Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2014

Gale Warning 459, NWS Anchorage, AK

August 15, 2014

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Aug 15, 2014, 3:53 AM AKDT. It was in force for 35 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
Aug 15, 2014, 3:53 AM AKDT (11:53 UTC)
Expired
Aug 16, 2014, 2:56 PM AKDT
In force
35 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

542 
FZAK61 PAFC 151153
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
353 AM AKDT FRI AUG 15 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.

PKZ399-160115-
353 AM AKDT FRI AUG 15 2014
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE GULF THROUGH EARLY SAT
MORNING. A WEATHER FRONT ENTERS THE WESTERN GULF FRI NIGHT AND
REACHES THE GULF COAST SAT MORNING THROUGH SAT NIGHT. A 1001 MB
LOW FORMS SAT NIGHT NEAR 58N 145W.

$$

PKZ351-160115-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
353 AM AKDT FRI AUG 15 2014

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...S WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 13 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT.
.SUN THROUGH MON...SW WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT.
.TUE...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 5 FT.

$$

PKZ352-160115-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
353 AM AKDT FRI AUG 15 2014

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 8 TO 14 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...S WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 14 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 13 FT.
.SUN...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.MON THROUGH TUE...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT.

$$
3 follow-up statements
856 
FZAK61 PAFC 152257
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
257 PM AKDT FRI AUG 15 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.

PKZ399-161300-
257 PM AKDT FRI AUG 15 2014
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE GULF THROUGH EARLY SAT
MORNING. A WEATHER FRONT ENTERS THE WESTERN GULF FRI NIGHT AND
REACHES THE GULF COAST SAT MORNING THROUGH SAT NIGHT. A 1002 MB
LOW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO AROUND 57N 147W SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS
LOW WILL THEN MOVE ONSHORE NEAR 60N 144W SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-161300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
257 PM AKDT FRI AUG 15 2014

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 15 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 10 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...W WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 9 FT.

$$

PKZ352-161300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
257 PM AKDT FRI AUG 15 2014

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 TO 14 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 12 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...W WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 9 FT.

$$
349 
FZAK61 PAFC 161149
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
349 AM AKDT SAT AUG 16 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.

PKZ399-170130-
349 AM AKDT SAT AUG 16 2014
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A WEATHER FRONT OVER THE WESTERN GULF REACHES SOUTHEAST AK SUN
NIGHT. A 997 MB LOW FORMS EARLY SUN MORNING NEAR 57N 148W THEN 
WEAKENS TO 999 MB SUN AFTERNOON AS IT MOVES TO 60N 146W BEFORE
HEADING INLAND. HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE GULF 
SUN NIGHT.

$$

PKZ351-170130-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
349 AM AKDT SAT AUG 16 2014

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 16 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT. RAIN.
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.
.MON...W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT.
.TUE THROUGH WED...W WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 3 TO 6 FT.

$$

PKZ352-170130-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
349 AM AKDT SAT AUG 16 2014

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 12 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
SEAS 11 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT. RAIN.
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...W WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 9 FT.

$$
555 
FZAK61 PAFC 162256
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
256 PM AKDT SAT AUG 16 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.

PKZ399-171300-
256 PM AKDT SAT AUG 16 2014
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 1000 MB LOW DEVELOPS AND MOVES NORTHEAST TO ABOUT 57N 146W
SAT NIGHT THEN MOVES ONSHORE NEAR 60N 144W SUN AFTERNOON. HIGH
PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE GULF SUN NIGHT.

$$

PKZ351-171300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
256 PM AKDT SAT AUG 16 2014

.TONIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 11 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. RAIN.
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.
.MON...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.MON NIGHT...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.TUE THROUGH THU...S WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 6 FT.

$$

PKZ352-171300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
256 PM AKDT SAT AUG 16 2014

.TONIGHT...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 11 FT.
RAIN.
.SUN...SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 10 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 9 FT.
.MON AND MON NIGHT...W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 9 FT.
.TUE THROUGH THU...S WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Aug 14, 1:44 PM AKDT, 14 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 14, 1:44 PM AKDT, 14 hours 9 minutes before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
144 PM AKDT THU AUG 14 2014

