Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2015

Gale Warning 27, NWS Anchorage, AK

January 29, 2015

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Jan 29, 2015, 3:15 PM AKST. It was in force for 49 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
Jan 29, 2015, 3:15 PM AKST (00:15 UTC)
Expired
Jan 31, 2015, 4:15 PM AKST
In force
49 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

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

650 
FZAK61 PAFC 300015
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
315 PM AKST THU JAN 29 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.

PKZ399-301430-
315 PM AKST THU JAN 29 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 1014 MB LOW NEAR 59N 149W WILL DRIFT SOUTH AND DISSIPATE FRI
MORNING. A FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF FRI NIGHT AND
SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL GULF SAT AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-301430-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
315 PM AKST THU JAN 29 2015

.TONIGHT...S WIND 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.FRI...NE WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NE WIND UP TO 20 KT BECOMING E 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.
.SAT...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.

$$

PKZ352-301430-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
315 PM AKST THU JAN 29 2015

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.FRI...E WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...E WIND 15 TO 30 KT INCREASING TO 25 TO 40 KT 
AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.
.SAT...E WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 11 TO 19 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 13 TO 17 FT.
.SUN THROUGH MON...E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 17 FT.
.TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.

$$
4 follow-up statements
682 
FZAK61 PAFC 301214
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
314 AM AKST FRI JAN 30 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.

PKZ399-310245-
314 AM AKST FRI JAN 30 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A 1021 MB LOW NEAR 58N 148W WILL DRIFT EAST AND DISSIPATE THIS
AFTERNOON. A FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF SAT MORNING
AND SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL GULF SAT EVENING.

$$

PKZ351-310245-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
314 AM AKST FRI JAN 30 2015

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY...

.TODAY...NE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.TONIGHT...E WIND UP TO 20 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT.
.SAT...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.

$$

PKZ352-310245-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
314 AM AKST FRI JAN 30 2015

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...

.TODAY...E WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT.
.TONIGHT...E WIND 15 TO 30 KT INCREASING TO 30 TO 40 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.SAT...E WIND 30 TO 45 KT. SEAS 11 TO 19 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 13 TO 18 FT.
.SUN...E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 12 TO 18 FT.
.MON THROUGH TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.

$$
574 
FZAK61 PAFC 310007
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
307 PM AKST FRI JAN 30 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.

PKZ399-311415-
307 PM AKST FRI JAN 30 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF FRI NIGHT AND SPREAD
INTO THE CENTRAL GULF SAT. THIS FRONT WILL THEN REMAIN STATIONARY
AND SLOWLY WEAKEN THROUGH SUN.

$$

PKZ351-311415-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
307 PM AKST FRI JAN 30 2015

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...E WIND UP TO 20 KT INCREASING TO 15 TO 30 KT 
AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 6 FT.
.SAT...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SUN...NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 TO 14 FT.
.MON THROUGH TUE...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.WED...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT.

$$

PKZ352-311415-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
307 PM AKST FRI JAN 30 2015

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 15 TO 30 KT INCREASING TO 25 TO 40 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 7 FT BUILDING TO 8 TO 13 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.SAT...E WIND 30 TO 45 KT. SEAS 12 TO 20 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 13 TO 19 FT.
.SUN...E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 14 TO 18 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 TO 15 FT.
.MON THROUGH TUE...E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.WED...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT.

$$
737 
FZAK61 PAFC 311216
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
316 AM AKST SAT JAN 31 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.

PKZ399-010300-
316 AM AKST SAT JAN 31 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF FRI NIGHT AND SPREAD
INTO THE CENTRAL GULF SAT. THIS FRONT WILL THEN REMAIN STATIONARY
AND SLOWLY WEAKEN THROUGH SUN.

$$

PKZ351-010300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
316 AM AKST SAT JAN 31 2015

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SUN...NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 10 TO 15 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 11 TO 14 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT.

$$

PKZ352-010300-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
316 AM AKST SAT JAN 31 2015

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E WIND 30 TO 45 KT. SEAS 12 TO 20 FT.
.TONIGHT...E WIND 35 KT. SEAS 14 TO 19 FT.
.SUN...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 TO 18 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 12 TO 15 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.

$$
044 
FZAK61 PAFC 010013
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
313 PM AKST SAT JAN 31 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.

