Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2017

Gale Warning 408, NWS Anchorage, AK

September 16, 2017

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this gale warning at Sep 16, 2017, 3:31 PM 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 16, 2017, 3:31 PM AKDT (23:31 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2017, 3:49 AM AKDT
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

As transmitted.

819 
FZAK62 PAFC 162331
OFFALU

Offshore Waters Forecast
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
331 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017

Offshore Waters Forecast for the Bering Sea

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.

PKZ499-171400-
331 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A 987 mb low near 58N 159W moves into the Gulf this evening. A 
North Pacific front approaches the western and central Aleutians 
this evening through Sun afternoon.

$$

PKZ411-171400-
Bering Sea Offshore West of 180 and East of the International
Dateline-
331 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017

.TONIGHT...NW wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft.
.SUN...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.SUN NIGHT...NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...SW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 9 ft.
.MON NIGHT...SW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 9 ft.
.TUE...W wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 9 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...SE wind up to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 6 ft.

$$

PKZ412-171400-
Bering Sea Offshore 171W to 180 and North of 56N-
331 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017

.TONIGHT...NW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 9 to 14 ft.
.SUN...NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 6 to 9 ft.
.SUN NIGHT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...W wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 9 ft.
.MON NIGHT...SW wind 20 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.
.TUE...W wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.
.WED...N wind 10 kt. Seas 3 to 6 ft.
.THU...E wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft.

$$

PKZ413-171400-
Bering Sea Offshore 171W to 180 and South of 56N-
331 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017

.TONIGHT...NW wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.
.SUN...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 6 to 9 ft.
.SUN NIGHT...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...NW wind up to 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON NIGHT...SW wind up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 6 ft.
.TUE...W wind up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 8 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...E wind up to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 7 ft.

$$

PKZ414-171400-
Bering Sea Offshore East of 171W-
331 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW wind 20 to 35 kt. Seas 12 to 20 ft.
.SUN...NW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.
.SUN NIGHT...NW wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 5 to 9 ft.
.MON...NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft.
.MON NIGHT...W wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft.
.TUE...SW wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 5 to 10 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...NE wind up to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 6 ft.

$$
1 follow-up statement
442 
FZAK62 PAFC 171149
OFFALU

Offshore Waters Forecast
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
349 AM AKDT Sun Sep 17 2017

Offshore Waters Forecast for the Bering Sea

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.

PKZ499-180100-
349 AM AKDT Sun Sep 17 2017
.SYNOPSIS FOR CENTRAL BERING SEA...

A North Pacific front will move eastward along the western and
central Aleutians this afternoon and start to dissipate by 
Mon...then a front moves from the north into the northern Bering 
Sea through Tue.

$$

PKZ411-180100-
Bering Sea Offshore West of 180 and East of the International
Dateline-
349 AM AKDT Sun Sep 17 2017

.TODAY...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.TONIGHT...NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON...SW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 3 to 8 ft.
.MON NIGHT...SW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 9 ft.
.TUE...W wind up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 8 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...E wind up to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 8 ft.

$$

PKZ412-180100-
Bering Sea Offshore 171W to 180 and North of 56N-
349 AM AKDT Sun Sep 17 2017

.TODAY...NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 5 to 9 ft.
.TONIGHT...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft.
.MON...W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW 15 to 30 kt in the
afternoon. Seas 4 to 9 ft.
.MON NIGHT...SW wind 20 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.
.TUE...NW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 12 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...NE wind up to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft.

$$

PKZ413-180100-
Bering Sea Offshore 171W to 180 and South of 56N-
349 AM AKDT Sun Sep 17 2017

.TODAY...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 6 to 9 ft.
.TONIGHT...N wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 5 ft.
.MON...W wind up to 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.
.MON NIGHT...SW wind up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 6 ft.
.TUE...NW wind up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 7 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...NE wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 9 ft.

$$

PKZ414-180100-
Bering Sea Offshore East of 171W-
349 AM AKDT Sun Sep 17 2017

.TODAY...NW wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 13 ft.
.TONIGHT...NW wind 10 to 25 kt becoming 20 kt after midnight. 
Seas 5 to 10 ft.
.MON...NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 8 ft.
.MON NIGHT...W wind 10 to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 7 ft.
.TUE...W wind 15 to 30 kt. Seas 5 to 10 ft.
.WED THROUGH THU...NE wind up to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 7 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 Sep 16, 3:12 PM AKDT, 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 3:12 PM AKDT, 19 minutes before
Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
312 PM AKDT Sat Sep 16 2017

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
A deep vertically stacked low is weakening as it tracks eastward
across Bristol Bay and the Alaska Peninsula. A strong low level
jet persists on the back side of the storm from the eastern Bering
Sea southward across the eastern Aleutians and southern Alaska
Peninsula. Winds have peaked across this region and are steadily
diminishing. As flow shifts from west to west-northwest this
afternoon there may be a bit of an uptick in winds through north-
south oriented bays and passes along the Alaska Peninsula.

