Alert archive / Alaska / Gale Warnings in 2020

Gale Warning 151, NWS Juneau, AK

May 22, 2020

NWS Juneau, AK issued this gale warning at May 22, 2020, 3:17 AM AKDT. It was in force for 36 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
May 22, 2020, 3:17 AM AKDT (11:17 UTC)
Expired
May 23, 2020, 3:19 PM AKDT
In force
36 hr
Issued by
NWS Juneau, AK

The text

As transmitted.

624 
FZAK52 PAJK 221117
CWFAEG

Coastal Waters Forecast for Southeast Alaska
National Weather Service Juneau AK
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-230530-
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
A weather front across the central gulf lifts NE and strengthens
to gale force this afternoon and evening. As the front stalls
along the coast, a gale force low tracks NE into the eastern
gulf Saturday. A ridge of high pressure over the Panhandle
retreats to the Inner Channels Saturday.  

$$

PKZ041-230530-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...W wind 10 kt becoming S 20 kt. Seas building to 8 ft in
the late afternoon. W swell in the morning. 
.TONIGHT...SE wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain late. 
.SAT...SE gale to 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...S wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.MON...W wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-230530-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE wind 15 kt increasing to 25 kt in the afternoon. Seas
7 ft. W swell becoming SW in the afternoon. 
.TONIGHT...SE wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain late. 
.SAT...SE gale to 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...SE wind 30 kt. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-230530-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE wind 15 kt increasing to 25 kt. Seas 5 ft building to
9 ft. 
.TONIGHT...SE wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.SAT...E gale to 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...SE gale to 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-230530-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...SE wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. Rain in the afternoon. 
.TONIGHT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.SAT...E gale to 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...E gale to 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...S wind 15 kt. Seas 11 ft subsiding to 7 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-230530-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
317 AM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...GALE WARNING THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...E wind increasing to 35 kt in the afternoon. Seas 10 ft.
Rain.
.TONIGHT...E wind 35 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.SAT...E wind 30 kt. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.SUN...S wind 25 kt diminishing to 10 kt. Seas 11 ft subsiding
to 7 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 

$$
3 follow-up statements
342 
FZAK52 PAJK 222324
CWFAEG

Coastal Waters Forecast for Southeast Alaska
National Weather Service Juneau AK
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-231730-
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
A ridge of high pressure becomes displaced to the E of the
panhandle as a surface low moves into the NE Gulf this  evening
increasing winds up to small craft. A stronger gale force low
will enter the Gulf from the S early Saturday.  

$$

PKZ041-231730-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...SE wind 15 kt increasing to 30 kt late. Seas 11 ft. 
Rain late. 
.SAT...SE wind 40 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...S wind 25 kt becoming W 15 kt late. Seas 11 ft.
Rain in the evening. 
.SUN...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 8 ft. SW swell. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. SW swell. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...Light winds becoming SE 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-231730-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...SE wind 25 kt increasing to 30 kt late. Seas 11 ft. 
Rain late. 
.SAT...SE wind 40 kt. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...SE wind 30 kt becoming W 15 kt late. Seas
11 ft. Rain in the evening. 
.SUN...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 8 ft. SW swell. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. SW swell. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...Light winds becoming SE 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-231730-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...SE wind 25 kt increasing to 30 kt late. Seas 12 ft. 
Rain.
.SAT...E wind 35 kt. Seas 15 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...E gale to 35 kt becoming SW 25 kt late. Seas
13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...S wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. S swell. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...Light winds becoming SE 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-231730-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...GALE WARNING SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...SE wind 25 kt becoming E 30 kt late. Seas 11 ft. Rain.
.SAT...E wind 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...E gale to 35 kt diminishing to 25 kt late. Seas
13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 10 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...Light winds becoming SE 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-231730-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
324 PM AKDT Fri May 22 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH SATURDAY...

