Alert archive / Alaska / Storm Warnings in 2020
Storm Warning 5, NWS Fairbanks, AK
NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this storm warning at Oct 30, 2020, 3:34 AM AKDT. 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
- Oct 30, 2020, 3:34 AM AKDT (11:34 UTC)
- Expired
- Oct 31, 2020, 3:52 AM AKDT
- In force
- 24 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Fairbanks, AK
The text
As transmitted.
341 FZAK51 PAFG 301134 CWFNSB Coastal Waters Forecast for Arctic Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 Arctic 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. PKZ298-310215- 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 .SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST... A 999 mb low near 74N 168W will move inland near Wainwright tonight. A front will move into the Arctic waters on Sat and shift east on Sun. $$ PKZ225-310215- Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort- 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 ...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... .TODAY...W winds 35 kt becoming NW 50 kt in the late morning. Seas 14 ft. Snow. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...NW winds 45 kt. Seas 14 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .SAT...N winds 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. Freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .SUN...W winds 15 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .MON...W winds 20 kt. Seas 8 ft. .TUE...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. $$ PKZ230-310215- Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin- 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TODAY...W winds 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. Snow. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...N winds 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. Snow showers. Freezing spray. .SAT...N winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .MON...W winds 20 kt. Seas 8 ft. .TUE...W winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. $$ PKZ235-310215- Point Franklin to Cape Halkett- 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS MORNING... .TODAY...SW winds 25 kt decreasing to 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. Snow showers. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...N winds 15 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .SAT...N winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...N winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing spray. .MON...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. .TUE...W winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. $$ PKZ240-310215- Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island- 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 .TODAY...S winds 15 kt. .TONIGHT...S winds 10 kt. .SAT...SW winds 15 kt. .SAT NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. .SUN...SW winds 25 kt. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Freezing fog and blowing snow. .MON...NW winds 15 kt. .TUE...SW winds 20 kt. $$ PKZ245-310215- Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point- 334 AM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 .TODAY...S winds 15 kt. .TONIGHT...S winds 15 kt. .SAT...SW winds 15 kt. .SAT NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. .SUN...W winds 30 kt. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Freezing fog and blowing snow. Vsby 1 NM or less. .MON...NW winds 20 kt. .TUE...S winds 20 kt. $$ Oct 20
2 follow-up statements
025 FZAK51 PAFG 302215 CWFNSB Coastal Waters Forecast for Arctic Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 Arctic 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. PKZ298-311400- 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 .SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST... A 993 mb low 100 nm W of Wainwright will move E to 100 nm N of Oliktok Point tonight as it weakens to 1000 mb, them move rapidly NE and merge with a 1007 mb low in the Northern Beaufort Sea Sat afternoon. A 1007 mb low will develop in MacKenzie Bay tonight and move E. High pressure will push NE into the Central Arctic tonight, then moves E across the Arctic through Sun morning as it weakens. A 1008 mb low will move to 300 nm N of Wainwright Sat afternoon and continue SE to MacKenzie Bay by Mon morning. $$ PKZ225-311400- Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort- 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 ...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TONIGHT...NW winds 50 kt becoming N 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .SAT...N winds 30 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray. .MON...W winds 15 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Freezing spray. .TUE...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. .WED...S winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. $$ PKZ230-311400- Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin- 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON... .TONIGHT...N winds 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. Freezing fog. Snow showers. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT...N winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .MON...W winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Freezing spray. .TUE...W winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. .WED...W winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. $$ PKZ235-311400- Point Franklin to Cape Halkett- 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... .TONIGHT...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT...N winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SAT NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...NW winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .MON...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...S winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .TUE...W winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. .WED...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 7 ft. $$ PKZ240-311400- Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island- 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 .TONIGHT...S winds 10 kt. .SAT...SW winds 15 kt. .SAT NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. .SUN...SW winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. Snow. .MON...NW winds 15 kt. .MON NIGHT...N winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. .TUE...SW winds 20 kt. .WED...W winds 20 kt. $$ PKZ245-311400- Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point- 215 PM AKDT Fri Oct 30 2020 .TONIGHT...S winds 15 kt. .SAT...SW winds 15 kt. .SAT NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. .SUN...W winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. Snow. .MON...W winds 20 kt. .MON NIGHT...NE winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. .TUE...S winds 20 kt. .WED...W winds 25 kt. $$ SDB Oct 20
