Alert archive / Alaska / Small Craft Advisories in 2021

Small Craft Advisory 193, NWS Fairbanks, AK

November 9, 2021

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this small craft advisory at Nov 9, 2021, 3:06 PM AKST. It was in force for 23 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 9, 2021, 3:06 PM AKST (00:06 UTC)
Expired
Nov 10, 2021, 2:34 PM AKST
In force
23 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

As transmitted.

216 
FZAK51 PAFG 100006
CWFNSB

Coastal Waters Forecast for Arctic Alaska
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

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.

PKZ298-101515-
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A broad area of weak low pressure will persist over the Southern Bering
Sea with high pressure centered near Banks Island and Northern Alaska
moves slowly to the east. Another trough of low pressure will form east
of Kaktovik Wednesday night and drift north Thursday.

$$

PKZ225-101515-
Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort-
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Seas 9 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.WED...E winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.WED NIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.THU...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.THU NIGHT...W winds 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.FRI...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. 
.FRI NIGHT...S winds 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. Freezing spray. 
.SAT...SE winds 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.SUN...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.  

$$

PKZ230-101515-
Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin-
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft subsiding. Freezing fog.
Heavy freezing spray. 
.WED...E winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.WED NIGHT...E winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.THU...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU NIGHT...SW winds 10 kt. Seas 6 ft. 
.FRI...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 7 ft. 
.SAT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft. 
.SUN...N winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft.  

$$

PKZ235-101515-
Point Franklin to Cape Halkett-
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.WED...NE winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.WED NIGHT...NE winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU...N winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. 
.FRI...NW winds 15 kt. 
.FRI NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. 
.SAT...W winds 10 kt. 
.SUN...NW winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ240-101515-
Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island-
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.WED...E winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.WED NIGHT...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.THU...N winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.FRI...W winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray.
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SAT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SUN...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.  

$$

PKZ245-101515-
Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point-
306 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...E winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.WED...E winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.WED NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.THU...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU NIGHT...W winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.FRI...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray.
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SAT...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. 
.SUN...W winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft.  

$$

Nov 21
2 follow-up statements
359 
FZAK51 PAFG 101052
CWFNSB

Coastal Waters Forecast for Arctic Alaska
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

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.

PKZ298-110315-
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
High pressure centered near Banks Island and Northern Alaska 
moves east and weakens today as a 1010 mb low forms near
Demarcation Point this afternoon then moves to 100 nm north of
Point Thompson at 1006 mb Thu. The low will move north into the
high Arctic and weaken Fri, but a trough of low pressure will 
remain over the eastern Arctic coast.

$$

PKZ225-110315-
Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort-
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE
THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...E winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.TONIGHT...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.THU...N winds 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.THU NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.FRI...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SAT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SUN...SE winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.  

$$

PKZ230-110315-
Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin-
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING...

.TODAY...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft subsiding. Freezing fog. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.TONIGHT...E winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU...NE winds 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU NIGHT...N winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.FRI...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. 
.SAT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SUN...E winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.  

$$

PKZ235-110315-
Point Franklin to Cape Halkett-
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

.TODAY...NE winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.TONIGHT...NE winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU...N winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU NIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. 
.FRI...NW winds 20 kt. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. 
.SAT...W winds 10 kt. 
.SUN...W winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ240-110315-
Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island-
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING...

.TODAY...NE winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft subsiding. Freezing fog. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.TONIGHT...N winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU NIGHT...W winds 25 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.FRI...W winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Heavy freezing spray.
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SAT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.SUN...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft.  

$$

PKZ245-110315-
Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point-
152 AM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

.TODAY...E winds 25 kt. Freezing fog. 
.TONIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU...W winds 25 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU NIGHT...SW winds 25 kt. 
.FRI...SW winds 25 kt. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. 
.SAT...W winds 20 kt. 
.SUN...W winds 15 kt.  

$$

Nov 21
413 
FZAK51 PAFG 102334
CWFNSB

Coastal Waters Forecast for Arctic Alaska
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

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.

