Gale Warning 482, NWS Juneau, AK

Issued

Dec 23, 2015, 4:00 AM AKST (13:00 UTC)

Expired

Dec 23, 2015, 4:00 PM AKST

In force

12 hr

Issued by

NWS Juneau, AK

357 
FZAK51 PAJK 231234
CWFAJK

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

SOUTHEAST ALASKA INSIDE WATERS FROM DIXON ENTRANCE TO SKAGWAY

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT THE AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WINDWAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ098-240100-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 
.SYNOPSIS FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA INNER CHANNELS COASTAL WATERS...
LOW PRESSURE POSITIONED ALONG THE COAST OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA
WILL SHIFT EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT
THROUGH THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE GULF.
MEANWHILE...ANOTHER AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL STRENGTHEN ACROSS
THE YUKON RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS
OVER THE NORTHERN INSIDE CHANNELS.  

$$

PKZ011-240100-
GLACIER BAY-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...SE WIND 10 KT BECOMING N IN THE MORNING...THEN
INCREASING TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 FT. RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS IN THE MORNING.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 20 KT INCREASING TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.
SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ012-240100-
NORTHERN LYNN CANAL-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TODAY...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING N 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
BUILDING TO 5 FT. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MORNING.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 40 KT. GUSTS TO 55 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 
.THU...N GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 50 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N GALE TO 35 KT. GUSTS TO 50 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ013-240100-
SOUTHERN LYNN CANAL-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT...

.TODAY...S WIND 20 KT BECOMING N IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 4 FT. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 25 KT. GUSTS TO 40 KT OUT OF INTERIOR
PASSES. SEAS 5 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ021-240100-
ICY STRAIT-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...E WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS. RAIN SHOWERS IN THE
MORNING.
.TONIGHT...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU...E WIND 15 KT BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 FT.
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.FRI...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

PKZ022-240100-
CROSS SOUND-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TODAY...

.TODAY...SW WIND 25 KT BECOMING E 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. 
SEAS 5 FT.
.TONIGHT...NE WIND INCREASING TO 15 KT LATE. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT. 

$$

PKZ031-240100-
STEPHENS PASSAGE-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...SE WIND 10 KT BECOMING NE 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. 
SEAS 3 FT.
.TONIGHT...N WIND INCREASING TO 20 KT LATE. OUT OF INTERIOR
PASSES...GUSTS TO 40 KT LATE. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 

$$

PKZ032-240100-
NORTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...SE WIND 10 KT BECOMING N IN THE MORNING. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.FRI...N WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 FT. 
.SAT...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...N WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

PKZ033-240100-
SOUTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...NE WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS...EXCEPT 6 FT NEAR
OCEAN ENTRANCE.
.TONIGHT...LIGHT WINDS BECOMING N 10 KT LATE. SEAS 2 FT OR
LESS...EXCEPT 5 FT NEAR OCEAN ENTRANCE.
.THU...LIGHT WINDS BECOMING N 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 FT OR
LESS. NEAR OCEAN ENTRANCES...SEAS 6 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS...EXCEPT 5 FT
NEAR OCEAN ENTRANCES. 
.FRI...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

PKZ034-240100-
FREDERICK SOUND-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.TONIGHT...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU...NE WIND 15 KT BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.FRI...NE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...NE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

PKZ035-240100-
SUMNER STRAIT-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...E WIND INCREASING TO 15 KT IN THE MORNING...THEN
BECOMING NE IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 FT. 
.TONIGHT...N WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.THU...N WIND 10 KT BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS. 
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS. 
.FRI...E WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SAT...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 
.SUN...E WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

PKZ036-240100-
CLARENCE STRAIT-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 23 2015 

.TODAY...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS.
.TONIGHT...N WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS. 
.THU...NW WIND 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT OR LESS. 
.THU NIGHT...NW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.FRI...SE GALE TO 35 KT. SEAS 7 FT. 
.SAT...SE WIND 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT. 
.SUN...SE WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 FT. 

$$

NWS Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at Dec 22, 7:55 PM AKST, 8 hours 5 minutes earlier.

SOUTHEAST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
755 PM AKST TUE DEC 22 2015

.SHORT TERM...A PAIR OF LOWS ARE LOCATED SOUTH OF THE PANHANDLE
AND WILL REMAIN TO THE SOUTH AS THEY TRACK SOUTHEAST TOWARDS
VANCOUVER ISLAND. SATELLITE IMAGERY IS INDICATING A CONVECTIVE
ENVIRONMENT CIRCULATING ABOUT THESE LOWS AND SCATTERED SHOWER
ACTIVITY HAS BEEN SEEN ON THE RADAR AND IN SURFACE OBSERVATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THOUGH MOST OF THE SHOWERS HAVE OCCURRED ALONG
THE OUTER COAST. AS THE LOWS DEPART THE AREA TO THE SOUTHEAST, AN
ELONGATED TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL EXTEND NORTHWEST ALONG THE
EXTREME EASTERN GULF AND OUTER PANHANDLE, SO SCATTERED SHOWER
ACTIVITY - MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF SNOW SHOWERS - WILL REMAIN IN THE
FORECAST THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER
THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN COAST MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE SOUTHERN
INNER CHANNELS. EASTERLY FLOW AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF
THE LOW TO THE SOUTH WILL ACT IN CONJUNCTION WITH HIGH PRESSURE
OVER BRITISH COLUMBIA TO PROMOTE A WEAK OFFSHORE COMPONENT TO THE
LOW LEVEL WINDS. WHILE ENOUGH TO DRY UP THE PRECIPITATION, DO NOT
THINK THE OFFSHORE FLOW WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH OR DRY ENOUGH TO
PROVIDE FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT CLEARING OF THE SKIES THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