572 FZAK51 PAFG 311152 CWFNSB Coastal Waters Forecast for Arctic Alaska National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 Arctic 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. PKZ298-010215- 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 .SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST... A 1000 mb low moving inland near Wainwright this morning will weaken today. A trough of low pressure 150 nm north of Wrangel Island will move to the NW Arctic Coast this evening, then strengthen into a 1005 mb low as it moves east to Demarcation Point through Monday. $$ PKZ225-010215- Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort- 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... .TODAY...N winds 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing spray. .TONIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing spray. .MON...W winds 15 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing fog. Snow showers. Freezing spray. .TUE...NW winds 30 kt. Seas 10 ft. .WED...S winds 25 kt. Seas 10 ft. $$ PKZ230-010215- Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin- 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON... .TODAY...N winds 25 kt. Seas 8 ft. Freezing spray. .TONIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .MON...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Freezing fog. Snow showers. Heavy freezing spray. .TUE...N winds 25 kt. Seas 10 ft. .WED...W winds 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. $$ PKZ235-010215- Point Franklin to Cape Halkett- 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON... .TODAY...N winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .TONIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing spray. .SUN...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Heavy freezing spray. .SUN NIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Snow. Freezing spray. .MON...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. .MON NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing fog. Freezing spray. .TUE...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. .WED...W winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. $$ PKZ240-010215- Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island- 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 .TODAY...SW winds 10 kt. .TONIGHT...W winds 15 kt. .SUN...SW winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. Snow. .MON...W winds 15 kt. .MON NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. .TUE...W winds 20 kt. .WED...SW winds 20 kt. $$ PKZ245-010215- Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point- 352 AM AKDT Sat Oct 31 2020 .TODAY...SW winds 10 kt. .TONIGHT...W winds 20 kt. .SUN...W winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. .SUN NIGHT...W winds 25 kt. Blowing snow. Snow. .MON...W winds 15 kt. .MON NIGHT...SW winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. .TUE...W winds 20 kt. .WED...W winds 20 kt. $$ Oct 20
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this storm 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 storm warning went out at Oct 29, 3:13 PM AKDT, 12 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 29, 3:13 PM AKDT, 12 hours 21 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 313 PM AKDT Thu Oct 29 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Flurries will spread across the Central Interior into the Eastern Interior this afternoon, enhancing as a trough digs south and east. As this does so, this will establish longwave trough pattern that will engulf Northern Alaska into and through the weekend. An arctic low will drop south to the Northwest Coast Friday evening and into the Western Interior by Saturday morning, reinforcing colder temperatures for much of Northern Alaska. This arctic low will also bring a continuation of snow squalls along the Northwest Coast south into the Seward Peninsula today through Friday, including the Kotzebue Sound area. This pattern will keep strong northwest flow across a large fetch of open water in the Chukchi Sea and bring elevated surf of 1 to 3 feet above normal high tide line from Utqiagvik south to the Bering Strait, including the northern Seward Peninsula and Kotzebue Sound into the early weekend. && .DISCUSSION... At the surface, models are in general good agreement through Sunday, with the placement of major features. A 995 mb low north of Wrangel Island will drop south to Point Lay as a 1003 mb low Friday evening. This low will continue to track south through Southcentral Alaska into the northern Gulf of Alaska by Sunday morning. Weak ridging will nose into the Western Interior in the wake of the arctic low as it drops south Saturday night. Elsewhere, ahead of this arctic low, a shortwave will sweep across the Central and Eastern Interiors today into this evening and again for Saturday, increasing the chances of flurries and light snow for the Central and Eastern Interior. Aloft, at 500 mb, models initialize well with a trough digging south and east across the Interior today as a 494 dam low north of Wrangel Island drops south out of the Arctic to near Point Lay Friday evening. This low will continue south, creating a deep trough that will encompass most of the West Coast early Saturday morning and swing south and east, covering most of the Central and Eastern Interior by Sunday afternoon. As this low digs south, weak ridging will nudge into Northwest Alaska from the southwest