Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2015

Gale Warning 73, NWS Fairbanks, AK

September 29, 2015

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Sep 29, 2015, 3:16 AM AKDT. It was in force for 12 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
Sep 29, 2015, 3:16 AM AKDT (11:16 UTC)
Expired
Sep 29, 2015, 3:10 PM AKDT
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

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

058 
FZAK69 PAFG 291116
OFFAFG

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
316 AM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-300230-
316 AM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
A 980 MB LOW 330 NM NORTHWEST OF BARROW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO
470 NM N OF BARROW BY WEDNESDAY MORNING...THEN TO 700 NM NORTHEAST
OF BARROW BY THURSDAY MORNING. A WEATHER FRONT WILL APPROACH THE
AREA FROM THE WEST WEDNESDAY AND MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA BY
THURSDAY MORNING.

$$

PKZ500-300230-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
316 AM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...W WINDS 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 45 KT. SEAS 12 FT.
FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.WED...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.FRI...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-300230-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
316 AM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.TODAY...SW WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 10 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.WED...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...W WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SAT...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-300230-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
316 AM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.TODAY...SW WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 8 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...W WINDS 40 KT. SEAS 11 FT. 
.FRI...SW WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.SAT...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT.  

$$

CCC/DA SEP 15
1 follow-up statement
802 
FZAK69 PAFG 292310
OFFAFG

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
310 PM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE US ARCTIC WATERS

SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST ONE-THIRD OF
THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE
TWICE AS HIGH.

PKZ599-301400-
310 PM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC WATERS...
A BROAD 980 MB LOW IS 300 NM N OF BARROW WHILE A 972 MB LOW IS
CURRENTLY OVER THE SEWARD PENINSULA. A STRONG HIGH EXTENDS INTO
THE SOUTH CENTRAL BERING FROM THE NORTH PACIFIC. THE ARCTIC LOW
WILL MOVE TO 500 NM NW OF BARROW BY WED AFTERNOON AS THE LATTER
LOW MOVES TO THE CANADIAN ARCHIPELAGO. HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL
OVER THE NORTHEAST BERING WED.

$$

PKZ500-301400-
WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
310 PM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.TONIGHT...NW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.WED...NW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. 
.FRI...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.SAT...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SUN...NE WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT.  

$$

PKZ505-301400-
CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
310 PM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 30 KT BECOMING W 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS
11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...NW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 7 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...W WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 15 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 14 FT. 
.SAT...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

PKZ510-301400-
EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
310 PM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.TONIGHT...SW WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 9 FT. FREEZING SPRAY.
.WED...W WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.WED NIGHT...W WINDS 25 KT. SEAS 6 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU...W WINDS 30 KT. SEAS 11 FT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. 
.THU NIGHT...W WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 17 FT. FREEZING SPRAY. 
.FRI...W WINDS 35 KT. SEAS 16 FT. 
.SAT...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SUN...N WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

ET/SDB SEP 15

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 Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Sep 29, 2:54 AM AKDT, 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 29, 2:54 AM AKDT, 22 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
254 AM AKDT TUE SEP 29 2015

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH PROGRESSIVE PATTERN WITH BOTH THE NAM
AND GFS ABOUT 2MB TOO DEEP ON LOW OVER PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND
ALL MODELS FAILING TO DROP SNOW LEVELS QUICK ENOUGH OVER THE
INTERIOR. RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY REMAINS POOR WITH FAIR TO GOOD
CONTINUITY BETWEEN MODEL FAMILIES.

MODELS FAILED TO LOWER SNOW LEVELS QUICK ENOUGH OVER THE CENTRAL
INTERIOR SO WINTER STORM WARNING PUSHED AHEAD BY ABOUT 6 HOURS
THIS EVENING AS RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW AROUND FAIRBANKS AROUND 6Z VS
12Z. NEARLY AN INCH NOTED IN TOWN ALREADY AND HAVE RECEIVED
REPORTS OF NEARLY 2 INCHES ALREADY IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS. HAVE
BUMPED UP STORM TOTALS BY A COUPLE INCHES WITH EARLIER START TIME
IN MIND. FAIRBANKS ON TRACK TO RECEIVE 7 TO 14 INCHES OF SNOW.
DECREASING TREND NOTED ON RADAR EAST AND SOUTH OF FAIRBANKS WITH
BRIEF LULL IN THE ACTION BUT EXPECT SNOWFALL RATES TO PICK UP
AGAIN AFTER SUNRISE.

VERY FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL ENVIRONMENT WITH COLD UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH AXIS ALONG A PABR TO PAMC LINE. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER
BRISTOL BAY CONTINUES TO DIG SOUTH EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL
COMBINED WITH A LEFT FRONT EXIT REGION OF THE JET AND WIDESPREAD
AND STRONG VERTICAL VELOCITIES OVER A BROAD AREA STRETCHING FROM
JUST EAST OF MCGRATH NORTHEAST TO FAIRBANKS AND FORT YUKON AND
INTO THE EASTERN BROOKS RANGE. IDEAL LIFT IN FAVORABLE DENDRITIC
GROWTH ZONE AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE FLOW WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD
HEAVY SNOW ALONG ABOVE MENTIONED CORRIDOR.

MODELS CONTINUE TO DISPLAY LIMITED SPREAD ON POSITION OF HEAVY
SNOW BAND BUT DO DIFFER ON TIMING OF HEAVIEST SNOW AS FAVORABLE
UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT MOVES OVER THE AREA.

NORTH SLOPE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS IN
ALL BUT THE EASTERNMOST ZONE. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS GENERALLY
AROUND THE 15 TO 25 MPH RANGE CONTINUE OVER THE WESTERN NORTH
SLOPE WITH MINOR RISES NOTED ON BARROW GAUGE.

WEST COAST AND WESTERN INTERIOR...WEAK RIDGING WILL CONTINUE TO
BUILD INTO THE AREA WITH SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS TODAY AND
MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WEDNESDAY.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...
MONITOR WESTERN NORTH SLOPE AND KOTZEBUE FOR MINOR WATER RISES AND
ONSHORE WINDS...MODERATE SURF POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ206-AKZ218-AKZ220-AKZ221-AKZ222-
AKZ223-AKZ224-AKZ225-AKZ226.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ227.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230-
PKZ235-PKZ240.
&&

CCC SEP 15

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 28, 11:43 PM AKDT, 3 hours 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1143 PM AKDT MON SEP 28 2015

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

1121 PM     HEAVY SNOW       2 NNW FAIRBANKS         64.86N 147.68W
09/28/2015  M1.0 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            COLLEGE HILLS RPTD 1 INCH NEW SNOW AT 11PM.

&&

HLIND
Local storm report, Sep 28, 11:46 PM AKDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1146 PM AKDT MON SEP 28 2015

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

1121 PM     HEAVY SNOW       8 NE FAIRBANKS          64.92N 147.46W
09/28/2015  M1.5 INCH                           AK   NWS EMPLOYEE

            2 MILE CHENA HOT SPRINGS RD MEASURED 1.5 INCHES JUST
            BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

&&

HLIND

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 29, 3:13 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG36 hr
Sep 29, 3:15 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG12 hr
Sep 29, 3:12 PM AKDTGale WarningAFG12 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.