.TONIGHT...E wind 25 kt increasing to 35 kt late. Seas 12 ft. 
Rain.
.SAT...E wind 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SAT NIGHT...E wind 30 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...S wind 20 kt. Seas 10 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.WED...SE wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$
077 
FZAK52 PAJK 231158
CWFAEG

Coastal Waters Forecast for Southeast Alaska
National Weather Service Juneau AK
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-240600-
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
A stalled gale force front just offshore of the Panhandle
dissipates this morning as a gale force low curves into the 
eastern gulf this afternoon and the northern gulf Sunday morning. 
An associated weather front clears the Panhandle Sunday morning. A
ridge of high pressure over Lynn Canal shifts SW into the entire 
Panhandle Sunday. 

$$

PKZ041-240600-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...SE wind increasing to 40 kt. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.TONIGHT...S wind 30 kt becoming SW 20 kt late. Seas 11 ft. Rain
in the evening. 
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft. SW swell. 
.SUN NIGHT...W wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. SW swell. 
.MON...W wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-240600-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING TODAY...

.TODAY...SE wind 30 kt increasing to 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.TONIGHT...SE wind 30 kt becoming SW late. Seas 11 ft. Rain in
the evening. 
.SUN...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. S swell. 
.MON...W wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-240600-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...E wind increasing to 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.TONIGHT...SE wind 35 kt diminishing. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 25 kt diminishing to 15 kt in the afternoon.
Seas 9 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. S swell. 
.MON...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.TUE...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-240600-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...E wind 35 kt. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.TONIGHT...E wind 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 25 kt. Seas 9 ft. S swell in the afternoon.
Showers in the morning. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...S wind 10 kt becoming W. Seas 5 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-240600-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
358 AM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...E wind 35 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.TONIGHT...E wind 30 kt. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 30 kt diminishing to 20 kt in the afternoon.
Seas 9 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...SE wind 10 kt becoming W. Seas 5 ft. 
.WED...W wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 

$$
798 
FZAK52 PAJK 232319
CWFAEG

Coastal Waters Forecast for Southeast Alaska
National Weather Service Juneau AK
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

Southeast Alaska Coastal Waters from Dixon Entrance to
Cape Suckling out 100 NM

Wind forecasts reflect the predominant speed and direction
expected. Seas forecasts represent the average of the highest
one-third of the combined windwave and swell height.

PKZ099-241730-
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020
.SYNOPSIS FOR OUTSIDE WATERS...
A gale force low is located in the SE gulf this evening then 
shifts into the northern gulf Sunday morning. An associated 
weather front clears the Panhandle Sunday evening. A ridge of 
high pressure shifts SW over the Panhandle early Monday. 

$$

PKZ041-241730-
Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision-
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TONIGHT...S wind 35 kt becoming SW 20 kt late. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 20 kt. Seas 11 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.MON...W wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.MON NIGHT...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.THU...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ042-241730-
Cape Decision to Cape Edgecumbe-
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TONIGHT...SE wind 35 kt becoming SW 25 kt late. Seas 13 ft.
Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 20 kt. Seas 11 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON NIGHT...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...W wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.THU...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ043-241730-
Cape Edgecumbe to Cape Fairweather-
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SE wind 35 kt diminishing late. Seas 14 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 9 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.THU...NW wind 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ051-241730-
Cape Fairweather to Icy Cape-
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...GALE WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TONIGHT...E wind 35 kt diminishing late. Seas 13 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain in the morning. 
.SUN NIGHT...SW wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.MON...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.MON NIGHT...SW wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...S wind 10 kt becoming W. Seas 5 ft. 
.WED...NW wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.THU...W wind 10 kt. Seas 4 ft. 

$$

PKZ052-241730-
Icy Cape to Cape Suckling-
319 PM AKDT Sat May 23 2020

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH SUNDAY...

.TONIGHT...E wind 25 kt. Seas 12 ft. Rain.
.SUN...SW wind 25 kt. Seas 11 ft. Rain in the morning. 
.SUN NIGHT...S wind 15 kt. Seas 8 ft. 
.MON...S wind 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.MON NIGHT...Light winds. Seas 6 ft. 
.TUE...SE wind 10 kt becoming W. Seas 5 ft. 
.WED...W wind 10 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.THU...W wind 10 kt. Seas 5 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 Juneau, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this gale warning went out at May 21, 2:35 PM AKDT, 12 hours 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 21, 2:35 PM AKDT, 12 hours 42 minutes before
Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Juneau AK
235 PM AKDT Thu May 21 2020

.SHORT TERM...This evening, satellite imagery shows mostly sunny
skies across the northern two thirds of the panhandle. Some
exceptions include the southern panhandle who is still seeing
influences from the surface low that exited to the SE of the
panhandle Wednesday and around Cross Sound, where remnants of
this mornings marine layer persists. Clouds will be on the
decrease through the evening for the southern panhandle as an
upper ridge begins to shift over the panhandle. By Friday
afternoon, the upper ridge will begin to break down as an upper
low begins to propagate to the east out of the Bering Sea. At the
surface, a low will have developed over the Aleutian Islands and
will push a front towards the panhandle this weekend.

