Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2017
Gale Warning 169, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Dec 21, 2017, 3:24 PM AKST. It was in force for 61 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
- Dec 21, 2017, 3:24 PM AKST (00:24 UTC)
- Expired
- Dec 24, 2017, 4:19 AM AKST
- In force
- 61 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
The text
As transmitted.
055 FZAK52 PAFG 220024 CWFWCZ Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 324 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 Northwestern Alaska Coastal Waters out 100 NM Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction expected. Sea forecasts represent the average of the highest one- third of the combined wind-wave and swell height. PKZ299-221600- 324 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 .SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST... A 1006 mb low 150 nm north of Barrow will move to 300 nm north of Demarcation Point as a 1023 mb low by 3am Fri, then dissipate. A 992 mb low in the Gulf of Anadyr will move to near Wrangel Island as a 1003 mb low by 3am Fri, then continue northwest. A strong low in the southeast Bering Sea will move to the Gulf of Anadyr as a 973 mb low by 3pm Fri, and to just southwest of Wrangel Island as a 992 mb low by 3pm Sat. $$ PKZ200-221600- Norton Sound- 324 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 ...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT... ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM EARLY FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...SE winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .FRI...E winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .FRI NIGHT...SE winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 10 kt. .MON...SE winds 10 kt. .TUE...E winds 10 kt. $$ PKZ210-221600- Dall Point to Wales- 324 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING... .TONIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 17 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Freezing spray. VSBY 1 NM or less. .FRI...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 16 ft. Snow and freezing rain. Freezing spray. VSBY 1 NM or less. .FRI NIGHT...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 16 ft. Snow and freezing rain. Freezing spray. VSBY 1 NM or less. .SAT...S winds 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Seas 12 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 10 kt. Seas 8 ft. .MON...SE winds 10 kt. Seas 9 ft. .TUE...E winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. $$ PKZ215-221600- Kotzebue Sound- 324 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 ...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. .FRI...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .FRI NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 15 kt. .MON...SE winds 15 kt. .TUE...E winds 10 kt. $$ PKZ220-221600- Wales to Cape Thompson- 324 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING... .TONIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 8 ft. Blowing snow. Heavy freezing spray. .FRI...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 7 ft. Snow and blowing snow. Heavy freezing spray. .FRI NIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 8 ft. Blowing snow. Freezing spray. .SAT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 7 ft. Blowing snow. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Seas 7 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...E winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...SE winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray. .MON...SE winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. .TUE...E winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. $$ Dec 17
5 follow-up statements
393 FZAK52 PAFG 221235 CWFWCZ Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 335 AM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 Northwestern Alaska Coastal Waters out 100 NM Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction expected. Sea forecasts represent the average of the highest one- third of the combined wind-wave and swell height. PKZ299-230300- 335 AM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 .SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST... High pressure will persist over mainland Alaska with a 1044 mb high over the Yukon Territory. The pressure gradient will get pinched over the NE Bering Sea and Bering Strait today as a 976 mb low moves from Cold Bay to the Gulf of Anadyr this evening. A 987 mb low will move to Cold Bay late this evening, and move to St lawrence Island by Sun morning at 994 mb. $$ PKZ200-230300- Norton Sound- 335 AM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TODAY...E winds 45 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .TONIGHT...E winds 40 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .SAT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 35 kt. .SUN...E winds 30 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...SE winds 15 kt. .TUE...E winds 10 kt. $$ PKZ210-230300- Dall Point to Wales- 335 AM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TODAY...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 16 ft. Blowing snow. Snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 15 ft. Snow and freezing rain. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT...SE winds 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. Snow and freezing rain. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Seas 11 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...E winds 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .MON...S winds 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. .TUE...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. $$ PKZ215-230300- Kotzebue Sound- 335 AM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM EARLY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TODAY...E winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. .TONIGHT...SE winds 40 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...SE winds 20 kt. .TUE...E winds 10 kt. $$ PKZ220-230300- Wales to Cape Thompson- 335 AM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TODAY...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 10 ft. Freezing fog and blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 10 ft. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT...SE winds 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. Blowing snow. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...S winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. .TUE...S winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. $$ SDB Dec 17
802 FZAK52 PAFG 230035 CWFWCZ Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 335 PM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 Northwestern Alaska Coastal Waters out 100 NM Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction expected. Sea forecasts represent the average of the highest one- third of the combined wind-wave and swell height. PKZ299-231545- 335 PM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 .SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST... A 977 mb low in the central Bering Sea will move to 250 nm west of Gambell as a 986 mb low by 3am Sat, and to just south of Wrangel Island as a 993 mb low by 3pm Sat. A low in the Gulf of Alaska will move to Nunivak Island as a 990 mb low by 3pm Sat, to near Savoonga as a 1002 mb low by 3pm Sun, then dissipate. $$ PKZ200-231545- Norton Sound- 335 PM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...E winds 40 kt. Snow. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .SAT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .SUN...E winds 30 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...S winds 15 kt. .MON NIGHT...SE winds 15 kt. .TUE...E winds 10 kt. .WED...NE winds 20 kt. $$ PKZ210-231545- Dall Point to Wales- 335 PM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...SE winds 45 kt. Seas 15 ft. Blowing snow. Snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. Freezing spray. .SAT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 10 ft. Snow and freezing rain. Freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Seas 11 ft. Blowing snow. Freezing rain. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...E winds 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...S winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...SW winds 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .TUE...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .WED...NE winds 25 kt. Seas 13 ft. $$ PKZ215-231545- Kotzebue Sound- 335 PM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...SE winds 40 kt. Blowing snow. .SAT...E winds 35 kt. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...SE winds 20 kt. .MON NIGHT...SE winds 20 kt. .TUE...E winds 10 kt. .WED...NE winds 15 kt. $$ PKZ220-231545- Wales to Cape Thompson- 335 PM AKST Fri Dec 22 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 10 ft. Blowing snow. Freezing spray. .SAT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 9 ft. Blowing snow. Freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Blowing snow. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...S winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...S winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .WED...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. $$ Dec 17
601 FZAK52 PAFG 231301 CWFWCZ Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 401 AM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 Northwestern Alaska Coastal Waters out 100 NM Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction expected. Sea forecasts represent the average of the highest one- third of the combined wind-wave and swell height. PKZ299-240300- 401 AM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 .SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST... High pressure remains over mainland Alaska with a 1032 mb high over the Upper Yukon Flats. A 984 mb low in the Gulf of Anadyr will move NW. A 988 mb Low near Sand Point will move to Nunivak Island this afternoon, and to St Lawrence Island late this evening. This will pinch the gradient over the Eastern Bering Sea, Bering Strait and Norton Sound. Weak troughing will move over the area Sun night. $$ PKZ200-240300- Norton Sound- 401 AM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING... .TODAY...E winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .TONIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. .SUN...E winds 30 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...E winds 10 kt. .MON NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. .TUE...SW winds 10 kt. .WED...NE winds 15 kt. $$ PKZ210-240300- Dall Point to Wales- 401 AM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING... .TODAY...SE winds 40 kt. Seas 10 ft. Snow and freezing rain. Freezing spray. .TONIGHT...E winds 35 kt. Seas 11 ft. Blowing snow. Freezing rain. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...E winds 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...S winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...N winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...N winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...N winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .WED...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 13 ft. $$ PKZ215-240300- Kotzebue Sound- 401 AM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING... .TODAY...E winds 30 kt. .TONIGHT...E winds 30 kt. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...E winds 15 kt. .MON NIGHT...E winds 15 kt. .TUE...S winds 15 kt. .WED...N winds 10 kt. $$ PKZ220-240300- Wales to Cape Thompson- 401 AM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING... .TODAY...SE winds 35 kt diminishing to 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...N winds 25 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...W winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .WED...N winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. $$ SDB Dec 17
207 FZAK52 PAFG 240051 CWFWCZ Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 351 PM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 Northwestern Alaska Coastal Waters out 100 NM Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction expected. Sea forecasts represent the average of the highest one- third of the combined wind-wave and swell height. PKZ299-241530- 351 PM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 .SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST... A 992 mb low near Wrangel Island will move north tonight and Sun. A 990 mb low near Nunivak Island will move near Gambell as a 1002 mb low by 3pm Sun, to 200 nm west of Cape Lisburne as a 1017 mb low by 3pm Mon, and to 200 nm North of Cape Lisburne as a 1024 mb low by 3pm Tue. $$ PKZ200-241530- Norton Sound- 351 PM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING... .TONIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. .SUN...E winds 25 kt. .SUN NIGHT...SE winds 20 kt. .MON...S winds 10 kt. .MON NIGHT...S winds 10 kt. .TUE...SW winds 10 kt. .TUE NIGHT...E winds 10 kt. .WED...NE winds 15 kt. .THU...NE winds 20 kt. $$ PKZ210-241530- Dall Point to Wales- 351 PM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING... .TONIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. Seas 11 ft. Snow and rain. Freezing spray. .SUN...SE winds 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...SW winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...W winds 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. .TUE NIGHT...N winds 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. .WED...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 13 ft. .THU...NE winds 25 kt. Seas 12 ft. $$ PKZ215-241530- Kotzebue Sound- 351 PM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...E winds 30 kt. .SUN...E winds 20 kt. .SUN NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. .MON...SE winds 15 kt. .MON NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. .TUE...S winds 15 kt. .TUE NIGHT...S winds 10 kt. .WED...N winds 10 kt. .THU...NE winds 15 kt. $$ PKZ220-241530- Wales to Cape Thompson- 351 PM AKST Sat Dec 23 2017 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...SE winds 30 kt. Seas 7 ft. Blowing snow. Freezing spray. .SUN...SE winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...SE winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...S winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...W winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .WED...N winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. .THU...NE winds 25 kt. Seas 4 ft. $$ Dec 17
162 FZAK52 PAFG 241319 CWFWCZ Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 419 AM AKST Sun Dec 24 2017 Northwestern Alaska Coastal Waters out 100 NM Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction expected. Sea forecasts represent the average of the highest one- third of the combined wind-wave and swell height. PKZ299-250300- 419 AM AKST Sun Dec 24 2017 .SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST... A 1003 mb low over St Lawrence Island will move N to the Chukchi Sea by Mon morning, then into the Western Arctic. A 1001 mb low near Bristol Bay with move NE over King Salmon and dissipate. High pressure will develop over the Eastern Bering Sea and build north to the Bering Strait with a 1026 mb high over Nunivak Island by Mon Afternoon. The high will build to 1035 mb as it moves over the Seward Peninsula Tue. $$ PKZ200-250300- Norton Sound- 419 AM AKST Sun Dec 24 2017 ...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... .TODAY...E winds 25 kt. .TONIGHT...E winds 15 kt. .MON...SE winds 10 kt. .MON NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. .TUE...NE winds 10 kt. .TUE NIGHT...NE winds 5 kt. .WED...N winds 10 kt. .THU...NE winds 15 kt. $$ PKZ210-250300- Dall Point to Wales- 419 AM AKST Sun Dec 24 2017 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING... .TODAY...SE winds 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .TUE...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. .TUE NIGHT...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray. .WED...