PKZ298-111530-
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A 1010 mb low near the Demarcation Point moves to 100 nm north of
Point Thompson as 1008 mb by Thu. The low will move north into 
the high Arctic and weaken Fri, but a trough of low pressure will 
remain over the eastern Arctic coast.

$$

PKZ225-111530-
Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort-
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING...

.TONIGHT...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft subsiding. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.THU...N winds 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. 
.THU NIGHT...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray. 
.FRI...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.FRI NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 2 ft. 
.SAT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SAT NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SUN...SE winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.MON...NE winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft.  

$$

PKZ230-111530-
Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin-
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING...

.TONIGHT...E winds 15 kt. Seas 2 ft subsiding. Freezing fog.
Heavy freezing spray. 
.THU...NE winds 10 kt. Seas 1 foot. Freezing fog. 
.THU NIGHT...N winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. 
.FRI...NW winds 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Heavy freezing
spray. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 10 kt. Seas 2 ft. 
.SAT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray. 
.SAT NIGHT...S winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing spray. 
.SUN...E winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.MON...N winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft.  

$$

PKZ235-111530-
Point Franklin to Cape Halkett-
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

.TONIGHT...NE winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU...N winds 15 kt. Freezing fog. Snow.
.THU NIGHT...NW winds 20 kt. Freezing fog and blowing snow. 
.FRI...NW winds 20 kt. Freezing fog and blowing snow. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. 
.SAT...W winds 10 kt. 
.SAT NIGHT...W winds 10 kt. 
.SUN...W winds 15 kt. 
.MON...N winds 15 kt.  

$$

PKZ240-111530-
Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island-
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...NE winds 15 kt. Seas 2 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.THU...NW winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog. Snow. Heavy
freezing spray. 
.THU NIGHT...W winds 25 kt. Seas 4 ft. Freezing fog and blowing
snow. Heavy freezing spray. 
.FRI...W winds 25 kt. Seas 3 ft. Freezing fog and blowing snow.
Heavy freezing spray. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SAT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SAT NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Heavy freezing spray. 
.SUN...W winds 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. 
.MON...NW winds 15 kt. Seas 6 ft.  

$$

PKZ245-111530-
Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point-
234 PM AKST Wed Nov 10 2021

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

.TONIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Freezing fog. 
.THU...W winds 25 kt. Freezing fog and blowing snow. 
.THU NIGHT...SW winds 25 kt. Blowing snow and freezing fog. 
.FRI...SW winds 25 kt. Blowing snow and freezing fog. 
.FRI NIGHT...W winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.SAT...W winds 20 kt. Blowing snow. 
.SAT NIGHT...W winds 15 kt. 
.SUN...W winds 15 kt. 
.MON...W winds 20 kt.  

$$

Nov 21

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this small craft advisory 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 small craft advisory went out at Nov 9, 12:05 PM AKST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 9, 12:05 PM AKST, 3 hours 1 minute before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1205 PM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

.SYNOPSIS...
Cold upper level trough will continue to dominate Northern Alaska
with partly to mostly cloudy skies flurries, and normal to below
normal temperatures through the end of the week. Gusty winds over
the Interior Highway Summits which continue to produce lower
visibilities in blowing snow and low wind chills will diminish
late tonight and Wednesday morning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Upper Levels and Analysis...
Quiet conditions continue across Northern Alaska this afternoon
with a weak 512 dam low, at 500 mb, centered over the Central
Interior. This low continues to drift west and then southwest to
the lower Yukon Valley by Wednesday afternoon and into the Gulf of
Alaska over the weekend. A weak shortwave will rotate north along
the eastern peripheral of this low, increasing the chances of
light snow across the Eastern Interior from the Fortymile Country
north to the Brooks Range and then to the Beaufort Sea Coast by
Thursday morning. Elsewhere, a 540 dam high over the Beaufort,
with ridging extending southwest across the Chukchi Sea into the
Northern Bering will weaken today as it drifts slowly north.

