Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2018

Gale Warning 8, NWS Fairbanks, AK

February 7, 2018

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this gale warning at Feb 7, 2018, 2:50 AM AKST. It was in force for 24 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
Feb 7, 2018, 2:50 AM AKST (11:50 UTC)
Expired
Feb 8, 2018, 3:18 AM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

As transmitted.

757 
FZAK52 PAFG 071150
CWFWCZ

Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
250 AM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

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.

PKZ299-080330-
250 AM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
A 980 mb low will move N into the Central Bering Sea today, then 
NW over northern Kamchatka Peninsula by Thu evening. Strong high 
pressure around a 1041 mb high will persist over mainland Alaska.

$$

PKZ200-080330-
Norton Sound-
250 AM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

.TODAY...E winds 15 kt. 
.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.THU...E winds 20 kt. 
.THU NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.FRI...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...S winds 10 kt.  

$$

PKZ210-080330-
Dall Point to Wales-
250 AM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SE winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. 
.TONIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU...SE winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...S winds 10 kt.  

$$

PKZ215-080330-
Kotzebue Sound-
250 AM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.TONIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.THU...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...SE winds 10 kt.  

$$

PKZ220-080330-
Wales to Cape Thompson-
250 AM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.TONIGHT...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 20 kt. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...E winds 10 kt.  

$$

Feb 18
2 follow-up statements
499 
FZAK52 PAFG 072249
CWFWCZ

Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

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.

PKZ299-081500-
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
High pressure over mainland Alaska will persist with ridging 
redeveloping over the Western Arctic. A 977 mb low in the Western
Bering Sea will move to the Kamchatka Peninsula Thu morning. A
1000 mb low will move NW near the Dateline Thu. A 984 mb low will
move to the Pribilof Islands by Fri afternoon and to the Gulf of
Anadyr by Sun morning.

$$

PKZ200-081500-
Norton Sound-
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.THU...E winds 25 kt. 
.THU NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.FRI...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.SAT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...S winds 10 kt. 
.MON...SE winds 10 kt.  

$$

PKZ210-081500-
Dall Point to Wales-
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...SE winds 35 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU...SE winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. Snow.
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. Freezing rain.
.SAT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...S winds 10 kt. 
.MON...E winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ215-081500-
Kotzebue Sound-
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.THU...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 15 kt. 
.SUN...SE winds 10 kt. 
.MON...E winds 10 kt.  

$$

PKZ220-081500-
Wales to Cape Thompson-
149 PM AKST Wed Feb 7 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 20 kt. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 15 kt. 
.SUN...E winds 10 kt. 
.MON...E winds 10 kt.  

$$

SDB Feb 18
437 
FZAK52 PAFG 081218
CWFWCZ

Coastal Waters Forecast for Northwest Alaska
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
318 AM AKST Thu Feb 8 2018

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.

PKZ299-090345-
318 AM AKST Thu Feb 8 2018

.SYNOPSIS FOR NORTHWEST COAST...
High pressure over mainland Alaska will persist with ridging 
redeveloping over the Western Arctic. A 979 mb low currently 
east of the Kamchatka Peninsula will weaken and move west over the
Kamchatka Peninsula Friday. A 986 mb low in the central Bering Sea will
move NW and inland just south of the Gulf of Anadyr Friday. 

$$

PKZ200-090345-
Norton Sound-
318 AM AKST Thu Feb 8 2018

.TODAY...E winds 20 kt. 
.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.FRI...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.SAT...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SUN...SE winds 15 kt. 
.MON...S winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ210-090345-
Dall Point to Wales-
318 AM AKST Thu Feb 8 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SE winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.TONIGHT...SE winds 30 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.FRI...E winds 25 kt. Freezing fog. Snow.
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. Freezing fog. Snow.
.SAT...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow and freezing fog. VSBY 1 NM or less.
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 30 kt. 
.SUN...SE winds 15 kt. 
.MON...S winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ215-090345-
Kotzebue Sound-
318 AM AKST Thu Feb 8 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. 
.SAT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SUN...E winds 15 kt. 
.MON...SE winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ220-090345-
Wales to Cape Thompson-
318 AM AKST Thu Feb 8 2018

...BRISK WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.TONIGHT...SE winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. VSBY 1 NM or less. 
.FRI...SE winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. 
.SAT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...E winds 25 kt. 
.SUN...E winds 15 kt. 
.MON...SE winds 15 kt.  

$$

CCC Feb 18

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 Feb 6, 1:24 PM AKST, 13 hours 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 6, 1:24 PM AKST, 13 hours 26 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
124 PM AKST Tue Feb 6 2018

.DISCUSSION...

