Alert archive / Alaska / Freezing Rain Advisories in 2014

Freezing Rain Advisory 13, NWS Anchorage, AK

November 17, 2014

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this freezing rain advisory at Nov 17, 2014, 8:53 PM AKST. It took effect at Nov 18, 2014, 1:00 AM AKST. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 17, 2014, 8:53 PM AKST (05:53 UTC)
In effect from
Nov 18, 2014, 1:00 AM AKST
Expired
Nov 18, 2014, 4:22 AM AKST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

823 
WWAK42 PAFC 180553
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
853 PM AKST MON NOV 17 2014

AKZ155-181800-
/O.NEW.PAFC.ZR.Y.0013.141118T1000Z-141118T1800Z/
KUSKOKWIM DELTA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BETHEL...HOOPER BAY...NUNIVAK ISLAND
853 PM AKST MON NOV 17 2014

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM AKST
TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A FREEZING
RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM AKST
TUESDAY. 

* ICE ACCUMULATION...A TRACE TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH.

* TIMING...LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
  IN THE BETHEL AREA AND SPREAD NORTH AND WEST TO HOOPER BAY BY
  MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL HOVER NEAR FREEZING DURING THE
  OVERNIGHT HOURS THEN GRADUALLY RISE ABOVE FREEZING TUESDAY
  MORNING.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DIFFICULT. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY
  ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
884 
WWAK42 PAFC 181322
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
422 AM AKST TUE NOV 18 2014

AKZ155-190230-
/O.CAN.PAFC.ZR.Y.0013.000000T0000Z-141118T1800Z/
/O.NEW.PAFC.ZR.Y.0014.141118T2100Z-141119T0900Z/
KUSKOKWIM DELTA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BETHEL...HOOPER BAY...NUNIVAK ISLAND
422 AM AKST TUE NOV 18 2014

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO
MIDNIGHT AKST TONIGHT FROM BETHEL NORTH...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A FREEZING
RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT
AKST TONIGHT.

* LOCATION...FROM BETHEL NORTH.

* ICE ACCUMULATION...AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH. GREATEST
  ACCUMULATION WILL OCCUR NORTH OF BETHEL.

* TIMING...TEMPERATURES WARMED ABOVE FREEZING ACROSS THE KUSKOKWIM
  DELTA THIS MORNING...LEADING TO PRECIPITATION FALLING AS RAIN.
  HOWEVER...SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW
  FREEZING FROM BETHEL NORTH THIS AFTERNOON AS STRONG NORTHEASTERLY
  WINDS USHER IN COLDER AIR. THIS WILL LEAD TO A SPELL OF LIGHT
  FREEZING RAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN
  TO IMPROVE BY MIDNIGHT AS TEMPERATURES ALOFT FALL BELOW
  FREEZING...BRINGING AN END TO THE FREEZING RAIN AND USHERING IN
  A CHANCE FOR SNOW.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DIFFICULT. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY 
  ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. 

&&

$$

AKZ152-190230-
/O.NEW.PAFC.ZR.Y.0014.141119T0000Z-141119T0900Z/
LOWER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANIAK...SLEETMUTE
422 AM AKST TUE NOV 18 2014

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
MIDNIGHT AKST TONIGHT FOR LOW LYING AREAS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A FREEZING
RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
MIDNIGHT AKST TONIGHT. 

* LOCATION...LOW LYING AND SHELTERED LOCATIONS...INCLUDING
  SLEETMUTE.

* ICE ACCUMULATION...AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH.

* TIMING...PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD NORTH INTO THE LOWER
  KUSKOKWIM VALLEY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. WITH TEMPERATURES
  EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW FREEZING THROUGHOUT THE DAY...FREEZING
  RAIN IS LIKELY. PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF LATE THIS
  EVENING...BRINING AN END TO THE FREEZING RAIN POTENTIAL.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DIFFICULT. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY 
  ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. 

&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this freezing rain advisory went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this freezing rain advisory went out at Nov 17, 4:33 PM AKST, 4 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 17, 4:33 PM AKST, 4 hours 20 minutes before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
433 PM AKST MON NOV 17 2014

