Gale Warning 240, NWS Anchorage, AK

449 
FZAK62 PAFC 230322 AAA
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

UPDATED ZONE 412

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA

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.

PKZ499-231500-
400 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 985 MB LOW NEAR 53N 172E MOVES TO 56N 161W AT 1005 MB SATURDAY
MORNING. THIS LOW THEN MOVES TO 56N 157W SATURDAY EVENING. HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL BERING SEA SATURDAY THEN MOVES EAST
SUNDAY. A WEATHER FRONT MOVES TO THE WESTERN BERING SEA SUNDAY.
$$

PKZ411-231500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N OF 56N...E WIND 30 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 25 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. S OF 56N...S WIND 20 TO 30 KT BECOMING W 25 TO 35 KT BY
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 16 TO 22 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. FREEZING SPRAY N
OF 56N. 
.SAT...NE TO NW WIND 20 TO 30 KT DIMINISHING VARIABLE 15 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS SUBSIDING TO 12 TO 17 FT BY AFTERNOON. FREEZING
SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN THROUGH MON...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND INCREASING TO 40 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 17 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-231500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
725 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N OF 57N...E WIND 30 TO 40 KT. S OF 57N...S WIND 10 TO 20
KT BECOMING VARIABLE 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 8 TO 15 FT. SNOW.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY N OF 58N. 
.SAT...N OF 58N...NE WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 25 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. S OF 58N...VARIABLE WIND 15 KT BECOMING N 20 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 12 TO 16 FT. SNOW. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SAT NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 13 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT THROUGH TUE...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-231500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 25 KT BECOMING 25 TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
10 FT BUILDING TO 18 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. 
.SAT...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING NW 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 
20 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.MON...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-231500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N OF 56N...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. S OF 56N...SE WIND 25 KT
BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 FT. SNOW AND
RAIN. 
.SAT...N OF 56N...NE WIND 25 KT. S OF 56N...NW WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN
ICE FREE WATERS 10 FT. SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. 
.SAT NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT. HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 6 FT.
.MON THROUGH TUE...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT.  

$$

547 
FZAK62 PAFC 231151
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA

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.

PKZ499-240300-
400 AM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 1003 MB LOW NEAR 56N 173W MOVES TO 56N 160W THIS AFTERNOON THEN TO
THE GULF OF ALASKA SUN NIGHT. A NORTH PACIFIC LOW MOVES TO 49N 175E
SUN MORNING AT 1008 MB THEN MOVES TO 52N 180 SUN NIGHT AT 1001 MB.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL BERING SEA TODAY THEN MOVES
EAST SUN.
$$

PKZ411-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 AM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

...GALE WARNING TODAY...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...N OF 56N...N WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING NE 10 TO 20 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 18 FT SUBSIDING TO 14 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY N OF 57N. S OF 56N...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT BECOMING
VARIABLE 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 16 FT SUBSIDING TO 12 FT.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 10 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

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

.TODAY...NE WIND 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 17
FT. SNOW. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 25 KT BECOMING VARIABLE 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
13 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IN THE EVENING. 
.SUN...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.MON AND TUE...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 AM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

.TODAY...W WIND 15 TO 30 KT BECOMING N 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SEAS 17 FT. FREEZING SPRAY N OF 55N. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 20 KT BECOMING NE 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 13 FT.
FREEZING SPRAY IN THE EVENING. 
.SUN...SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.MON...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-240300-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 AM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

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

.TODAY...N OF 56N...NE WIND 25 TO 35 KT. S OF 56N...W WIND 10 TO 20
KT BECOMING N IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 10 FT. SNOW.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY N OF 56N. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 30 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT W OF 167W AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 12 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT EXCEPT 10 KT W OF 167W. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9
FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY E OF 167W. 
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 FT.
.MON...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.TUE...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT.  

$$

159 
FZAK62 PAFC 232334
OFFALU

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 PM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA

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.

PKZ499-241500-
400 PM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...
A 1002 MB LOW NEAR 55N 160W WILL MOVE INTO THE GULF OF AK SUN
MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL BERING SEA SPREADS EAST ON
SUN AND THEN WEAKENS ON MON. A 1008 MB PACIFIC LOW CENTERED NEAR 46N
175E EARLY SUN MORNING WILL TRACK TO 52N 175W AT 1000 MB MON
AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ411-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE WEST OF 180 AND EAST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE
400 PM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 12 TO 16 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 TO 16 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 TO 17 FT. SNOW. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.MON...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 40 KT. SEAS 17 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT.  

$$

PKZ412-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND NORTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TONIGHT AND SUNDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 25 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
12 TO 16 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IN THE EVENING. 
.SUN...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 12 TO 16 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.MON...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.MON NIGHT AND TUE...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 FT.  

$$

PKZ413-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE 171W TO 180 AND SOUTH OF 56N
400 PM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

.TONIGHT...N WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 11
TO 15 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 TO 13 FT. 
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 10 TO 14 FT. 
.MON...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 10 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. 
.TUE...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 40 KT. SEAS 19 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS 18 FT.  

$$

PKZ414-241500-
BERING SEA OFFSHORE EAST OF 171W
400 PM AKDT SAT MAR 23 2013

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 8 TO 12 FT. HEAVY
FREEZING SPRAY. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT...EXCEPT BECOMING VARIABLE 15 KT OR LESS 
IN THE AFTERNOON S OF 56N. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 7 TO 11 FT.
FREEZING SPRAY.
.SUN NIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 5 TO 8 FT.
.MON...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 10 FT. 
.TUE...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 9 FT. 
.WED...NE WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 11 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 35 KT. SEAS IN ICE FREE WATERS 10 FT.  