Bering on Sunday morning into the start of next week. North Slope and Brooks Range... Persistent northwest winds will continue to bring snow squalls, heavy at times, into the Northwest Coast today ahead of an arctic low dropping south to near Point Lay Friday evening. This low will bring in a reinforcing shot of cold temperatures that will slide into the Eastern Brooks Range Sunday morning. As the low continues south, snow showers will spread east along the Brooks Range and North Slope on Saturday, bringing minor accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. Winds will decrease Saturday behind the low, easing the effects of the high surf that has been impacting the Northwest Coast and snow chances will decrease as well. In the meantime, strong northwest winds will continue to impact the Northwest Coast bringing elevated surf of 1 to 3 feet above normal high tide line from Utqiagvik west through Friday. West Coast and Western Interior... A trough digging south with a persistent northwest flow will keep the chances of snow squalls moving onshore today in the Kotzebue Sound region. An arctic low will drop south Friday evening into Saturday, bringing in additional round of snow showers, first to the coastal areas of Kotzebue Sound then south across the Seward Peninsula in the Western Interior by Saturday afternoon. Expect snow total accumulations of 1 to 3 inches, with locally higher amounts into Saturday. In additions to the snow squalls, blowing snow may reduce visibility at times Friday evening into Saturday along the coast from Point Hope into the Kotzebue Sound south towards the Bering Strait, with strong northwest winds. With this continued strong northwest flow, elevated surf of 1 to 3 feet above normal high tide line will impact the north facing coastal areas of the Seward Peninsula as well as Kotzebue Sound into early Saturday. Central and Eastern Interior... A shortwave trough sweeping through is producing flurries across the Central Interior, from Tanana southeast through Fairbanks, this afternoon. As this shortwave trough digs deeper, south to the Alaska Range, this will enhance snow chances from Delta Junction southeast to Northway later this evening. Expect minor snow accumulations of up to 2 inches, with heaviest amounts towards Northway. Attention quickly shifts to Saturday as an arctic low drops south into the Western Interior, increasing chances of snow across the region. Another round of minor snow accumulations expected, of up to 1 inch. A deep trough will set up over the Eastern and Central Interiors, bringing in an additonal shot of colder air. High temperatures will cool from the upper teens to low 20s today into the single digits by early next week over much of the region. Low temperatures will likely drop into the single digits above to single digits below, with the coldest low temperates in the Eastern Interior, east of Fairbanks, in the cold spots of the Fortymile Country north to the Yukon Flats. Temperatures in these areas could dip below the teens below zero by early next week, depending on cloud cover and winds. Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4... Elevated surf of 1 to 3 feet above normal high tide line will continue into Saturday for portions of Northwestern Alaska, Point Hope south to the Bering Strait, including the northern Seward Peninsula near Shishmaref and Kotzebue Sound. Conditions will improve as the the persistent northwest flow eases on Sunday. Extended Forecast Days 4 to 7... Weak ridging will nose into the Northwest Coast ahead of another trough dropping south out of the arctic late Monday evening into Tuesday. As this trough digs south through the West Coast and Western Interior Tuesday into Wednesday, ridging will quickly build in behind it on Thursday, first into the West Coast and spread east into the Eastern Interior by Friday morning. This is ahead of a large system moving out of the Northern Pacific into the Chuktosk Peninsula next Friday afternoon. As the low approaches the West Coast, a front will move onshore creating a southwesterly flow Thursday morning then into the Central Interior by Friday afternoon. There is still some uncertainty with this system, we will continue to monitor it. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Gale Warning for PKZ220-PKZ225 Small Craft Advisory for PKZ230. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ235. && RZ OCT 20
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Oct 29, 11:13 PM AKDT, 4 hours 21 minutes before
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 1113 PM AKDT Thu Oct 29 2020 AKZ207-209-210-300815- Chukchi Sea Coast-Baldwin Peninsula and Selawik Valley- Northern and Interior Seward Peninsula- Including Point Hope, Shishmaref, Kivalina, Espenberg, Kotzebue, Selawik, Noorvik, Buckland, Deering, Candle, Council, Haycock, Pilgrim Springs, Serpentine Hot Springs, and Taylor 1113 PM AKDT Thu Oct 29 2020 ...High Surf Friday into Saturday... High surf is expected Friday into Saturday along the Chukchi Sea Coast from Point Hope to Shishmaref. Water levels are expected to be 2 to 3 feet above the normal high tide line, leading to the potential for erosion and minor flooding along the coast. Residents should move belongings inland, well above the normal high tide line, to avoid them being damaged or washed away. For the latest forecast go to www.weather.gov/fairbanks CULVER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 8:59 PM AKDT | High Surf Advisory | AFG | 38 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:31 AM AKDT | Gale Warning | AFG | 24 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:31 AM AKDT | Heavy Freezing Spray Warning | AFG | 24 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:34 AM AKDT | Heavy Freezing Spray Warning | AFG | 24 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:38 AM AKDT | Small Craft Advisory | AFG | 35 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:43 AM AKDT | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:43 AM AKDT | Winter Weather Advisory | AFG | 25 hr | |
| Oct 30, 2:53 PM AKDT | Winter Storm Warning | AFG | 68 hr | |
| Oct 30, 3:01 PM AKDT | Small Craft Advisory | AFG | 13 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.