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
ANOMALOUSLY STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING PERSISTS
FROM SOUTHEAST ALASKA NORTH AND WEST ALONG THE ALCAN BORDER
AREA...WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW (WITH ATTENDANT 971 MB SURFACE LOW
LOCATED 140 MILES SOUTH OF DUTCH HARBOR) PERSISTS ALONG AND NEAR
THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING
A PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN TO THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN SUSITNA
VALLEY IS MOVING NORTH INTO THE INTERIOR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. A
SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVES ARE SITUATED WELL SOUTH OF THE
GULF OF ALASKA IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC...MOVING NORTH AND WEST
TOWARD SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND THE BERING SEA AROUND THE UPPER LEVEL
LOW NEAR THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALEUTIANS.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE LOW SOUTH OF DUTCH
HARBOR MOVING NORTH AND WEST INTO THE SOUTHERN BERING THROUGH
TUESDAY...THEN DRIFTING NORTH THROUGH MID-WEEK WITH ITS
CIRCULATION BECOMING MORE BROAD AND DIFFUSE. THIS LOW WILL SERVE
AS AN ANCHOR LOW OF SORTS FOR A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE WITH
DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW WELL SOUTH OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
CURRENTLY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE THE NEXT MAJOR PLAYER FOR SOUTHERN
ALASKA TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY AS IT MOVES NORTH AND WEST ACROSS
KODIAK ISLAND TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS LOW WILL STRENGTHEN FROM
989 MB THIS EVENING TO 975 MB TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS IT MOVES
ACROSS KODIAK ISLAND AND SHELIKOF STRAIT BEFORE WEAKENING AS IT
MOVES INLAND. AS THE LOW MOVES THROUGH SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND
WEAKENS TOMORROW...STRONG RIDGING MOVING NORTH AND WEST ACROSS THE
GULF AND INLAND WILL PRODUCE RAPID PRESSURE RISES RESULTING IN
STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO COASTAL AREAS OF
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...AND FROM THERE THROUGH TERRAIN GAPS INTO
INLAND AREAS.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
PERSISTENT WARM AND MOIST SOUTHEAST FLOW REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS
THE REGION. THE FIRST WEAK DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA HAS
NOW PASSED INTO INTERIOR ALASKA. ASSOCIATED SHOWER ACTIVITY HAS
DISSIPATED...EVEN OVER THE SUSITNA VALLEY WHERE THE THREAT OF
FREEZING RAIN HAS NOW PASSED. THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE NOW
BECOMES THE NEXT LOW THAT IS ALREADY EVIDENT ON SATELLITE IMAGERY
OVER THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC MOVING QUICKLY TOWARD SOUTHERN ALASKA.

THIS NEXT LOW WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS IN A FEW KEY
WAYS...NAMELY THAT A DEEPER DEPTH OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL
EXPERIENCE SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN AN EVEN MORE
PRONOUNCED DOWNSLOPE SHADOW TOMORROW ACROSS UPPER COOK INLET
INCLUDING ANCHORAGE AND THE MATANUSKA VALLEY. OVER THE SUSITNA
VALLEY...THE ENVIRONMENT WILL LIKELY AGAIN BE CONDUCIVE FOR A
PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN TUESDAY MORNING...BUT SINCE THE MAJORITY
OF THE PRECIP SHOULD FALL WELL WEST OF THE PARKS HIGHWAY THE
IMPACTS SHOULD BE MINIMAL.

