Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2012

Gale Warning 46, NWS Fairbanks, AK

September 17, 2012

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Sep 17, 2012, 2:00 PM AKDT. 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
Sep 17, 2012, 2:00 PM AKDT (22:00 UTC)
Expired
Sep 18, 2012, 1:58 PM AKDT
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

727 
FZAK69 PAFG 172200
OFFAFG

EXPERIMENTAL OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
200 PM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-181230-
200 PM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
978 MB LOW 100 NM NORTHEAST OF BARROW WILL WEAKEN TO 988 MB AND
DRIFT WEST TO BE A 990 MB LOW 150 NM NORTHWEST OF BARROW AT 4 PM
TUE. THE SECOND LOW...A 988 MB LOW NEAR POINT HOPE WILL BE
ABSORBED BY THE FIRST LOW MON EVENING. 

$$

PKZ500-181230-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
200 PM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WINDS 50 KT SEAS 19 FT. RAIN AND SNOW.
.TUE...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT. SNOW AND RAIN.
.TUE NIGHT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN AND SNOW.
.WED...N WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...W WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...S WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-181230-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
200 PM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 50 KT. SEAS 21 FT. RAIN AND SNOW.
.TUE...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT. RAIN.
.TUE NIGHT...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN.
.WED...N WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...SW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...SW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.FRI...S WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SAT...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-181230-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
200 PM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 35 KT DIMINISHING TO SW TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SEAS 19 FT SUBSIDING TO 11 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.TUE...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
.TUE NIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN.
.WED...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.FRI...W WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SAT...E WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

TF SEP 12
2 follow-up statements
183 
FZAK69 PAFG 181000
OFFAFG

EXPERIMENTAL OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
200 AM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-190100-
200 AM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
A 988 MB LOW 50 NM NORTH OF WAINWRIGHT WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTH AND
WEAKEN TO 995 MB 175 NM NORTH OF WAINWRIGHT BY 10 AM AKDT WEDNESDAY.
A 996 MB LOW WILL DEVELOP IN THE BEAUFORT SEA 125 NM NORTH OF
KAKTOVIK BY 10 AM AKDT THURSDAY.

$$

PKZ500-190100-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
200 AM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...N WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT SUBSIDING TO 13 FT. RAIN AND SNOW.
.TONIGHT...N WINDS DECREASING TO 25 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 10 FT.
.WED...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...W WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.FRI...E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SAT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-190100-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
200 AM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...NE WINDS 40 KT DECREASING TO 30 KT BY NOON. SEAS 18 FT
SUBSIDING TO 14 FT.  STRONGEST WINDS AND HIGHEST SEAS WEST OF 155W.
.TONIGHT...NE WINDS 30 KT BECOMING SE 20 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 7 FT.
.WED...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...S WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...SW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.FRI...SE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SAT...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-190100-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
200 AM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

.TODAY...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT SUBSIDING TO 8 FT.
.TONIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 6 FT.
.WED...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.FRI...NE WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT.  

$$

JK/CB SEP 12
940 
FZAK69 PAFG 182158
OFFAFG

EXPERIMENTAL OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
158 PM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-191215-
158 PM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
991 MB LOW 150 NM NORTH OF BARROW WILL MOVE WEST 10 KT AND WEAKEN
TO 994 MB BY 4 PM WED. 1030 MB HIGH WILL HOLD OVER THE RUSSIAN FAR
EAST. 986 MB LOW JUST WEST OF NUNIVAK ISLAND WILL MOVE SLOWLY
NORTHEAST AND WEAKEN. A 990 MB LOW WILL DEVELOP IN THE BEAUFORT
SEA 125 NM NORTH OF KAKTOVIK AT 4 AM AKDT THURSDAY.

$$

PKZ500-191215-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
158 PM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

.TONIGHT...N WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.WED...NW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...W WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...W WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SAT...N WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-191215-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
158 PM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

.TONIGHT...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. SNOW AND RAIN.
.WED...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.
.FRI...SW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT.
.SAT...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-191215-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
158 PM AKDT TUE SEP 18 2012

.TONIGHT...S WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED...SE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.WED NIGHT...SE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...E WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...E WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN...E WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT.  

