Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2015

Gale Warning 125, NWS Anchorage, AK

February 19, 2015

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Feb 19, 2015, 3:25 AM AKST. It was in force for 48 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
Feb 19, 2015, 3:25 AM AKST (12:25 UTC)
Expired
Feb 21, 2015, 3:06 AM AKST
In force
48 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

684 
FZAK61 PAFC 191225
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
325 AM AKST THU FEB 19 2015

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.

PKZ399-200200-
325 AM AKST THU FEB 19 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A 1010 MB LOW NEAR 59N 142W WILL MOVE INLAND AND DISSIPATE BY THU
EVENING. A STRENGTHENING FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN
GULF FRI MORNING BEFORE MOVING TO THE NORTHERN GULF BY LATE FRI
EVENING. BY SATURDAY THE WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE INLAND AND
DISSIPATE.

$$

PKZ351-200200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
325 AM AKST THU FEB 19 2015

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.FRI...E WIND 20 TO 35 KT INCREASING TO 30 TO 45 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT BUILDING TO 9 TO 17 FT IN THE
AFTERNOON. RAIN.
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 13 TO 18 FT.
.SAT...S WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 TO 15 FT.
.SUN THROUGH MON...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT.

$$

PKZ352-200200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
325 AM AKST THU FEB 19 2015

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

.TODAY...SE WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 15 TO 30 KT BECOMING E 25 TO 35 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.FRI...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 10 TO 18 FT. RAIN.
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 11 TO 17 FT.
.SAT THROUGH MON...S WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.

$$
4 follow-up statements
400 
FZAK61 PAFC 200007
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
307 PM AKST THU FEB 19 2015

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.

PKZ399-201415-
307 PM AKST THU FEB 19 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A STRENGTHENING FRONT IN THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF WILL MOVE INTO THE
NORTHERN GULF BY FRI EVENING....THEN REMAIN ALONG THE NORTHERN
GULF COAST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-201415-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
307 PM AKST THU FEB 19 2015

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT.
.FRI...E WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT BUILDING TO 9 TO 17 FT
IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 35 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 13 TO 18 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...SE WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 16 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 TO 13 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...SE WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.

$$

PKZ352-201415-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
307 PM AKST THU FEB 19 2015

...GALE WARNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 15 TO 30 KT BECOMING E 25 TO 35 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.FRI...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 10 TO 18 FT. RAIN.
.FRI NIGHT...SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 12 TO 17 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...S WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 12 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...S WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.

$$
641 
FZAK61 PAFC 201210
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
310 AM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015

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.

PKZ399-210245-
310 AM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A FRONT IN THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF FRI MORNING WILL MOVE INTO THE
NORTHERN GULF BY FRI EVENING...THEN WILL REMAIN ALONG THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST THROUGH SAT AFTERNOON. THE GULF WILL REMAIN IN
SOUTHERLY FLOW THROUGH SUN AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-210245-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
310 AM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT BUILDING TO 10 TO 18
FT IN THE AFTERNOON.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 35 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 13 TO 19 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...SE WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 TO 13 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...SE WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 9 FT.

$$

PKZ352-210245-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
310 AM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 11 TO 18 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 11 TO 17 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...S WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 TO 13 FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...S WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.

$$
286 
FZAK61 PAFC 210000
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
300 PM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015

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.

PKZ399-211500-
300 PM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A FRONT OVER THE WESTERN GULF WILL MOVE TO THE NORTHERN GULF COAST THIS
EVENING. A RESIDUAL LOW PRESSURE TROUGH THEN REMAINS ALONG THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST THROUGH LATE SAT NIGHT BEFORE DISSIPATING.

$$

PKZ351-211500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
300 PM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 35 TO 45 KT BECOMING SE 25 TO 40 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 14 TO 20 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...SE WIND 10 TO 25 KT...STRONGEST E OF 146W. SEAS 10 TO 15
FT. RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT.
.SUN...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.SUN NIGHT THROUGH MON...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.TUE...SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 13 FT.
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.

$$

PKZ352-211500-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
300 PM AKST FRI FEB 20 2015

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 25 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 12 TO 18 FT. RAIN.
.SAT...SE WIND 10 TO 25 KT...STRONGEST E OF 146W. SEAS 12 FT.
RAIN.
.SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT.
.SUN...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT.
.MON...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT.
.TUE...SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 14 FT. 
.WED...VARIABLE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.

$$
542 
FZAK61 PAFC 211206
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
306 AM AKST SAT FEB 21 2015

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.

