Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2012

Gale Warning 272, NWS Juneau, AK

September 15, 2012

NWS Juneau, AK issued this gale warning at Sep 15, 2012, 4:00 AM AKDT. It was in force for 48 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 15, 2012, 4:00 AM AKDT (12:00 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2012, 4:00 AM AKDT
In force
48 hr
Issued by
NWS Juneau, AK

The text

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

947 
FZAK67 PAJK 151130
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 AM AKDT SAT SEP 15 2012 

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-160100-
400 AM AKDT SAT SEP 15 2012 
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE CONTINUES TO  BUILD OVER THE FAR EASTERN
GULF AND SE AK ON SAT. A WEAK WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE NE THROUGH
THE NORTHERN GULF AND PANHANDLE SAT. A GALE FORCE WEATHER FRONT
WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN GULF SAT NIGHT AND THEN INTO THE
EASTERN GULF BY SUN AFTERNOON. 

$$

PKZ310-160100-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
400 AM AKDT SAT SEP 15 2012 

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...W OF 140W...S WIND INCREASING TO 30 KT. E OF 140W...SW
WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. W SWELL IN THE AFTERNOON. 
.TONIGHT...W OF 140W...S WIND INCREASING TO 40 KT IN THE EVENING. E
OF 140 W...S WIND INCREASING TO 30 KT IN THE EVENING. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SUN...S GALE TO 40 KT SHIFTING TO SW 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. SW SWELL. 
.MON...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.WED...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 

$$
6 follow-up statements
631 
FZAK67 PAJK 152320
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 PM AKDT SAT SEP 15 2012 

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-161400-
400 PM AKDT SAT SEP 15 2012 
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL PERSIST OVER SE AK INTO SUNDAY BEFORE
DRIFTING SE SUNDAY NIGHT. A GALE FORCE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE
NORTHERN GULF SATURDAY NIGHT AND THEN INTO THE EASTERN GULF BY
SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE FRONT WILL MOVE SE THROUGH SE AK BY MONDAY. 

$$

PKZ310-161400-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
400 PM AKDT SAT SEP 15 2012 

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...

.TONIGHT...W OF 140W...SE WIND 20 KT INCREASING TO 40 KT LATE.
SEAS 7 FT BUILDING TO 15 FT. E OF 140 W...SE WIND 15 KT INCREASING
TO 25 KT LATE. SEAS 6 FT BUILDING TO 9 FT LATE. RAIN. 
.SUN...S WIND 40 KT. SEAS 14 FT. RAIN.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT. SEAS 13 FT. SW SWELL. RAIN.
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SW SWELL. 
.MON NIGHT...SW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.WED...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 

$$
863 
FZAK67 PAJK 161130
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 AM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012 

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-170100-
400 AM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012 
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL PERSIST OVER SE AK INTO SUNDAY BEFORE
DRIFTING SE SUNDAY NIGHT. A GALE FORCE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE
EASTERN GULF BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SE ACROSS SE AK BY MONDAY.
A RIDGE WILL BUILD IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF MON. 

$$

PKZ310-170100-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
400 AM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012 

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...W OF 140 W...S WIND 45 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 19 FT. E OF
140 W...S WIND 20 KT INCREASING TO 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
BUILDING TO 15 FT. RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. 
.TONIGHT...W OF 140 W...W WIND 25 KT. E OF 140 W...S WIND 30 KT
BECOMING W 20 KT LATE. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN.
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. SW SWELL. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 10 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.WED...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 

$$
540 
FZAK67 PAJK 162358
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012 

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-171400-
400 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012 
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL PERSIST OVER SE AK INTO SUNDAY BEFORE
DRIFTING SE SUNDAY NIGHT. A GALE FORCE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE
EASTERN GULF SUNDAY EVENING AND THEN SE ACROSS THE PANHANDLE BY
MONDAY. A RIDGE WILL BUILD IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF
MONDAY. 

$$

PKZ310-171400-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
400 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012 

