Storm Warning 12, NWS Juneau, AK

Issued

Jan 20, 2012, 4:00 AM AKST (13:00 UTC)

Expired

Jan 20, 2012, 4:00 PM AKST

In force

12 hr

Issued by

NWS Juneau, AK

941 
FZAK51 PAJK 201238
CWFAJK

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

SOUTHEAST ALASKA INSIDE WATERS FROM DIXON ENTRANCE TO SKAGWAY

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.

PKZ098-210100-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 
.SYNOPSIS FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA INNER CHANNELS COASTAL WATERS...
A COMPLEX STORM FORCE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM 300 NM SW OF SALISBURY
SOUND WILL DEEPEN TO 955 MB FRI AFTERNOON. A SERIES OF STRONG
FRONTS WILL APPROACH THE EASTERN GULF COAST FROM THE SW. THE
STORM CENTER WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN OFF DIXON ENTRANCE ON SAT.  

$$

PKZ011-210100-
GLACIER BAY-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...STORM WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...N WIND 40 KT INCREASING TO 55 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
8 FT BUILDING TO 11 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 55 KT. SEAS 11 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT...N GALE TO 45 KT. SEAS 9 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...N GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SUN...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.MON...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ012-210100-
NORTHERN LYNN CANAL-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...STORM WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...N WIND INCREASING TO 60 KT IN THE LATE MORNING. GUSTS TO
80 KT. SEAS 12 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 60 KT. GUSTS TO 80 KT. SEAS 12 FT. HEAVY FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.SAT...N STORM FORCE WIND TO 50 KT. SEAS 10 FT. HEAVY FREEZING
SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...N GALE TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY.
SNOW.
.SUN...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.MON...S WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ013-210100-
SOUTHERN LYNN CANAL-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...STORM WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...N WIND 50 KT. GUSTS TO 70 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 10 FT.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 50 KT. GUSTS TO 70 KT. SEAS 10 FT. HEAVY FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.SAT...N GALE TO 45 KT. SEAS 9 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...N GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SUN...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. SNOW.
.MON...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ021-210100-
ICY STRAIT-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...NE WIND INCREASING TO 45 KT IN THE MORNING. SEAS 9 FT.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW
LATE. 
.SAT...NE GALE TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...NE GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. SNOW.
.MON...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ022-210100-
CROSS SOUND-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...STORM WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...NE WIND INCREASING 50 KT IN THE MORNING. GUSTS TO 70 KT.
SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 45 KT. GUSTS TO 60 KT. SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING
SPRAY. SNOW LATE. 
.SAT...NE GALE TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...NE GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. SNOW.
.MON...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 

$$

PKZ031-210100-
STEPHENS PASSAGE-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...NE WIND 40 KT. GUSTS TO 75 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.
SEAS 9 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 45 KT. GUSTS TO 70 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.
SEAS 9 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT...N GALE TO 40 KT. GUSTS TO 70 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES. 
SEAS 8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...N GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 60 KT OUT OF INTERIOR
PASSES. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. SNOW.
.MON...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ032-210100-
NORTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...N WIND 40 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT...N GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...N GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. SNOW.
.MON...S WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ033-210100-
SOUTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...NE WIND 35 KT BECOMING SE 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
8 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 40 KT DIMINISHING LATE. SEAS 8 FT. FREEZING
SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT...NE GALE TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 FT. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...SE GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT...EXCEPT 11 FT NEAR OCEAN
ENTRANCES. SNOW.
.SUN...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT...EXCEPT 8 FT NEAR OCEAN ENTRANCES.
SNOW AND RAIN. 
.MON...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ034-210100-
FREDERICK SOUND-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 40 KT. GUSTS TO 70 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.
SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...E WIND 35 KT. GUSTS TO 70 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.
SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT...NE GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 65 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.
SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...E GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 65 KT OUT OF INTERIOR
PASSES. SEAS 7 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. SNOW.
.MON...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ035-210100-
SUMNER STRAIT-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...E WIND 45 KT. SEAS 9 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...E WIND 45 KT DIMINISHING LATE. SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING
SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT...E GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.SAT NIGHT...E GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 50 KT OUT OF INTERIOR
PASSES. SEAS 7 FT. SNOW.
.SUN...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. SNOW.
.MON...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ036-210100-
CLARENCE STRAIT-
400 AM AKST FRI JAN 20 2012 