PKZ399-010115-
313 PM AKST SAT JAN 31 2015
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A WEATHER FRONT IN THE SOUTHERN GULF WILL REMAIN STATIONARY AND
SLOWLY WEAKEN THROUGH MON.

$$

PKZ351-010115-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
313 PM AKST SAT JAN 31 2015

.TONIGHT...NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 10 TO 15 FT.
.SUN...NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 12 TO 15 FT.
.MON...E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT.
.MON NIGHT...E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT.
.TUE THROUGH WED...N WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.THU...NE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 17 FT.

$$

PKZ352-010115-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
313 PM AKST SAT JAN 31 2015

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 14 TO 19 FT. RAIN.
.SUN...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 16 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 15 FT.
.MON...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 11 TO 14 FT.
.MON NIGHT...E WIND 25 KT. SEAS 10 FT.
.TUE THROUGH WED...NE WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT.
.THU...NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 13 TO 21 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 Jan 29, 4:31 AM AKST, 10 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 29, 4:31 AM AKST, 10 hours 44 minutes before
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
431 AM AKST THU JAN 29 2015

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE MOST OF THE SOUTHERN
MAINLAND...PRODUCING CLEAR SKIES AND COLD TEMPERATURES FOR MOST
INTERIOR LOCATIONS. A WEAK SURFACE LOW CAN ALSO BE SEEN MOVING
THROUGH THE NORTHWESTERN GULF ON RECENT ASCAT IMAGERY. THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THIS AND THE MAINLAND RIDGING IS KEEPING
GAP WINDS ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST THROUGH THE NIGHT SLIGHTLY
STRONGER THAN WHAT WAS INITIALLY FORECAST. THIS WEAK LOW IS
DRIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST AS IT WEAKENS...WHICH SHOULD HELP
DIMINISH THESE GAP WINDS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS MORNING. A SHARP
AND DRY SHORTWAVE IS PRESENT IN WATER VAPOR IMAGERY RIDING OVER
THE SURFACE RIDGING...AND STRETCHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST MAINLAND
INTO THE CENTRAL BERING. VERY DEEP AND DRY CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE SURFACE RIDGING IS PREVENTING THE INSTABILITY FROM THIS
FEATURE TO PRODUCE ANY PRECIPITATION. THE NORTH PACIFIC COMPLEX
LOW IS NOW MOVING WELL SOUTH OF THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS...HOWEVER A
TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THIS AND HIGH PRESSURE MOVING
THROUGH THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS CONTINUES TO BRING GALE FORCE WINDS
FROM THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS TO THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
AS HAS BEEN THE CASE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS...SYNOPTIC AGREEMENT
REMAINS VERY GOOD FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS OF THE FORECAST...BUT THE
DEVIL REMAINS IN THE DETAILS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF WHICH
INVOLVES THE TRACK AND INTENSITY OF A SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY ENTERING
THE SOUTHERN GULF AS IT MOVES OVER THE NORTH GULF COAST THIS
EVENING. THE NAM IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE WITH THIS FEATURE...AND
IS SLIGHTLY FURTHER WEST THAN THE GFS AND IN SOME RESPECTS THE EC.
AS A RESULT IT IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT OUTLIER IN BRINGING MUCH MORE
SNOW FROM THE ANCHORAGE BOWL TO THE MATANUSKA VALLEY THIS
EVENING THAT COULD CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. WHILE THIS IS A
POSSIBLE SCENARIO...THE GFS WAS THE PREFERRED TRACK FOR THIS
WAVE...AS IT WAS MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT FORECAST BY