WEAK LOW LEVEL COLD AIR ADVECTION FROM THE WEST IS EXPECTED TO
RESULT IN LITTLE TO NO DIURNAL TEMPERATURE VARIABILITY TONIGHT OR
TOMORROW. IN FACT, SOME NORTHERN LOCATIONS MAY ACTUALLY SEE TEMPS
CONTINUE TO SLOWLY FALL THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW. WITH
TEMPERATURES STARTING OUT IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S ON THE
INSIDE, THIS MEANS THAT WHAT SHOWER ACTIVITY THAT OCCURS DURING
THE NIGHT TONIGHT WILL MOST LIKELY BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW. ON THE
OUTER COAST, AFTERNOON TEMPS IN THE UPPER 30S SHOULD RESULT IN
RAIN SHOWERS...POSSIBLY CHANGING OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS LATE
TONIGHT. IN ANY EVENT, SNOW TOTALS FOR TONIGHT IN THE 1 TO 2
INCH RANGE  WITH UP TO ANOTHER 1 INCH FORECAST FOR THE NORTHERN
INNER CHANNELS FOR TOMORROW MORNING.

PARALLEL FLOW OVER LYNN CANAL, NORTHERN CHATHAM STRAIT, AND
STEPHENS PASSAGE IS CONFOUNDING THE WIND FORECAST FOR THOSE MARINE
ZONES FOR TONIGHT. OBSERVED GRADIENT SUGGESTS 10 KT OF WIND OR
LESS OUT OF THE NORTH, REALITY IS A SOUTHERLY WIND OF 20 KTS
PUSHING 25 KTS AS OF EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES
TO THE INNER CHANNEL MARINE FORECAST THIS EVENING. EVEN IN
SKAGWAY, WHERE THE OBSERVED GRADIENT IS CLEARLY NORTHERLY, WINDS
ARE LIGHT. ELSEWHERE OVER THE NORTHERN CHANNELS, PARALLEL FLOW UP
THE CHILKAT RIVER VALLEY IS RESULTING IN A NORTHWEST WIND OF 10 TO
15 MPH. ON THE OUTSIDE, LIGHT SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS OVER THE COASTAL
MARINE ZONES WILL SLOWLY GIVE WAY TO NORTHWESTERLIES BY TOMORROW
AFTERNOON. FARTHER OFFSHORE, NORTHWESTERLY SMALL CRAFT WINDS WILL
SPREAD EAST ACROSS OFFSHORE ZONE 310 FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SEAS OVER THE EASTERN GULF STARTING OUT IN
THE 5 TO 7 FOOT RANGE BUT ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE STEADILY
THROUGH THE NIGHT AND REMAIN ABOVE 8 FT THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW.

PREVIOUS FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK, SO ONLY CHANGES WERE SOME
MINOR TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENTS. OVERALL FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS
AVERAGE TRENDING ABOVE AVERAGE.

.LONG TERM...A BUILDING RIDGE OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BE
PUSHED EAST AHEAD OF THE NEXT BIG SURFACE LOW AND WEATHER FRONT
MOVING ACROSS THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIANS. THE RESIDUAL WEAK
TROUGH EXTENDING NORTH ALONG THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND
SOUTHEAST ALASKA WILL BE MOVED SOUTHEAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS
SURFACE RIDGE WILL DRY AND COOL THE PANHANDLE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT
TO FRIDAY AND ADD TO THE COOLER AIR IN PLACE.

WINDS SHOULD BE RATHER LIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT AS WELL WITH THE WEAK
PRESSURE GRADIENT IN PLACE. DEPENDING ON THE LOCAL TIDES PATCHY
FOG MAY BE AN ISSUE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

SNOW WILL START ACROSS THE NORTHEAST GULF COAST FRIDAY THEN MOVE
INTO THE PANHANDLE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE
EASTERN GULF. THIS STILL LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT
SNOWFALL FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL PANHANDLE. WE WILL BE WATCHING FOR
MOISTURE AMOUNTS AND THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST TO SEE HOW MUCH SNOW
COULD FALL. WILL MAINTAIN THE SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED BY
THE PREVIOUS SHIFT. FOR THE LATTER HALF OF FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY
WINDS COULD BE RATHER GUSTY ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST-WEST PASSAGES
DUE TO THE TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE PANHANDLE.

AFTER THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH SATURDAY THE REMNANTS OF THE FRONT
WRAPPED AROUND THE SURFACE LOW WILL IMPACT SOUTHEAST ALASKA SUNDAY
WITH A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC FOR TUESDAY. SO THE
REMAINDER OF THE YEAR LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE RATHER 'WET'.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS AVERAGE FOR THE MID AND LATER RANGE PERIOD.

&&

.AVIATION...PATCHY FOG POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MID MORNING
FOR KUPREANOF ISLAND, MITKOF ISLAND, AND SURROUNDING AREAS UNDER A
HIGH OVERCAST. ELSEWHERE, WINDS AND CIGS NOT EXPECTED TO CREATE
ANY SIGNIFICANT AVIATION IMPACTS. VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED IN
HEAVIER SNOW SHOWERS.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ012-041.
         SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY DUE TO SEAS FOR PKZ042-043-051-052.

&&

FRITSCH/BEZENEK

VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/JUNEAU

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2015Every gale warning in 2015

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