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
200 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH ABOUT
84 HRS OUT WEST AND THROUGH ABOUT 60 HRS IN THE EAST. MODELS STRUGGLE
IN THE GULF BEYOND 60 HRS AS MULTIPLE CENTERS FORM IN BROADENING
PRESSURE TROUGH. FORECAST PACKAGES WITH GENERALLY BASED ON THE
NAM/ECMWF OUT WEST. IN THE EAST THE NAM AS USED EARLY ON...THEN
TRANSITIONED TO AN ECMWF BLEND FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...

A MODERATE COLD FRONT IS MOVING ACROSS SW ALASKA AND SHOULD BE
CLEARING EASTERN BRISTOL BAY AROUND NOON AND THEN MOVING ACROSS COOK
INLET AND THE MATSU/ANCHORAGE BOWL LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENTS IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONTAL ZONE ARE CREATING
STRONG GAP WINDS ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL ESPECIALLY ALONG TURNAGAIN ARM.
BRISK SOUTH WINDS ARE ALSO DEVELOPING OVER THE COPPER RIVER BASIN.
MODERATE SNOW WAS FALLING OVER THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND SPREADING EAST
TOWARD THE ANCHORAGE BOWL.

FURTHER WEST...A WEATHER FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE WESTERN BERING SEA TO
OVER THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS AND RAIN ARE
EVIDENT ALONG THE FRONTAL ZONE WITH COOLER AIR WITH RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS
ON THE BACKSIDE...AS EVIDENCED BY THE PRESENCE OF OPEN CELL CU.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS COOK
INLET...ANCHORAGE BOWL...AND THE MATSU VALLEYS THIS EVENING. A FAIRLY
STRONG BAND OF SNOW WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE AS IT MOVES
THROUGH. IN THE MEANTIME...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW IN THE LOWER LEVELS
IS PRODUCING MODERATE SNOW OVER THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND ALONG THE
TALKEETNA MOUNTAINS. GUSTY SURFACE WINDS THROUGH FAVORED GAPS ACROSS
SOUTHCENTRAL COMBINED WITH FALLING SNOW WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING
SNOW. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG TURNAGAIN ARM
AND THE HILLSIDE THIS AFTERNOON AS SNOWFALL INTENSIFIES. COLD
ADVECTION AND SOME DRYING ARE EXPECTED AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE
TONIGHT....THOUGH SOME SNOW SHOWERS WILL LINGER AROUND INTO THE
MORNING HOURS SAT. A LOW AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL TROUGH MOVES SOUTH OF
THE AK PEN AND BRINGS INCREASING CHANCES OF SNOW TO THE GULF AND
SOUTHCENTRAL SUN.

.SW ALASKA...
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW SNOW SHOWERS OVER BRISTOL BAY THIS
EVENING...CONDITIONS SHOULD BECOME SOMEWHAT DRIER ACROSS THE REGION
TONIGHT. THE FRONTAL TROUGH OVER THE ALEUTIANS/AK PEN LOOKS LIKE IT
WILL MAINLY IMPACT THE BRISTOL BAY AREA WITH SNOW SAT AS ITS
ASSOCIATED LOW CENTER MOVES ACROSS THE AK PEN. CONDITIONS SHOULD
BECOME DRIER AGAIN SUN AS NORTHERLY FLOW SETS UP AGAIN SUN.

.ALEUTIANS AND BERING SEA...A WEATHER FRONT AND ITS ASSOCIATED LOW
MOVE RAPIDLY E/SE TONIGHT TO SOUTH OF THE AK PEN SAT EVENING. HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE BERING SEA SAT. A SECONDARY FRONT MOVES TO
THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS/WESTERN BERING SEA SUN.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF NEXT
WEEK WITH THE JET STREAM OVER THE ALEUTIANS AND SOUTHERN MAINLAND
DURING THAT TIME.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING 101
MARINE...GALE WARNING 130 138 172 175 176.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

RMC MAR 13

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1205 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1203 PM     SNOW             TALKEETNA               62.34N 150.09W
03/22/2013  E0.0 INCH                           AK   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            4 INCHES NEW SNOW IN TALKEETNA WITH LIGHT SNOW FALLING.
            VISIBILITY AT 3/4 MILE IN SNOW AND FOG.

&&

DP

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
147 PM AKDT FRI MAR 22 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0133 PM     SNOW             SEWARD                  60.11N 149.39W
03/22/2013  E8.0 INCH                           AK   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            SEWARD HAD PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN, HEAVY SNOW, AND
            SLEET MAKING ROADWAYS AND WALKING SURFACES EXTREMELY
            SLICK. 8.0 INCHES NEW SNOW AS OF 1PM.

&&

DP