BRINGING A BRIEF ROUND OF ACCUMULATING SNOW TO SOUTHCENTRAL THIS
EVENING. LATER ON IN THE FORECAST THERE IS SOME MINOR DISAGREEMENT
WITH BOTH THE TRACK OF A NORTH PACIFIC LOW APPROACHING THE GULF
AND ANOTHER WEAKER LOW THAT WILL CLIP THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS LATE
FRIDAY...BUT THESE ARE FAIRLY MINOR AND WILL HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON
FORECAST CONFIDENCE.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL SLIDE NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
ALASKA TODAY AND TONIGHT. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT VERY STRONG AND
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT. WITH WEAK
GRADIENTS AND WEAK MID/UPPER WINDS...THERE WILL NOT REALLY BE ANY
DOWN-SLOPE ISSUES AND SOME PRECIPITATION WILL MAKE IT TO MANY
INLAND AREAS. THE WESTWARD EXTENT OF PRECIPITATION WILL REACH
ABOUT TO TALKEETNA LATE TONIGHT...THEN BEGIN TO RETREAT EASTWARD.
THE SYSTEM WILL RAPIDLY DISSIPATE ON FRIDAY AS THE POSITIVELY
TILTED BERING RIDGE PUSHES INTO THE AREA FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE BERING SEA AND SOUTHWEST
MAINLAND...CLEAR AND COLD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END
OF THE WEEK. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE ALONG THE COAST
DURING THIS PERIOD.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (DAYS 1 AND 2)...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OVER THE BERING SEA THROUGH
FRIDAY...WHILE THE LOW SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIANS MOVES SOUTHWARD.
THIS WILL BRING MAINLY DRY AND SUNNY CONDITIONS TO THE ALEUTIANS
AND BERING SEA. ANOTHER LOW WILL MOVE NORTHWARD INTO THE WESTERN
BERING SEA ON FRIDAY...BRINGING SOME STRONGER WINDS TO THE WESTERN
ALEUTIANS.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (DAYS 3 THROUGH 7)...
FORECAST THINKING REMAINS LARGELY UNCHANGED FOR THIS WEEKEND INTO
THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A DRY OFFSHORE FLOW PATTERN DOMINATES
THE MAINLAND WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVERHEAD AND A BROAD NORTH PACIFIC
LOW WELL SOUTH OF THE ALASKA PENINSULA. THIS WILL KEEP ANY
PRECIPITATION LARGELY CONFINED TO THE SOUTHERN GULF AND KODIAK
ISLAND...WHILE A FAVORABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT AND VERY COLD AIR
DRAINING OUT OF THE COPPER RIVER BASIN WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE
STRONG GAP WINDS THROUGH FAVORED AREAS ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST
WELL INTO NEXT WEEK. MEANWHILE...TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO
GRADUALLY MODERATE TO NEAR NORMAL VALUES BY THE WEEKEND. MODELS
HAVE STARTED TO KEY IN ON AN ARCTIC TROUGH DIGGING THROUGH THE
SOUTHWEST MAINLAND BY MIDWEEK...BRINGING SOME COLDER TEMPERATURES
AND PRECIPITATION BACK TO THE SOUTHERN MAINLAND.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...WIND CHILL ADVISORY 131.
MARINE...GALE WARNING 127 155 165 170 172 173 174 175 176 179 180.
         HEAVY FRZ SPRAY 160 180.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...DEK
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...BL
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...MBS
LONG TERM...TP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 29, 3:00 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Jan 29, 3:00 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC6 days
Jan 29, 3:25 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC60 hr
Jan 29, 3:25 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC3 days
Jan 29, 3:25 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFC12 hr
Jan 30, 3:07 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC24 hr
Jan 30, 3:07 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC10 days
Jan 30, 3:13 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Jan 30, 3:14 AM AKSTGale WarningAFC36 hr
Jan 30, 2:58 PM AKSTGale WarningAFC12 hr

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.