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. .THU...NE winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. $$ PKZ215-250300- Kotzebue Sound- 419 AM AKST Sun Dec 24 2017 .TODAY...E winds 20 kt. .TONIGHT...E winds 15 kt. .MON...E winds 10 kt. .MON NIGHT...E winds 15 kt. .TUE...W winds 15 kt. .TUE NIGHT...W winds 10 kt. .WED...N winds 15 kt. .THU...N winds 10 kt. $$ PKZ220-250300- Wales to Cape Thompson- 419 AM AKST Sun Dec 24 2017 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING... .TODAY...SE winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...SE winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...SE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...W winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .WED...N winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. .THU...NE winds 25 kt. Seas 7 ft. $$ SDB Dec 17
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 Dec 21, 3:15 PM AKST, 9 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 21, 3:15 PM AKST, 9 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 315 PM AKST Thu Dec 21 2017 .SYNOPSIS... Aloft...A strong long wave ridge extending from the Eastern Pacific into Eastern Alaska, and long wave trough over the NW Pacific and Bering Sea will persist through the weekend. The ridge will weaken slowly next week as the trough progresses slowly east. A series of strong short wave troughs will move from the Gulf of Alaska northwest over the Bering Sea through the weekend. Strong surface systems will accompany each short wave, and the weather with each will be mentioned in the surface section below. This pattern means that well above normal temperatures will persist through the weekend over Northern Alaska, then drop slowly next week but still remain above normal. It also means that the Interior will be generally dry through the weekend. Temperatures aloft will be above freezing over the Interior and North Slope through the weekend, causing very strong inversions. On the West Coast, temperatures will be above freezing closer to the surface making for a mix of precipitation through the weekend. Surface... A 1006 mb low 150 nm north of Barrow will move to 300 nm north of Demarcation Point as a 1023 mb low by 3am Fri, then dissipate. A cold front trailing from this low to Umiat will move north of the coast this evening. In the southeast quadrant of this low including the eastern North Slope, southwest winds gusting to 40 mph will decrease this evening as the low moves north of the coast. Blowing snow will decrease as well. A 992 mb low in the Gulf of Anadyr will move to near Wrangel Island as a 1003 mb low by 3am Fri, then continue northwest. Gale force SE winds and mixed rain and snow area occuring along the the western Capes of West Coast east of this low and will spread northwest tonight. A strong low in the southeast Bering Sea will move to the Gulf of Anadyr as a 973 mb low by 3pm Fri, and to just southwest of Wrangel Island as a 992 mb low by 3pm Sat. An occluded front stretching southeast from this low will move to Provideniya to the southeast Bering by 3pm Fri, and then weaken in place through Sat. Expect southeast winds gusting 40-65 mph along the West Coast with this feature Fri and Fri night. Expect 4-6 inches of snow from the Seward Peninsula southwest through Fri night along with blizzard conditions at times. There will be less snow over the Yukon Delta and St Lawrence Island where the snow will likely change to rain Fri. Expect periods of freezing rain as well. Conditions should improve slightly on Sat as winds decrease a bit. Strong high pressure over the Copper River Basin and southern Yukon Territory will build north over the NE Interior and Beaufort Sea Fri. This is now causing strong southerly gap winds through Alaska Range passes that will continue into Sat. This is also causing south winds through Brooks Range passes that will continue through Sat. This will This will cause a moderately strong Tanana Valley Jet to develop Fri and continue through the weekend, and can expect NE winds to 20 kt over the Elliot Highway to develop Fri as well. && .DISCUSSION... Models initialize well at h500 and show similar solutions through 3pm Fri. After that time the GFS has significantly deeper short wave troughs over NE Russia and over the AK Peninsula/Bristol Bay area than the NAM and ECMF. Additionally the H500 ridge over NE Alaska is weaker on the GFS than the ECMF/NAM after 3pm Fri. Favor using the GFS through 3pm Fri, then the ECMF solution from Fri night into Sun. In the longer term it appears as though the ridge aloft over Eastern Alaska will weaken slowly next week. Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...Coast Flood Advisory zone 213 through Sat, but should gradually improve Sat as SE winds decrease and water levels drop. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Coastal Flood Advisory for AKZ211-AKZ213. Winter Storm Warning for AKZ201-AKZ207-AKZ208-AKZ211-AKZ213- AKZ214. Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ202-AKZ205-AKZ206-AKZ220-AKZ225- AKZ226. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ210-PKZ220. Gale Warning for PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245. && JB DEC 17
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22, 3:26 AM AKST | Gale Warning | AFG | 12 hr | |
| Dec 22, 3:35 AM AKST | Gale Warning | AFG | 24 hr | |
| Dec 22, 8:06 AM AKST | High Wind Warning | AFG | 20 hr |
Nearby
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.