ADDITIONALLY...THE SURFACE LOW WILL BE STRENGTHENING AS IT
FOLLOWS A SIMILAR TRACK TOWARD KODIAK ISLAND. THIS WILL LEAD TO
STRONGER WINDS ACROSS THE AREA...AS WELL AS A STORM-FORCE BARRIER
JET ALONG THE EASTERN KENAI PENINSULA. AFTER THE FRONT PASSES
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...A MODERATELY STRONG AREA OF PRESSURE
RISES WILL QUICKLY MOVE IN FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA...WHICH SHOULD
ABRUPTLY SWITCH WINDS IN ANCHORAGE AND THE MATANUSKA VALLEY TO
SOUTHEASTERLY WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY RISING TO NEAR 40
OVERNIGHT.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
GUSTY WINDS AND WIDESPREAD RAIN WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD ACROSS THE
REGION TONIGHT...AS THE WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRENGTHENING
LOW SOUTH OF DUTCH HARBOR TRACKS INTO THE SOUTHWEST MAINLAND
THROUGH MID WEEK. LOCALLY STRONG GUSTS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE
BRISTOL BAY ZONE AS THE FRONT TRACKS INLAND THIS EVENING INTO
TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE POSSIBILITY STILL EXISTS FOR SOME ISOLATED
POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN TO POP UP ACROSS THE LOWER KUSKOKWIM
VALLEY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW MORNING. WARMER AIR
ALOFT WILL KEEP RAIN AS THE DOMINANT PRECIPITATION TYPE...WHICH
CAN FALL OVER AREAS WITH BELOW FREEZING GROUND TEMPERATURES.
COLDER AIR ALOFT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT...BRINGING
BACK A CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS BY MID WEEK.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
A LARGE GALE FORCE LOW WILL MOVE INTO THE BERING SEA
TODAY...KEEPING RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS OVER THE REGION THROUGH MID
WEEK. STRONG EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE
EASTERN ALEUTIANS AND PRIBILOF ISLANDS THIS EVENING BEFORE
DIMINISHING TOMORROW MORNING. GUSTY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS AND
SHOWERY CONDITIONS ON THE BACK END OF THIS SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO
PICK UP OVER THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS TONIGHT...AND SPREAD WESTWARD
THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON...AS THE LOW GRADUALLY WEAKENS AND
DRIFTS NORTHWESTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL BERING.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (DAYS 3 THROUGH 7)...
THE MAIN FEATURE AFFECTING THE PATTERN LATER THIS WEEK INTO THE
BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK WILL BE A NORTH PACIFIC SHORTWAVE THAT
RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES AS IT ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE LONGWAVE TROUGH
OVER THE BERING SEA AND TRACKS TOWARD THE ALASKA PENINSULA LATE
THURSDAY. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY RESULT IN AN EASTWARD SHIFT OF THE
TROUGH AXIS AS THE SHORTWAVE EVOLVES INTO A CLOSED LOW IN THE
VICINITY OF THE AKPEN AND BRISTOL BAY AND BECOMES THE DOMINANT
FEATURE WITHIN THE BROADER BERING TROUGH BY THIS WEEKEND. THIS
WILL CAUSE THE THE PERSISTENT BLOCKING RIDGE OVER WESTERN CANADA
TO BE DISPLACED TO THE EAST...USHERING IN ANOTHER PERIOD OF
UNSETTLED WEATHER ALONG THE GULF COAST AS VARIOUS DISTURBANCES
ROTATE NORTHWARD THROUGH THE GULF. MEANWHILE...THE BERING WILL
REMAIN IN A MORE SHOWERY REGIME BENEATH THE UPPER TROUGH WITH THE
MOST ACTIVE WEATHER CENTERED OVER THE EASTERN BERING AS A DEEP
SURFACE LOW MOVES TOWARDS THE AKPEN LATE THIS WEEK ACCOMPANIED BY
WIDESPREAD RAIN AND GALE FORCE WINDS.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...STORM WARNING 120 131.
GALE WARNING 119 125 130 132 136 137 138 139 155 165 170 172 174
176 177 178 179 180 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...CC
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...AD
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...TP
LONG TERM...CB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 17, 2:53 PM AKST, 6 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
253 PM AKST MON NOV 17 2014

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

0600 AM     FREEZING RAIN    6 NW BENTALIT           61.62N 150.75W
11/17/2014  U0.00 INCH                          AK   PUBLIC

            6AM TO 12PM, FREEZING RAIN FALLING. FILM OF ICE
            ACCUMULATION ON ALL SURFACES.

0600 AM     FREEZING RAIN    21 ESE PUNTILLA         61.96N 152.18W
11/17/2014  U0.00 INCH                          AK   PUBLIC

            FREEZING RAIN WITH THIN FILM OF ICE ACCUMULATION ON ALL
            SURFACES.

&&

RSD
Local storm report, Nov 17, 4:09 PM AKST, 4 hours 44 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
409 PM AKST MON NOV 17 2014

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

0420 AM     FREEZING RAIN    7 S TALKEETNA           62.23N 150.08W
11/17/2014  U0.00 INCH                          AK   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            TALKEETNA SPUR ROAD FROM PARKS HIGHWAY TO MILEPOST 14.
            ICE GLAZE ON PAVEMENTS.

0922 AM     FREEZING RAIN    4 NNW WILLOW            61.80N 150.10W
11/17/2014  U0.00 INCH                          AK   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            PARKS HIGHWAY FROM MILEPOST 52 TO TALKEETNA SPUR ROAD.
            ICE GLAZE, ICY PATCHES, WET AND ICY ROADS.

&&

RSD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 17, 3:31 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC3 days
Nov 17, 3:31 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFC24 hr
Nov 17, 3:34 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC50 hr
Nov 17, 3:34 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC83 min
Nov 17, 4:57 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC10 hr
Nov 18, 3:06 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC37 hr
Nov 18, 3:11 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Nov 18, 3:28 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Nov 18, 3:28 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC24 hr
Nov 18, 3:28 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Nov 18, 4:22 AM AKSTFreezing Rain AdvisoryAFC20 hr

Nearby

Freezing Rain Advisories in Alaska, 2014Every freezing rain advisory in 2014

Sources

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