Model Discussion...
The 9/12z model suite initialized well against both the 12z
surface analysis and 12z upper air observations and also verified
well against the 18z surface analysis. The models are in general
good agreement on the evolution of features on the synoptic scale
over the next several days. The main challenge in the forecast
remains cloud cover and associated low temperatures. We made
limited changes to the inherited forecast for this afternoon's
forecast package.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
Satellite imagery this afternoon reveals a mix of mostly clear
skies and mostly cloudy areas mostly along the Arctic Coast.
Clouds continue to move in from the east and will push over most
of the North Slope by this evening. Expect the clouds and flurries
to remain over the region into Thursday. Wednesday afternoon into
Thursday, a shortwave moving north around an upper level low will
bring chances of snow to the Eastern Brooks Range as well as
areas east of Utqiagvik along the Beaufort Coast. Light snow and
gusty westerly winds will increase late Wednesday and into
Thursday and will combine to produce low visibilities along the
Eastern Arctic Coast.

West Coast and Western Interior...
Offshore northeast winds along with colder air will keep continue
conditions dry for most locations through Thursday. Expect lows
to drop into the subzero range, with the coldest temperatures in
interior valleys over the next few nights.

Central and Eastern Interior...
Areas of clouds and a few areas of scattered clouds  over the
Eastern Interior will continue to push west over the Central
Interior this afternoon and into the Western Interior this
evening. Expect highs this afternoon in the single digits above
zero with much the same for Wednesday into Thursday. Lows, will be
highly cloud dependent, areas that remain clear, expect
temperatures to dip into the double digit below zero tonight and
in the single digits above and below zero for locations that
remain mostly cloudy. On Wednesday, as the upper low shifts
westward, southerly flow will develop over the Interior increasing
temperatures slightly for Thursday. In addition, a shortwave will
move north around the low, over the Eastern Interior, bringing
increased cloud cover as well as a chance for light snow, across
the Fortymile Country and Yukon Flats, primarily east and north of
Fairbanks. This south flow will also bring a return of gap winds
through Alaska Range Passes Wednesday into Thursday. Elsewhere,
breezy northeasterly winds, over the higher terrain of the Central
and Eastern Interior north of Fairbanks, will persist through late
tonight and then diminish Wednesday morning. These gusty winds
may create areas of blowing snow that could impact travel along
highway summits north of Fairbanks.

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

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ200-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230-
PKZ240-PKZ245.

Small Craft Advisory for PKZ225.
&&

CCC NOV 21

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 9, 11:44 AM AKST, 3 hours 22 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1144 AM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

AKZ219>221-101500-
Upper Koyukuk Valley-Yukon Flats and Surrounding Uplands-
Central Interior-
Including Allakaket, Hughes, Bettles, Caribou Mountain,
Gobblers Knob, Fort Yukon, Venetie, Central, Circle,
Stevens Village, Beaver, Chalkyitsik, Birch Creek,
Circle Hot Springs, Eagle Summit, Twelvemile Summit, Nenana,
Anderson, Tanana, Minto, Manley Hot Springs, Rampart,
Lake Minchumina, and Livengood
1144 AM AKST Tue Nov 9 2021

...WINDY ALONG WITH AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW OVER
HIGHWAY SUMMITS...

Northeast winds gusting to 30 mph are causing areas of blowing
and drifting snow along with decreased visibility over the
Steese, Elliot, and Dalton Highway Summits. The worst conditions
are above 2000 feet at locations such as at Eagle Summit,
Twelvemile Summit, Ptarmagin Pass, and Finger Mountain.

Strong winds along with areas of blowing and drifting snow are
expected to continue over the Dalton Highway Summits near Finger
Mountain through late tonight, and then decrease Wednesday morning.
The stronger winds, blowing and drifting snow, are expected to
decrease this evening over the Steese and Elliot Highway Summits.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 9, 3:07 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG11 hr
Nov 10, 2:34 PM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG62 hr
Nov 10, 2:34 PM AKSTHeavy Freezing Spray WarningAFG70 hr

Nearby

Small Craft Advisories in Alaska, 2021Every small craft advisory in 2021

Sources

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