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE WIND 35 KT. GUSTS TO 60 KT FROM INTERIOR PASSES. SEAS
7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. SNOW.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING LATE. GUSTS TO 50 KT OUT OF
INTERIOR PASSES. SEAS 7 FT. SNOW.
.SAT...SE GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 50 KT OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.
SEAS 7 FT. SNOW AND RAIN. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE GALE TO 45 KT. SEAS 9 FT. RAIN AND SNOW. 
.SUN...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 5 FT...EXCEPT 8 FT NEAR OCEAN ENTRANCES.
RAIN AND SNOW.
.MON...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.TUE...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 

$$

NWS Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this storm warning went out at Jan 19, 4:41 PM AKST, 11 hours 19 minutes earlier.

SOUTHEAST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
441 PM AKST THU JAN 19 2012

.SHORT TERM...COMPLEX 955 MB STORM FORCE LOW MOVING OUT OF THE
NORTH PACIFIC TO JUST WEST OF DIXON ENTRANCE WILL BRING A VARIETY
OF WINTER WEATHER THE PANHANDLE STARTING IN THE SHORT TERM.
INCREASING NORTHEAST WINDS THIS EVENING ACROSS THE AREA. CROSS
MOUNTAIN GRADIENTS REACH OVER 20 MB SO KEPT HHW/HHA IN PLACE
ALONG WITH USUAL STORM FORCE GAP FLOW ACROSS NORTHERN. THIS
ACCOMPANIED BY LOW TEMPS PRODUCING LOW WIND CHILLS AND HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY. NE WIND A BIT LESS ACROSS SOUTHERN HALF BUT STILL
ENOUGH FOR A LOCALLY WIND NEAR INTERIOR PASSES/EXPOSED LOCATION.
DO HAVE A CRITICAL LEVEL NEAR JUNEAU AND STRONG CROSS BARRIER
FLOW SO KEPT HWW FOR TAKU WINDS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

 SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN TONIGHT WITH HEAVIEST AMOUNTS
STARTING UP FRIDAY. EXPECT 1-3 INCHES LATE TONIGHT WITH ANOTHER
6 INCHES ON FRIDAY. FOR SOUTH CENTRAL THERE IS A TIMING ISSUE
BETWEEN MODELS SO LEFT IT AS A WATCH. GFS IS FASTER THAN NAM/EC.
18Z GFS EVEN A BIT FASTER LEAVING DOUBT. BROUGHT IN SNOW TO SOUTH
CENTRAL MID DAY FRIDAY WITH ABOUT 3 INCHES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

 FAR NORTH SHOULD JUST SEE INCREASING CLOUDS IN SHORT TERM.

 USED NAM 12 FOR PRES WIND IN GRIDS AND ALL IN AGREEMENT LESS A
SMALL TIMING DIFFERENCE SO OVERALL THERE WERE LITTLE CHANGES.

.LONG TERM...MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN
THROUGH NEXT WEEK. STRONG UPPER HIGH OVER EASTERN RUSSIA WILL
SLOWLY WEAKEN THERE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. SOUTHERN STREAM UPPER
TROF WELL S OF THE AKPEN WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST...AND THEN TURN NE
AS A STRONG TROF DEVELOPS OVER THE FAR WRN GULF OVER THE WEEKEND.
THE STRONG TROF WILL SLOWLY MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE GULF NEXT WEEK.
THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES ON THE SMALLER SCALE WITH LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEMS MOVING INTO THE GULF THROUGH NEXT WEEK. THE GFS AND EC
WERE AT ODDS AS THE EC WAS TRACKING A LOW LIFTING OUT OF THE NORTH
PACIFIC AND SOUTH OF THE AREA NOW THE 12Z RUN TAKES THE LOW UP
ALONG THE COAST OF SE AK LIKE THE GFS. AFTER MON THEY BEGIN TO
DIVERGE. ENDED UP CHANGING THE FORECAST THAT MUCH TROUGH MON AS
THE OVERALL TREND LOOKED GOOD. DID REFRESH THE FORECAST WITH THE
NEW HPC FOR NEXT WEEK.