$$

TF SEP 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 Sep 17, 6:49 AM AKDT, 7 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 17, 6:49 AM AKDT, 7 hours 11 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
649 AM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
ALOFT...
A HIGH AMPLITUDE LONG WAVE PATTERN CONSISTING OF A TROUGH OVER THE
BERING AND NORTH PACIFIC AND A RIDGE OVER NW CANADA AND EASTERN
ALASKA WILL PERSIST INTO THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL CONTINUE MOIST SOUTH FLOW
OVER ALASKA AND BRING A SERIES OF CHINOOK EVENTS ACROSS THE ALASKA RANGE.

SURFACE...
A 978 MB LOW OVER THE EASTERN SEWARD PENINSULA WILL MOVE TO KIVALINA
AS A 988 MB LOW BY 4PM MON AND THEN SLOWLY WEAKEN. AN ARCTIC COLD
FRONT STRETCHING SOUTH FROM THIS LOW INTO BRISTOL BAY WILL MOVE TO
POINT HOPE TO FORT YUKON BY 4PM MON THEN DISSIPATE. STRONG SOUTH
GUSTY WINDS 40 MPH AND AREAS OF RAIN ALONG THE COLD FRONT WILL
DIMINISH SOUTH OF THE FRONT. THE EXCEPTION IS ALONG THE ALASKA
RANGE WHERE STRONG CHINOOK WINDS ARE NOW OCCURRING BUT WILL
DECREASE THIS AFTERNOON.

SW WINDS SOUTH OF THE LOW WILL CAUSE MODERATE TO HIGH SURF ALONG
THE COASTS OF ZONES 207 209 S OF CAPE ESPENBERG.

AN OCCLUDED FRONT NOW STRETCHES FROM THIS LOW TO A 982 MB LOW NEAR
PRUDHOE BAY THEN EAST. THE PRUDHOE BAY LOW WILL MOVE TO 100 NM
NORTHEAST OF BARROW AS A 978 MB LOW BY 4PM MON AND THEN SLOWLY
WEAKEN. THIS IS CAUSING NE STORM FORCE WINDS NORTH OF THE ARCTIC
COAST AND WILL CAUSE NW WINDS TO DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN ARCTIC
COAST THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH HIGH SURF.

A LOW IN THE ALEUTIANS WILL MOVE TO NEAR NUNIVAK ISLAND AS A 989
MB LOW BY 4PM TUE THEN WEAKEN. THIS WILL BRING MORE RAIN TO SW
ALASKA TUE.

ANOTHER STRONG LOW WILL MOVE NORTH OVER SW ALASKA WED BRINGING
ANOTHER STRONG CHINOOK TO THE ALASKA RANGE AND MORE HEAVY RAIN TO
WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALASKA.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS INITIALIZE WELL AND SHOW SIMILAR SOLLUTIONS THROUGH 4PM
TUE. AFTER THAT THE GFS MOVES THE LOW NEAR BARROW NORTHEAST FASTER
THAN THE NAM AND IS THE PREFERRED MODELS DUE TO THE SOUTH FLOW ALOFT.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...
SW WINDS SOUTH OF THE LOW WILL CAUSE MODERATE TO HIGH SURF ALONG
THE COASTS OF ZONES 207 209 S OF CAPE ESPENBERG.

NW WINDS TO DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN ARCTIC COAST THIS AFTERNOON
ALONG WITH HIGH SURF AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUE.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
NEXT HEAVY RAIN EVENT IS WED IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL ALASKA.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FOR AKZ216-AKZ218-AKZ219-AKZ221-AKZ222-AKZ227.

HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR AKZ201-AKZ202-AKZ207-AKZ209.

HIGH WIND WARNING FOR AKZ220-AKZ223-AKZ225-AKZ226.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ220.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210-PKZ225-PKZ230-PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245.
&&

JB SEP 12

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 6:11 PM AKDTWind AdvisoryAFG21 hr
Sep 17, 4:11 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG34 hr
Sep 17, 6:35 AM AKDTHigh Surf AdvisoryAFG8 hr
Sep 17, 2:31 PM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG24 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.