Tonight, there will be the possibility of fog forming across the
southern panhandle with a moist boundary layer in place and clouds
clearing. That being said, clouds may hang around longer than
forecasted in which fog will be less likely. For now,
included patchy fog for Yakutat, Gustavus, Juneau, and the
southern inner channels south of Petersburg. The marine layer
will also likely form once again tonight. One area of uncertainty
is that with the approaching front from the west, higher stratus
clouds may prevent the marine layer from being as robust as usual.

By Friday, a front approaches the eastern gulf from the
southwest. Initially mariners can expect southeast winds of 25 kt.
As the front approaches Prince of Wales Island Friday night, we
do anticipate winds increasing to 30 kt. This front carries with
it some subtropical moisture as it originated in the baroclinic
zone associated with the north Pacific jet. Prince of Wales Island
and the southern Inner Channels should expect bands of moderate to
heavy rainfall associated with this frontal passage Saturday.
Rainfall across the northern Panhandle will be less certain in
time than the south, and will likely arrive a bit later, as
offshore flow should initially keep the lower atmosphere drier.
But rainfall in Juneau will begin late Friday night, instead of
Friday evening for much of the south and coast. For Saturday,
Precip will be blanketing the panhandle while winds reach full
gale along the central and southern coastal waters. With this in
mind we have pushed wind speeds up for Prince of Wales Island to
sustained 25 kt or so, with gusts to 40 mph.

Little changes made to temperatures for Friday and Saturday. With
850 temps around 35 degrees F and mostly sunny skies, expecting
mid 60s across the panhandle Friday and then upper 50s for
Saturday as front moves through.

.LONG TERM.../ Saturday to Thursday as of 9 pm Wednesday / The
weather pattern for Alaska is being dominated by a large upper
level low in the eastern Bering Sea north of Cold Bay. The broad
pattern shifts but overall the low remains fairly persistent in
the next week. The general low position being that far west
occasionally allows for an upper level ridge over the panhandle
and western Canada when it hasn't been forced away by trough being
rotated northeast about the Bering low. One of those troughs is
Sat/Sun and the second seems to Mon.

Looking at surface features, the Saturday frontal band should see
winds ahead of it to 30 to 35 kt, mainly for the southern outer
waters. Expect that winds over the southern and central panhandle
will be locally breezy as well.

The initial frontal band Friday night into Saturday will spread
some light rain in, however, it is the follow up wave that joins
the front Saturday morning that will bring better moisture to the
event. This new low will usher in the better rainfall totals for
the panhandle for Saturday and Sunday. A brief lull may occur late
Sunday into early Memorial Day holiday, although expect the
remaining showers to persist while diminishing. Incoming for later
Monday is another trough that moved around the south side of
Bering upper low and moving across the gulf. The potential is
there for some well organized bands of showers to move onshore
Southeast Alaska late Monday into Tuesday.

The longer range forecast solutions hint there will be another
quick building ridge over the eastern gulf and panhandle Tuesday
to Wednesday. Followed by another weather front from the
western gulf by the end of the week. Confidence is roughly
average in the extended forecast period.

&&

.AJK Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
PUBLIC...None.
MARINE...None.

&&

CC/Bezenek

Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 3:48 AM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK12 hr
May 22, 5:16 AM AKDTFrost AdvisoryAJK3 hr
May 22, 3:23 PM AKDTGale WarningAJK24 hr
May 22, 3:24 PM AKDTGale WarningAJK36 hr
May 22, 3:24 PM AKDTGale WarningAJK36 hr
May 22, 3:24 PM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAJK48 hr

Nearby

Gale Warnings in Alaska, 2020Every gale 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.