 BIG CONCERN WILL BE POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AS WELL AS
HIGH WINDS. THE MAIN SNOW THREAT WILL BE OVER THE SRN AREA FRI
NIGHT INTO EARLY SAT AS STRONG OVERRUNNING OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASS
IN PLACE OCCURS AHEAD OF A COUPLE A COMPLEX LOW AND FRONTS MOVING
NE INTO THE SE GULF. A FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF
SE AK THROUGH FRI NIGHT THROUGH SAT MORNING. THE FRONT WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL LIFTING ENVIRONMENT AND OVERRUNNING
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SAT AFTERNOON. GIVEN INTENSITY OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASS
THE LIFT WILL BE RATHER STRONG AS WARM AIR RIDES OVER THE
TOP...THUS POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL OVER THE SRN AREA.
HAVE ISSUED WS WARNINGS FOR ZONES 27 THRU 29...AND WATCHES FOR
ZONES 26 AND 23(MAINLY FOR SOUTHERN BARANOF). THE WARNINGS WILL
LAST THROUGH SAT AFTERNOON WITH ZONE 27 AND SOME AREAS OF 28 MIXING
WITH RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. ZONE 26 AND 23 WILL START A LITTLE
LATER THAN THE OTHER 3 ZONES BUT KEEP SNOW A BIT LONGER. SNOW
AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 8 TO 24 INCHES WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS
NEAR HYDER AND OVER ZONE 23 AND 26.

 FURTHER N...STRONG N-NE WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN ISSUE FRI NIGHT INTO
SAT BUT SNOW WILL GET INTO THE PICTURE LATER SAT INTO SUN
MORNING. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE ARCTIC HIGH TO THE N
AND THE LOW MOVING INTO THE SE GULF WILL STRENGTHEN FRI...AND
LOCALLY CONDITIONS WILL BE HIGHLY FAVORABLE FOR A TAKU WIND EVENT
FRI INTO EARLY SAT. HAVE KEPT THE HIGH WIND WATCH FOR ZONES 18
AND 19 FOR FRI MORNING INTO SAT AFTERNOON...AND KEPT HIGH WIND
WARNING GOING FOR ZONE 25 UNTIL EARLY SAT MORNING. AS THE WINDS
BEGIN TO WEAKEN SNOW WILL SPREAD IN FROM THE S LATER SAT INTO SAT
NIGHT. BEST ACCUMULATING SNOW THREAT FOR THE N-CENTRAL AREA WILL
BE SAT NIGHT INTO SUN MORNING AS LOW OVER SE GULF OPENS UP TO A
TROF AS IT MOVES N ACROSS THE PANHANDLE. POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY SNOW
DURING THIS TIME BUT IT IS FAIRLY FAR OUT IN THE FUTURE FOR
ISSUANCE OF ANY WWA THIS EARLY.

 BEYOND SUN...ONSHORE FLOW WILL BE THE RULE MOST OF THE TIME. TEMPS
WILL LIKELY COOL OFF SOME TUE ON OUT AS VERY COLD AIR MOVES IN
FROM THE WEST WITH THE TROF...AND SOME ARCTIC AIR TRIES TO MOVE IN
OVER THE FAR N. COULD LEAD TO MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOW TUE INTO THU
AT THE LEAST.

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...WINTER STORM WATCH FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY
     MORNING FOR AKZ023-026.
         WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 AM FRIDAY TO 9 AM AKST SATURDAY FOR
     AKZ027-028.
         STRONG WIND FROM 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
     FOR AKZ020>022-024.
         HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 5 AM AKST SATURDAY FOR AKZ025.
         WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 AM FRIDAY TO 4 PM AKST SATURDAY FOR
     AKZ029.
         HIGH WIND WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR
     AKZ018-019.
         WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM AKST SATURDAY FOR AKZ018.
         STRONG WIND FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR
     AKZ017.
MARINE...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ021-034.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ022.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ011>013-031.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ032.
         STORM WARNING FOR PKZ012-013-022-043.
         GALE WARNING FOR PKZ011-021-031>036-041-042-051>053.

&&

MM/ABJ

Storm Warnings in Alaska, 2012Every storm warning in 2012

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.