THE REST OF THE
WEEK AS A MORE WEST TO EAST PATTERN TAKES HOLD AND ENERGETIC LOWS
SWING EAST ALONG THE CENTRAL TO EASTERN ALEUTIANS. THE INITIAL
PUSH OF SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO NORTHERN ALASKA SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
TUESDAY WILL BE RATHER WEAK...THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL WARM
NOTICEABLY AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS. CHINOOKS AT MID TO LATE WEEK WILL
LIKELY BE MODERATE...WITH TEMPERATURES RISING ABOVE ZERO OVER
MUCH OF INTERIOR ALASKA.

SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN BERING SEA WEAKEN AND
MOVE NORTHWEST TO SIBERIA SUNDAY NIGHT. BY TUESDAY HIGH PRESSURE
WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE NORTH CHUCKCHI SEA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL
PERSIST OVER NORTHERN CANADA THROUGH TUESDAY...THEN WEAKEN AND MOVE
EAST. LOW PRESSURES WILL COME AND GO OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF
ALASKA THIS WEEK. BY MID WEEK...A PATTERN OF LOWS TRACKING EAST TO
THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS AND SOUTHEASTERN BERING SEA WILL DEVELOP.

NORTH SLOPE...A TROUGH IS STRENGTHENING OVER THE ARCTIC COAST
AND MCKENZIE BAY. EAST WINDS HAVE ALREADY INCREASED TO 30 KNOTS AT
BARTER ISLAND WITH WINDS EXPECTED TO INCREASE WESTWARD TO PRUDHOE
BAY AND BARROW TODAY THROUGH MONDAY. TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED...SO
WIND CHILL ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS WILL NOT BE NECESSARY TODAY.
THERE IS COLDER AIR TO THE EAST...WITH KOMAKUK BEACH, YUKON AT 18
BELOW AND A WIND CHILL OF 51 BELOW THIS MORNING. THERE IS THE
POTENTIAL OF THIS COLDER AIR REACHING ALASKA'S EASTERN BEAUFORT
SEA COAST SUNDAY NIGHT OR MONDAY...SO THE SITUATION SHOULD BE
MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE ADVISORY LEVEL WIND CHILLS DEVELOPING.

WEST COAST...WINDS WILL BEGIN PICKING UP AGAIN ON MONDAY AS
GRADIENT TIGHTENS BETWEEN LOW PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH AND HIGH
PRESSURE TO THE NORTH. THE PATTERN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH
THIS WEEK. A TROUGH MOVING NORTHWEST OVER THE WEST COAST TUESDAY
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MAY BRING A LITTLE SNOW TO THE WEST COAST BUT
ANY ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE AN INCH OR LESS. OTHERWISE THE ONGOING
DRY PATTERN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY.

INTERIOR...CHINOOKS DURING THE UPCOMING WEAK WILL BREAK THE COLD
WEATHER PATTERN. TEMPERATURES WILL GO ABOVE ZERO OVER THE SOUTHERN
HILLS BY TUESDAY...THEN POSSIBLY OVER MUCH OF THE REST OF THE
INTERIOR BY THURSDAY.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ220-AKZ223.

DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR AKZ222.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ225-PKZ230-PKZ235-PKZ240-
PKZ245.
&&

DA DEC 12

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 22, 3:15 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG17 hr
Dec 22, 3:25 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG36 hr
Dec 22, 5:00 PM AKSTDense Fog AdvisoryAFG16 hr
Dec 23, 3:51 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG23 hr
Dec 23, 8:14 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG11 hr
Dec 23, 8:18 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG19 hr
Dec 23, 2:39 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG13 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.