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...EAST OF 140W...SW WIND 35 KT BECOMING W 20 KT
LATE...OTHERWISE W 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN
TAPERING OFF LATE.
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SW SWELL. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.WED...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 

$$
671 
FZAK67 PAJK 170048 AAA
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
448 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-171900-
448 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL PERSIST OVER SE AK INTO SUNDAY BEFORE
DRIFTING SE SUNDAY NIGHT. A GALE FORCE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE
EASTERN GULF SUNDAY EVENING AND THEN SE ACROSS THE PANHANDLE BY
MONDAY. A RIDGE WILL BUILD IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF
MONDAY. 

$$

PKZ310-171900-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
448 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

UPDATED

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT BECOMING W 20 KT LATE. SEAS TO THE WEST
28 FT SUBSIDING TO 18 FT LATE. SEAS 15 FEET EAST. RAIN.
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SW SWELL. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.WED...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 



$$
157 
FZAK67 PAJK 170106 CCA
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
506 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-171900-
448 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A GALE FORCE FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF
SUNDAY NIGHT AND OVER THE PANHANDLE ON MONDAY.

$$

PKZ310-171900-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
506 PM AKDT SUN SEP 16 2012

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 35 KT BECOMING W 20 KT LATE. SEAS TO THE WEST
28 FT SUBSIDING TO 18 FT LATE. SEAS 15 FEET EAST. RAIN.
.MON...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SW SWELL. 
.MON NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 9 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.WED...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.THU...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 



$$
846 
FZAK67 PAJK 171130
OFFAJK

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 AM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012 

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR GULF OF ALASKA EAST OF 144W

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

PKZ398-180100-
400 AM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012 
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A WEAKENING FRONT WILL MOVE E ACROSS THE PANHANDLE ON MONDAY AND
INTO CANADA BY MON NIGHT. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD
OVER THE EASTERN GULF AND PANHANDLE THROUGH MON NIGHT AND
PERSIST THROUGH WED. 

$$

PKZ310-180100-
GULF OF ALASKA NORTH OF 55 DEGREES NORTH AND EAST OF 144 DEGREES
WEST-
400 AM AKDT MON SEP 17 2012 

.TODAY...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT. SW SWELL. 
.TONIGHT...WINDS LIGHT INCREASING TO S 15 KT LATE. SEAS 9 FT.
W SWELL. 
.TUE...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. W SWELL. 
.TUE NIGHT...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. SW SWELL. 
.WED...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SW SWELL. 
.THU...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 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 Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Sep 14, 4:21 PM AKDT, 11 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 14, 4:21 PM AKDT, 11 hours 39 minutes before
SOUTHEAST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
421 PM AKDT FRI SEP 14 2012

.SHORT TERM...THE LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE PANHANDLE
UNDER CLOUDY SKIES WITH SOME BREAKS STARTING TO DEVELOP OVER THE
SOUTHERN AREAS. THERE IS RAIN OVER THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM A
WEAK SURFACE TROF MOVING OVER THE AREA. THERE IS ALSO AN UPPER
LEVEL SHORTWAVE THAT IS PRODUCING SOME SHOWERS OVER THE COAST
MOUNTAIN RANGE WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS SEEN ON CAMERAS OVER THE
REST OF THE INNER CHANNELS. WINDS ARE GENERALLY LESS THAN 15 MPH
OVER LAND WITH SOME WINDIER CONDITIONS OVER THE FAR NORTHERN INNER
CHANNELS THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH TONIGHT. THE MARINE WATERS ARE
MOSTLY FROM THE SE 15 KT OR LESS BUT THERE IS A SMALL CRAFT ADVY
FOR NORTHERN LYNN FROM THE BUILDING RIDGE OVER THE INNER CHANNELS.
THESE SMALL CRAFT WINDS WILL PERSIST AND INCREASE SOME DUE THE
RIDGE SHARPENING UP MORE THROUGH SAT.