PKZ399-220245-
306 AM AKST SAT FEB 21 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A WEAK TROUGH REMAINS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST THROUGH LATE
SAT NIGHT BEFORE DISSIPATING. SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES IN THE
GULF THROUGH MON.

$$

PKZ351-220245-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
306 AM AKST SAT FEB 21 2015

.TODAY...S WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 11 FT.
.SUN...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...S WIND 15 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.MON...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.TUE THROUGH WED...NE WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.

$$

PKZ352-220245-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
306 AM AKST SAT FEB 21 2015

.TODAY...S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. RAIN.
.TONIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 11 FT.
.SUN...S WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.MON...SW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.TUE THROUGH WED...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 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 Feb 18, 4:14 PM AKST, 11 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 18, 4:14 PM AKST, 11 hours 11 minutes before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
414 PM AKST WED FEB 18 2015

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...

CONDITIONS THIS MORNING ACROSS MOST OF THE AOR ARE FAIRLY
TRANQUIL. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS A SWATH OF LOW CLOUDS
FROM THE EASTERN SUSITNA VALLEY SOUTH TO NEAR ANCHORAGE...WITH
A SECOND BATCH OF LOW CLOUDS OVER WESTERN COOK INLET AND THE
WESTERN SUSITNA VALLEY. LIGHT RAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED AT CORDOVA
AND THE VALDEZ AREA AND GLENNALLEN WILL LIKELY FALL ALONG THE
WESTERN EDGE OF THE SNOW FROM THIS SYSTEM TODAY.

THE WEATHER ROUNDUP ACROSS THE AOR THIS MORNING FEATURES THE
UPPER LEVEL LOW PULLING AWAY TOWARD NORTHWEST ALASKA AND A FAIRLY
WEAK SURFACE LOW MOVING ALMOST DUE NORTH OVER THE NORTHEASTERN
GULF. IN BETWEEN THESE TWO LOWS THE MAJORITY OF THE MAINLAND
REMAINS UNDER WEAK SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. UPPER LEVEL WINDS
ARE VERY LIGHT WITH THE ONLY SIGN OF JET ACTIVITY WELL TO OUR
SOUTH IN THE NORTH PACIFIC. THIS JET IS PROVIDING SOME SUPPORT TO
A BROAD LOW COMPLEX THAT WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE
CENTRAL ALEUTIANS LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY...AND THEN
MOVES INTO SOUTHWEST ALASKA AND KODIAK ISLAND LATE THURSDAY INTO
FRIDAY.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS ARE ALL IN RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT
THROUGH THE FIRST 48 HOURS (THU AFTERNOON) THEN CONTINUE TO
MAINTAIN THE SAME IDEA...EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE DETAILS DIFFER.
FORECASTS THIS EVENING TRENDED TOWARDS A GFS/EC BLEND IN THE
SHORTER TERM AND THEN TRANSITIONED TO AN EC APPROACH WITH THE
FRONT MOVING UP FROM THE SOUTH THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

IN THE EXTENDED TIME FRAME...THE BLOCKING HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER
THE PANHANDLE AND WESTERN CANADA WILL WEAKEN AND TRANSITION
RAPIDLY SOUTH AND EAST MONDAY...WITH ZONAL FLOW DEVELOPING ACROSS
THE REGION THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK BEFORE ANOTHER AMPLIFIED UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE BEGINS TO BUILD OVER THE STATE FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST
TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...

