Alert archive / Alaska / High Wind Warnings in 2020

High Wind Warning 8, NWS Fairbanks, AK

November 4, 2020

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this high wind warning at Nov 4, 2020, 2:08 PM AKST. It took effect at Nov 5, 2020, 3:00 AM AKST. It was in force for 11 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
Nov 4, 2020, 2:08 PM AKST (23:08 UTC)
In effect from
Nov 5, 2020, 3:00 AM AKST
Expired
Nov 5, 2020, 1:39 PM AKST
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

As transmitted.

171 
WWAK72 PAFG 042308
NPWWCZ

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
208 PM AKST Wed Nov 4 2020

AKZ214-051400-
/O.NEW.PAFG.HW.W.0008.201105T1200Z-201106T0000Z/
Yukon Delta-
Including the cities of Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, 
Kotlik, Pilot Station, St Marys, Scammon Bay, Marshall, 
Nunam Iqua, and Pitkas Point
208 PM AKST Wed Nov 4 2020

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 3 PM AKST THURSDAY...

* WHAT....South winds gusting to 60 mph. 

* WHERE...Yukon Delta.

* WHEN...From 3 AM to 3 PM AKST Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow objects around and damage
  property. Power Outages are possible if power lines are blown
  down.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...This system will bring a mixture of wet
  snow and rain to the area early Thursday morning causing
  reductions in visibility at times. The precipitation will
  transition to all rain by late Thursday morning. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A High Wind Warning means hazardous high winds are occurring or
expected. Take precautions to protect life and prevent property
damage.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
825 
WWAK72 PAFG 051357
NPWWCZ

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
457 AM AKST Thu Nov 5 2020

AKZ214-060000-
/O.CON.PAFG.HW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-201106T0000Z/
Yukon Delta-
Including the cities of Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, 
Kotlik, Pilot Station, St Marys, Scammon Bay, Marshall, 
Nunam Iqua, and Pitkas Point
457 AM AKST Thu Nov 5 2020

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...South winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.

* WHERE...Yukon Delta.

* WHEN...Until 3 PM AKST this afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines.
  Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult,
  especially for high profile vehicles.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...This system will bring a mixture of wet
  snow and rain to the area early this morning causing reductions
  in visibility at times. The precipitation will transition to all
  rain by late this morning. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around
trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of
your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows. Use caution if
you must drive.

&&

$$
988 
WWAK72 PAFG 052239
NPWWCZ

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
139 PM AKST Thu Nov 5 2020

AKZ214-052345-
/O.CAN.PAFG.HW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-201106T0000Z/
Yukon Delta-
Including the cities of Mountain Village, Emmonak, Alakanuk, 
Kotlik, Pilot Station, St Marys, Scammon Bay, Marshall, 
Nunam Iqua, and Pitkas Point
139 PM AKST Thu Nov 5 2020

...HIGH WIND WARNING IS CANCELLED...

$$

AKZ213-061500-
/O.NEW.PAFG.HW.W.0009.201106T0500Z-201106T1500Z/
St Lawrence Island and Bering Strait Coast-
Including the cities of Gambell, Savoonga, Brevig Mission, 
Teller, Wales, and Diomede
139 PM AKST Thu Nov 5 2020

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM
AKST FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Southwest winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 65 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...St Lawrence Island and Bering Strait Coast.

* WHEN...From 8 PM this evening to 6 AM AKST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow objects around and damage 
  property. Power Outages are possible if power lines are blown 
  down.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A High Wind Warning means hazardous high winds are occurring or
expected. Take precautions to protect life and prevent property
damage.

&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this high wind 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 high wind warning went out at Nov 4, 6:55 AM AKST, 7 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 4, 6:55 AM AKST, 7 hours 13 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
655 AM AKST Wed Nov 4 2020

.SYNOPSIS...
Active weather continues for Northern Alaska with consecutive
storms aiming for the West Coast. The first storm continues to
diminish this morning. The second and much stronger storm in a
series of storms, is taking aim at the West Coast Wednesday night
into Friday with the potential for prolonged storm surge and
coastal flooding, heavy snow, and blowing snow as well as local
blizzard conditions. This storm will bring heavy snow and blowing
snow to the Western Interior Thursday and Friday. The heavy snow
will continue to push east into the Central and Eastern Interior
late Thursday and Friday for the Central Interior and Friday in
the Eastern Interior. The clouds and snow will help break the
Interior out of the arctic grip with well below temperatures
moderating to near normal by the end of the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Models at 500mb and at the surface in fairly decent agreement in
the near-term. Favoring the ECMWF beyond 24 hours out because of
the speed it captures of the storm as it moves inland. Winds
could be a few mph stronger along the Arctic Coast currently,
because of the low pressure offshore that is a couple millibars
deeper than models indicate.