AS MENTIONED ABOVE A SHORTWAVE TROF WILL LIFT OVER THE NORTHERN
AREAS THIS EVENING AS THE UPPER RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD OVER THE
REGION THROUGH SAT AFTERNOON. AS WITH THE UPPER RIDGE THE SURFACE
RIDGE WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN TO INCREASE THE SOUTH WINDS OVER THE
MARINE WATERS TO RANGE FROM 15 TO 30 KT WITH THE STRONGEST OVER
NORTHERN LYNN FROM THE SOUTH. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE OVER
THE FAR SOUTHERN THIRD OVER THE FORECAST AREA AS THEY WILL SEE
GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS TO 10 KT BUT WITH THE RIDGE BUILDING OVER
THE AREA THE FLOW WILL BE FROM THE NW DUE TO GRADIENT AND
CHANNELED FLOW. ONCE THAT SHORT WAVE TROF LIFTS THROUGH THE AREA
AND INTO CANADA BY LATE TONIGHT THE SHOWERS OVER THE NORTHERN
AREAS WILL DIMINISH AND BECOME MORE SCATTERED. THE SOUTHERN HALF
WILL SEE THE SCATTERED SHOWERS DIMINISH ALL TOGETHER THIS EVENING
WITH STRONGER ANTICYCLONIC FLOW. THIS SUBSIDENCE WILL ALSO HELP
TO BREAK UP THE CLOUD COVER OVER THIS AREA THROUGH SAT AND THERE
WILL BE SOME SUNNY BREAKS BY THE LATE MORNING. TEMPS OVER THE
SOUTHERN AREAS WILL CLIMB INTO THE LOWER 60S TO BE NEAR NORMAL
HIGHS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE NORTHERN HALF REMAINS TO SEE BELOW
NORMAL TEMPS DUE TO CLOUD COVER AND COOLER 850MB TEMPS.

THE NORTHERN GULF COAST WILL CONTINUE TO SEE STEADY RAIN DUE TO
PERSISTENT SW FLOW FROM ALL LEVELS.

THERE IS ABOUT AVERAGE FORECASTER CONFIDENCE THROUGH THE NEXT
24HRS AND USED A BLEND OF THE NAM/EC FOR THE SHORT TERM PERIOD.

&&

.LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER SW ALASKA AND
ITS ASSOC FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE GULF. THIS WILL INCREASE
RAINFALL OVER THE YAKUTAT AREA WITH RAIN LIKELY OVER THE NORTHERN
PANHANDLE. THE TIGHT GRADIENT WITH LOW AND THE RIDGE OVER THE
PANHANDLE WILL RESULT IN STRONG WINDS OVER THE NORTHERN CENTRAL
GULF ALONG THE FRONT. A BARRIER JET WILL SET UP WITH WINDS OF
40-45KT IN OUTSIDE MARINE ZONE 52 AND 50+KT WINDS SLIGHTLY TO THE
WEST IN THE ANCHORAGE AOR. THESE STORM FORCE WINDS MAY EXTEND INTO
52 AS WELL ON SUNDAY BUT HAVE LIMITED THEM TO MAX GALE FOR NOW.

THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL MOVE INTO THE WESTERN GULF AND WORK TO
PUSH THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE PANHANDLE OFF TO THE EAST.
THIS WILL INCREASE ONSHORE FLOW AND ALLOW THE FRONT TO CONTINUE
ITS EASTWARD PROGRESSION WITH RAIN BECOMING HEAVY AT TIMES IN
THE YAKUTAT AREA SUNDAY NIGHT. UPPER LEVEL ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUES
MONDAY WITH RAIN LIKELY ALONG THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS AS THE FRONT
MOVES THROUGH THEN A BROAD RIDGE DEVELOPS OUT OF THE NORTH
PACIFIC GOING INTO TUESDAY.

THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS NORTH OVER THE EASTERN GULF THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AND KEEPS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE UNDER PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES.
OVERALL FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE REGION WILL BE
ONSHORE...AND KEEP SOME MORE CLOUDS AROUND AND SLIGHT CHANCES OF
RAIN IN THE FORECAST.

MODELS WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE EXTENDED FORECAST. USED
MAINLY THE ECMWF AND NAM12 FOR THEIR FINER DETAILS ALONG WITH SOME
UK MET IN THE SHORTER TERM AND TRANSITIONED TO HPC FOR LATER
PERIODS. FORECASTER CONFIDENCE IS AVERAGE.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ012-052.
         SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY DUE TO SEAS FOR PKZ051.

&&

ABJ/HANNON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 14, 4:00 PM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK12 hr
Sep 15, 3:31 AM AKDTDense Fog AdvisoryAJK7 hr
Sep 15, 4:00 AM AKDTGale WarningAJK48 hr
Sep 15, 4:00 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK12 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.