Models...Very good agreement continues for the short term. Run to
run solutions remain consistent with the exception of the
extended periods which continue to struggle to find a reasonable
solution. 06/12Z surface solutions initialized well against the
06/18Z surface analysis with major features similar in location
and strength. Dry pattern continues over most of the forecast area
through the week. Will use a blend and lean on the SREF to
provide appropriate probabilities for the precipitation that is
moving up the West Coast and then over the Arctic Coast.

Aloft...At 500 hpa...Omega Block is now in place as ridging
extends from a high in the Eastern Pacific over Yakutat to a 545
dam high over the Western Arctic Plain, then northwest over
Wrangel Island. Ridging also extends northeast over the Arctic. A
466 dam low remains north of Hudson Bay, and a 509 dam low is over
the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula. A 524 dam low has
moved over St Matthew Island and will continue to move northwest
across Chukotka. A series of lows will swing north to the Central
Aleutians, then over the Western Bering Sea through Thursday and
dissipate. The high over the Arctic Plain will drift southeast
over the Upper Yukon Flats by Sunday morning as a long wave trough
moves to the West Coast. Several shortwaves will move up the
western flank of the ridge through Saturday. At 850 hpa...-10C
isotherm lies from Point Barrow to Atigun Pass to Livengood to
Beaver Creek YT. By Wednesday afternoon it will lie from
Demarcation Point along the crest of the Brooks Range to Atigun
Pass to Denali, then southeast as some warmer air is pulled north
over the west coast and Arctic around the ridge, and cold air is
pulled into the interior out of Canada. As the ridge continues to
retreat southeast, warm air continues to be pulled north, and the
cold air over the interior will retreat back into Canada.

Surface...Ridge of high pressure extends from Montana to the Yukon
Territory to a 1034 mb high 150 nm north of Prudhoe Bay, then west
along 73N to the Dateline, then southwest. 1038 mb high over the
Upper Tanana Valley persists with leeside troughing north of the
Alaska Range. As high over the Arctic moves east, Troughing pushes
east across the Arctic Plains and Coast, and the high over the
Upper Tanana Valley Builds to 1039 mb by Wednesday morning. A 1004
mb low in the northern Gulf of Alaska will weaken overnight and
merge with a low over British Columbia Wednesday night. A
weakening 995 mb low is over St Matthew Island and will move
northwest and dissipate over the Gulf of Anadyr tonight. The
associated front will continue to decay as it moves up the West
Coast and into the Chukchi Sea, then moves east across Arctic
Coast. The high in the Upper Tanana Valley will persist and build
to 1045 mb by Thursday morning, and to 1052 mb by Friday morning
as it drifts to the southern Yukon Territory. A 1036 mb high will
develop in the Upper Yukon Flats tonight and persist into Saturday
before merging with the high in the Yukon.

Arctic Coast and Brooks Range...Mostly clear tonight, but some
high clouds will be moving around the ridge. There is also a band
of stratus just offshore of the Eastern Arctic Coast that may
drift onshore for a while, then drift back offshore as the flow
changes. Temperatures slightly warmer as trough builds east across
the area tonight, then lifts northeast Wednesday. Winds generally
less than 15 mph from the southeast becoming southwest then west
Wednesday. Strongest widns today are around Point Lay at 20 to 30
mph, but those will diminish this evening. Strongest winds
Wednesday will be around Kaktovik as the gradient gets pinched in
the area and west winds increase to around 40 mph. Expect some Gap
winds in the Eastern Brooks Range tonight as the trough builds
across the area and the gradient tightens up. Blowing snow is
expected to reduce visibility around Atigun Pass.

West Coast and Western Interior...Some lingering snow along the
coast, mainly south of the Bering Strait, but there will be some
flurries to the north overnight and Wednesday. Northeast and east
winds along the coast will continue to be gusty, but diminishing
from the south Wednesday. Another front will move up the coast
Friday night. Temperatures slightly warmer.

Central and Eastern Interior...Mostly clear continues. Winds in
higher elevations are from the northeast and gusting to around 25
mph. Tanana Valley Jet has kicked in and east winds around Delta
Junction are gusting to around 30 mph but gusts to almost 50 mph
were recorded earlier today. Expect the gusty winds to continue
through Wednesday. Gap winds kicked up earlier today, but have
diminished. Expect them to pick back up by Wednesday afternoon
with gusts around 45 mph. Winds in the valleys will continue to
be light and variable. Temperatures a couple degrees cooler as
cold air is pulled into the Eastern Interior out of Canada.

&&

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None.

&&

Extended Forecast for Days 4 to 7...Extended solutions remain
confused as they try breaking down the blocking pattern to a more
progressive pattern. Will lean toward the less volatile Ensemble
solutions.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ213.

Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-
PKZ230-PKZ240.

&&

SDB FEB 18

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 7, 1:32 PM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG13 hr
Feb 7, 1:44 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG14 hr
Feb 7, 1:49 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG13 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2018Every gale warning in 2018

Sources

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