Aloft at 500mb, a deep and therefore, cold trough still exists
over eastern Alaska, Southcentral region, and the Yukon. A ridge
will begin to build and shift eastward over the West Coast ahead
of a strong upper level low that will follow it into the Bering
and eventually the West Coast. As a result, temperatures will jump
above freezing in many places after today.

Central and Eastern Interior...
The arctic airmass is beginning to modify as temperatures aloft
slowly warm. Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer today and
will rise dramatically on Thursday night and Friday as clouds and
snow move into the area and the upper level trough pushes to the
east. A strong storm in the Bering Sea will push deep moisture
into the Interior forcing the moisture to rise up over a deep
arctic airmass on Thursday and Friday. This will set up the
potential for a significant snow event over the Central and
Eastern Interior beginning late Thursday and continuing into
Saturday. Freezing rain and snow mix possible west of Fairbanks
Friday due to temperatures above freezing. Strong gap winds will
develop through the Alaska Range passes on Thursday afternoon into
Friday as a strong pressure gradient develops across the Alaska
Range. The Tanana Valley Jet will develop as well.

West Coast and Western Interior...
See Coastal hazard potential below for outlined storm surge
heights and timing for West Coast.

A very strong storm will move into the Western Bering Sea today,
then along the West Coast of Alaska tonight and then move east
into the Interior on Friday. This storm is expected to bring heavy
snow, blizzard conditions, and southerly gales to St Lawrence
Island today, and to the remainder of the West Coast of Alaska
tonight through Friday. Snow will mix with rain Thursday and
Friday in some coastal areas mainly south of the Bering Strait.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
Light snow and winds of 15 to 25 mph will continue today as a
weak front rotating around a low pressure system north of the
coast pushes east over the North Slope tonight. Winds will remain
mostly out of the south and southwest the next couple of days
with light snow continuing as a series of weak fronts enter the
region from west to east.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...
Coastal flooding is very likely from this long duration fetch of
S to SW flow from Cape Romanzof to the Bering Strait with a
chance of coastal flooding from the Bering Strait to Point Barrow
Thursday through Saturday.

Highlight of peak storm surge above the normal high tide line
from Cape Romanzof and north:

Thursday PM through Saturday AM, Scammon Bay, Cape Romanzof - 5
to 7 ft, Yukon Delta - 4 to 6 ft, Upstream the Yukon River from
Kwikpak to Mountain Village - 2 ft rise

Thursday PM through Saturday AM, Unalakleet, Shaktoolik, and Elim
- 6 to 8 ft

Thursday PM through Saturday AM, Golovin and Nome - 6 to 8 ft

Thursday PM through Saturday AM, Port Clarence - 4 to 5 ft

Thursday through Saturday AM, Shishmaref and Point Hope - 4 to 5
ft

Friday AM and Saturday AM, Deering - 4 to 5 ft

Friday AM and Saturday PM, Kotzebue - 4 to 5 ft

Thursday PM through Saturday PM, Icy Cape - 4 ft

Friday PM through Saturday PM, Point Barrow - 2 to 3 ft

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Coastal Flood Warning for AKZ211-AKZ212-AKZ214.

Coastal Flood Watch for AKZ201-AKZ202-AKZ207-AKZ209-AKZ213.

Winter Storm Warning for AKZ207-AKZ208-AKZ209-AKZ211-AKZ212-
AKZ213-AKZ214.

Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ210-AKZ227.

Winter Storm Watch for AKZ215-AKZ216-AKZ217.

Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-
PKZ230-PKZ235.

Gale Warning for PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.

Small Craft Advisory for PKZ225-PKZ235.

Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ240-PKZ245.
&&

KS NOV 20

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 3, 3:22 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG14 hr
Nov 3, 3:22 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG63 hr
Nov 3, 3:23 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG13 hr
Nov 3, 3:25 PM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG14 hr
Nov 4, 1:57 AM AKSTCoastal Flood WatchAFG37 hr
Nov 4, 1:57 AM AKSTCoastal Flood WarningAFG4 days
Nov 4, 5:44 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG49 hr
Nov 4, 5:47 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG27 hr
Nov 4, 5:48 AM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG23 hr
Nov 4, 6:22 AM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFG9 hr
Nov 4, 6:22 AM AKSTWinter Storm WarningAFG3 days
Nov 4, 6:22 AM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG56 hr
Nov 4, 1:53 PM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFG16 hr
Nov 4, 1:53 PM AKSTWinter Storm WarningAFG3 days
Nov 4, 1:53 PM AKSTWinter Weather AdvisoryAFG16 hr
Nov 4, 2:23 PM AKSTCoastal Flood AdvisoryAFG3 days
Nov 4, 2:58 PM AKSTStorm WarningAFG14 hr

Nearby

High Wind Warnings in Alaska, 2020Every high wind warning in 2020

Sources

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