Out ahead of the low an elongated occluded front has dissipated
over Southwest Alaska, with just some patchy light rain remaining.
A triple point low has formed over the northwestern Gulf with a
robust occluded front tracking northward across the Gulf. This is
leading to strengthening winds along the north Gulf coast, Prince
William Sound and Cook Inlet. Rain has overspread Prince William
Sound and much of the Kenai Peninsula, with just some spotty light
rain as you head north across the remainder of Southcentral.

Meanwhile, a moderate strength low over the northwest Pacific is
passing south of the Aleutian Chain. At this point, it is too far
south to produce any impacts, so conditions are very quiet along
the central and western Aleutians.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
Model guidance is in excellent agreement over the next couple days
and forecast confidence is generally high.

&&

.AVIATION...
PANC...VFR conditions and light winds will persist.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 and 2)...
The triple point low has moved just off the Eastern Kenai
Peninsula with the associated weather front positioned over the
northern Gulf accompanied by a barrier jet over the aforementioned
location this evening. This is bringing widespread rain with
gusty southeasterly to easterly winds to the northern coastal
communities. While the Anchorage Bowl remains under the influence
of somewhat drier conditions due to the cross-barrier flow.
Meanwhile, the frontal boundary will weaken before dissipating by
late evening tonight. By Sunday the triple point low will have
phased in with the main low pressure system that tracks over
Kodiak Island. This system continues to track southward before
exiting into the North Pacific Ocean by Sunday afternoon.
Therefore, Sunday is shaping up for drier conditions with a
weaker gradient resulting in weak winds throughout the
Southcentral Alaska region.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (Days 1 and 2)...
The low near Bristol Bay will continue to track east towards the
Gulf as it weakens. This will diminish showers in the area
slightly until a trough swings through from the northwest Sunday
afternoon brining more rain to the area that will last into
Monday, moving further inland over time. Overnight tonight, light
onshore flow and moist conditions near the surface will allow for
fog formation for locations near the coast.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 and 2)...
As the low near Bristol Bay pushes off to the east, the gradient
over the eastern Bering and Alaska Peninsula will weaken causing
the winds over the area to diminish as well. Even though the winds
are on the downward track, gale force winds are expected for the
marine zones south of the Alaska Peninsula into Sunday with higher
gusts out of bays and passes. Out west, high pressure is building
in over the western Bering while a new system is approaching the
Western and Central Aleutians from the south. The ridging will
stall the approaching system before making it to the islands with
only a small increase in winds expected.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 3 through 7)...
Beginning the extended period forecast Monday night, there will
be two mobile shortwave troughs moving in northwest flow, one
diving into the Gulf of Alaska and another moving off Eastern
Siberia. There will be a cutoff low in the North Pacific south of
the Western Aleutians with weak high pressure over the southern
Bering Sea. The low moving into the Gulf of Alaska will have
enough moisture and difluent upper level flow for areas of light
rain and showers over most of Southcentral and the Alaska Range.
Eventually, the Gulf low will quickly move southeast Tuesday, with
offshore flow drying out most of Southern Alaska.

By Wednesday, the aforementioned mobile shortwave moving east from
Eastern Siberia will begin moving onshore along the western Alaska
coast. Much uncertainty develops by this point, but it seems the
brief quiet weather pattern will briefly shift back to wetter and
more active as a North Pacific front moves north and merges with
the northern stream low. This should bring in a more southwest
flow regime late Wednesday night into Thursday with increasing
chances of rain as the trough digs and strengthens over Southern
Alaska. Eventually this progressive flow pattern is expected to
amplify by the end of the week as a ridge builds over the Western
Bering Sea. This will keep cooler temperatures and light shower
threats across Southern Alaska.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...Gale Warning 119 132 150 155 165 170 171 172 179.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...SB
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...PD
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...DK
LONG TERM...JA

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 16, 1:40 PM AKDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
140 PM AKDT SAT SEP 16 2017

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

1201 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST FALSE PASS              54.84N 163.44W
09/16/2017  M79 MPH                             AK   ASOS

&&

AHILL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 3:59 AM AKDTGale WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 16, 3:59 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC3 days
Sep 16, 3:59 AM AKDTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 16, 3:59 AM AKDTStorm WarningAFC12 hr
Sep 16, 4:07 AM AKDTGale WarningAFC35 hr
Sep 16, 4:07 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC72 hr
Sep 16, 8:04 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC7 hr
Sep 16, 3:31 PM AKDTGale WarningAFC23 hr
Sep 16, 3:31 PM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC48 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2017Every gale warning in 2017

Sources

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