Gale Warning 347, NWS Anchorage, AK

245 
FZAK61 PAFC 122345
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
345 PM AKDT SAT APR 12 2014

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

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.

PKZ399-131400-
345 PM AKDT SAT APR 12 2014
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A WEATHER FRONT OVER THE CENTRAL GULF WILL MOVE TO THE NORTHERN
GULF THROUGH SUN AFTERNOON. A 1001 MB LOW NEAR 55N 154W WILL
DISSIPATE AS IT TRACKS NORTH AND INLAND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. HIGH
PRESSURE WILL PERSIST OVER THE GULF THROUGH SUN EVENING. A FRONTAL
SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF EARLY MON MORNING.

$$

PKZ351-131400-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
345 PM AKDT SAT APR 12 2014

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...S WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 13 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 10 KT. SEAS 5 TO 9 FT.
.MON...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT.
.MON NIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 5 FT.
.TUE...E WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.WED THROUGH THU...NE WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.

$$

PKZ352-131400-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
345 PM AKDT SAT APR 12 2014

.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 14 FT.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 25 KT BECOMING 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
9 TO 13 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.MON...E WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.MON NIGHT...NE WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 9 FT.
.TUE THROUGH THU...N WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT.

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
131 PM AKDT FRI APR 11 2014

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IS OVER SOUTHERN ALASKA. AN UPPER LEVEL
LOW IS OVER THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS...WITH AN ASSOCIATED FRONT
WORKING ITS WAY ACROSS THE ALASKA PENINSULA.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
THE NUMERICAL MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT ON MOST OF THE
MAJOR FEATURES. THERE ARE ENOUGH DIFFERENCES IN TIMING/LOCATION OF
FRONTS/SURFACE LOWS TO RAISE THE UNCERTAINTY A BIT. THEREFORE THE
FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS NEAR NORMAL TODAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
A BIT OF A PATTERN CHANGE IS IN STORE FOR SOUTHERN ALASKA. THE
UPPER RIDGE THAT HAS BEEN OVER THE AREA THE LAST FEW DAYS WILL
SLIDE EASTWARD INTO CANADA THROUGH MONDAY. CYCLONIC FLOW OVER THE
BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS WILL EXPAND NORTHWARD AND EASTWARD SENDING A
SERIES OF FRONTS TOWARD SOUTHERN ALASKA. NONE OF THESE FRONTAL
SYSTEMS LOOKS PARTICULARLY STRONG...BUT A PATTERN CHANGE TO THAT OF
MORE CLOUDS AND CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION IS IN STORE.

FOR SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA...CLOUDS WILL INCREASE TONIGHT AS THE
FIRST FRONTAL SYSTEM WORKS ITS WAY ACROSS KODIAK ISLAND TOWARD THE
AREA. PRECIPITATION WILL MOVE INTO THE KENAI PENINSULA DURING THE
DAY SATURDAY...MAINLY ON THE EASTERN SIDE. TURNAGAIN WINDS WILL
INCREASE AS THE SURFACE GRADIENT STRENGTHENS. THE FRONT WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK ITS WAY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND FALL APART AS IT
MOVES ONSHORE LATE SUNDAY. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL
ALONG THE GULF COAST/PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AREAS. INLAND AREAS
WILL SEE GENERALLY ONLY CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION. A BRIEF BREAK IS
IN STORE ON MONDAY AS SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA WILL BE BETWEEN
SYSTEMS.

FOR SOUTHWEST ALASKA...WINDS AND PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE
TONIGHT AS A WEATHER FRONT WORKS ITS WAY ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE
SOUTH. THE FRONT WILL PUSH NORTH OF THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
ANOTHER FRONT WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST ALASKA ON SATURDAY NIGHT
INTO SUNDAY MORNING ALONG WITH AN UPPER TROUGH. A BRIEF BREAK IS
THEN IN STORE ON MONDAY BETWEEN WEATHER SYSTEMS.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE WARNING 130 131 138 160 165 180.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

LUDWIG APR 14