THE PRIMARY FOCUS IN THE FORECAST TONIGHT CONTINUES TO REVOLVE
AROUND THE WEAK LOW THAT IS SLOWLY DISSIPATING SOUTH OF CORDOVA.
THIS LOW WILL BRING SNOW FROM THOMPSON PASS INTO THE EASTERN
COPPER RIVER BASIN INTO TOMORROW MORNING...WHILE THE CORDOVA AREA
SHOULD STAY WARM ENOUGH TO STAY MOSTLY RAIN WITH SOME SNOW MIXED
IN OVERNIGHT. AN UPPER TROUGH PASSING OVER THE AREA TONIGHT WILL
CAUSE THIS LOW TO SHIFT TO THE EAST AND ALLOW FOR WEAK RIDGING TO
BRIEFLY MOVE INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL LEAD QUIET WEATHER FOR MUCH
OF THE AREA...WITH THE ONLY FORECAST CONCERN BEING THE CHANCE OF
FOG AND LOW STRATUS DEVELOPMENT ON THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY
MORNING. QUIET WEATHER WILL THEN CONTINUE FOR MOST OF THE DAY
FRIDAY IN MUCH OF SOUTHCENTRAL. KODIAK ISLAND ON THE OTHER HAND
WILL BEGIN TO BE IMPACTED WITH RAIN AND WIND FROM THE APPROACHING
NORTH PACIFIC FRONT STARTING LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...AND THEN SPREAD
INTO THE GULF COAST ON FRIDAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT AS FLOW SHIFTS FROM
SOUTHWEST TO MORE DUE SOUTH AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING FRONT. AS THE
FRONT MOVES IN OVER THE SOUTHWEST EARLY ON THURSDAY PRECIPITATION
WILL START OFF AS SNOW BUT TRANSITION OVER TO RAIN. TEMPERATURES
SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO RISE THURSDAY NIGHT KEEPING THINGS RAIN.
ADDITIONALLY...STRONG WINDS WILL MOVE THROUGH WITH THE INITIAL
PASSAGE OF THE FRONT. THESE WARM CONDITIONS WILL LAST INTO THE
WEEKEND.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
THE FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS AND ALASKA
PENINSULA TONIGHT BRINGING RAIN AND WINDS TO THE AREA. THE WARM
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND KEEPING THINGS
CLOUDY AND WET. OUT WEST WEAK NORTHERLY FLOW WILL KEEP COLDER AIR
OVER THE AREA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SNOW SHOWERS TO CONTINUE FOR
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...

THE INCURSION OF ANOMALOUSLY WARM TEMPERATURES TO ALASKA IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AS A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE
EXTENDING FROM THE EAST COAST OF RUSSIA TO THE NORTHEASTERN GULF
CONTINUES TO BRING A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS TOWARD ALASKA
FROM THE NORTH PACIFIC. THE FIRST OF THESE LOWS WILL PUSH INTO THE
BERING SEA ON SATURDAY AND BRING WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AND ISOLATED
POCKETS OF SNOW TO MUCH OF ALASKA. PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS SYSTEM WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF MY MONDAY AS IT PUSHES NORTH
INTO THE BERING SEA. A POTENT WARM FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE
SOUTHERN BERING SEA...BRINING ANOTHER PUSH OF WARM AIR TO THE
REGION. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A RIDGE OVER SOUTHEAST ALASKA
BREAKING DOWN ON MONDAY AS A POTENT SHORTWAVE CLASHES WITH THE
RIDGE. THIS WILL ALLOW A LOW OVER THE SIBERIAN COAST TO MOVE OVER
THE BERING SEA AND BRING SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES TO WESTERN
ALASKA.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GAES 132 150 155 165 172 175 176 177 180 352.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...CC
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...DEK
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...DK
LONG TERM...MC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 3:02 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC24 hr
Feb 18, 3:02 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC5 days
Feb 18, 3:49 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC59 hr
Feb 18, 3:49 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC12 hr
Feb 19, 3:38 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC72 hr
Feb 19, 3:38 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC59 hr
Feb 19, 3:38 AM AKSTStorm WarningAFC59 hr
Feb 19, 3:41 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC11 hr
Feb 19, 4:02 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC48 hr
Feb 19, 4:02 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC6 days

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2015Every gale warning in 2015

Sources

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