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE ALASKA PENINSULA IS BRINGING
RAIN TO AREAS ALL OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF MAINLAND ALASKA DUE
TO THE SOUTHERLY FLOW OFF THE NORTH PACIFIC. FURTHER TO THE WEST
ANOTHER LOW IS MOVING EAST ACROSS THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS BRINGING
RAIN TO THOSE AREAS AS IT CONTINUES TO TRACK ALONG THE CHAIN.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
FOR THE MOST PART THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE SHORT
AND MID TERMS. THERE ARE SOME MINOR DISCREPANCIES WITH THE BROAD
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE ALASKA PENINSULA AND WITH A WAVE
MOVING NORTH THROUGH THE EASTERN GULF TONIGHT...BUT NOTHING
OVERLY INCONSISTENT. ALTHOUGH THE 00Z NAM WAS STRUGGLING TO TRACK THE
LOW ACROSS THE ALEUTIANS BUT THE 12Z NAM HAS MOVED IN LINE WITH
THE OTHER MODELS. THE 00Z NAM HAD KEPT THE LOW SOUTH OF THE ALASKA
PENINSULA SATURDAY WHILE THE OTHER MODELS PUSHED IT INTO BRISTOL
BAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...
MULTIPLE LOWS MOVING THROUGH THE BERING AND WESTERN PART OF THE
STATE WILL KEEP MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW OVER THE SOUTHCENTRAL THROUGH
THE WEEKEND. AS THE VARIOUS TROUGHS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA RAIN
WILL BE STRONGER BUT THERE WILL BE GAPS OF INTERMITTENT LIGHT
RAIN IN BETWEEN. THE BIGGEST UNCERTAINTY FOR THE SOUTHCENTRAL IS
WITH AN AREA OF DRIER AIR PUSHING IN BEHIND THE FRONT THAT IS
MOVING THROUGH THE AREA TODAY. IF THE DRIER AIR CAN MAKE IT
FURTHER INLAND TO AREAS AROUND THE TALKEETNA MOUNTAINS BEFORE
FILLING BACK IN...THEN THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE TALKEETNA MOUNTAINS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

ADDITIONALLY...THE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF RAIN SEEN OVER THE KENAI
PENINSULA OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAVE RISEN THE WATER
LEVELS OF THE KENAI AND KASILOF RIVERS. THIS HAS LED TO WATER
LEVELS AT PLACES ALONG THESE RIVERS TO BE NEAR FLOOD STAGE.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA...
THE SOUTHWEST WILL SEE WET CONDITIONS THROUGH THE WEEKEND DUE TO
THE MULTIPLE LOWS MOVING THROUGH THE BERING. IN THE MORNINGS THE
RAIN WILL BE LIGHTER AND MORE INTERMITTENT...HOWEVER WITH THE
UNSTABLE CONDITIONS AND HEATING IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY AND FRIDAY. THESE WILL BE MOST
LIKELY OVER INLAND LOCATIONS.

BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...
THE MAIN LOW OVER THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS IS BRINGING RAIN TO THE
AREA AND WILL BE OVER THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
FROM THERE IT WILL TRACK INTO BRISTOL BAY BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON
BRINGING RAIN TO THE AREAS AROUND IT AS IT PASSES. BEHIND THE LOW
MUCH OF THE RAIN WILL CLEAR UP BUT THERE WILL BE LINGERING
ISOLATED SHOWERS.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
A RAINY WEEKEND WILL GIVE WAY TO IMPROVING CONDITIONS BY EARLY NEXT
WEEK AS THE LAST IN A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS AFFECTING
MAINLAND ALASKA WEAKENS AND DEPARTS TO THE NORTHEAST. THIS WILL
BE REPLACED BY A RELATIVELY WEAK FLOW PATTERN ALOFT...WITH A
LONGWAVE TROUGH REMAINING OVER THE BERING AND AN UPPER RIDGE
BEGINNING TO BUILD OVER THE EASTERN GULF AND ALCAN BORDER REGION
BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THIS WILL YIELD GENERALLY PLEASANT
CONDITIONS CHARACTERIZED BY DIURNAL SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN MAINLAND...WITH SHOWERS ALSO POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE
BERING BENEATH THE UPPER TROUGH.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...FLOOD ADVISORY...121.
MARINE...GALE WARNING...119 130 131 175 176.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

AUG 14

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 15, 3:53 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC11 hr
Aug 15, 4:08 AM AKDTGale WarningAFC24 hr
Aug 15, 4:08 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC24 hr
Aug 15, 2:57 PM AKDTGale WarningAFC13 hr
Aug 15, 2:58 PM AKDTGale WarningAFC13 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2014Every gale warning 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.