Alert archive / Alaska / High Wind Warnings in 2023

High Wind Warning 3, NWS Anchorage, AK

January 27, 2023

NWS Anchorage, AK issued this high wind warning at Jan 27, 2023, 3:07 PM AKST. It took effect at Jan 28, 2023, 12:00 PM AKST. It was in force for 18 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
Jan 27, 2023, 3:07 PM AKST (00:07 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 28, 2023, 12:00 PM AKST
Expired
Jan 29, 2023, 6:00 AM AKST
In force
18 hr
Issued by
NWS Anchorage, AK

The text

As transmitted.

535 
WWAK72 PAFC 280007
NPWALU

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
307 PM AKST Fri Jan 27 2023

AKZ191-281400-
/O.UPG.PAFC.HW.A.0002.230128T2100Z-230129T1800Z/
/O.NEW.PAFC.HW.W.0003.230128T2100Z-230129T2100Z/
Western Aleutians-
Including the city of Shemya and Amchitka
307 PM AKST Fri Jan 27 2023

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON SATURDAY TO NOON AKST
SUNDAY...

* WHAT...South winds 50 to 65 mph with gusts up to 75 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Western Aleutians.

* WHEN...From noon Saturday to noon AKST Sunday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property, 

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A period of strong east to southeasterly 
  winds will accompany a deep North Pacific low as its front 
  pushes across the western Aleutians Saturday afternoon through 
  Sunday morning. Gusts up to 75 mph remain forecast, though 
  expect winds to diminish somewhat Saturday evening as southerly 
  winds along the front shift to southwesterly on the south side 
  of the passing low through early Sunday morning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown
around or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

For more information from the National Weather Service visit
https://weather.gov/afc
4 follow-up statements
644 
WWAK72 PAFC 281315
NPWALU

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
415 AM AKST Sat Jan 28 2023

AKZ191-290200-
/O.EXT.PAFC.HW.W.0003.230128T2100Z-230129T1500Z/
Western Aleutians-
Including the city of Shemya and Amchitka
415 AM AKST Sat Jan 28 2023

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM AKST
SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Winds 50 to 70 mph with gusts up to 80 mph expected.

* WHERE...Western Aleutians.

* WHEN...From noon today to 6 AM AKST Sunday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property,.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Strong southeasterly winds will begin this
  afternoon. After a brief break in the late afternoon and
  evening, winds will shift southwesterly and gust as high as 75 
  mph through early Sunday morning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown
around or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

For more information from the National Weather Service visit
https://weather.gov/afc
676 
WWAK72 PAFC 281320 CCA
NPWALU

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE...CORRECTED
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
420 AM AKST Sat Jan 28 2023

AKZ191-290200-
/O.COR.PAFC.HW.W.0003.230128T2100Z-230129T1500Z/
Western Aleutians-
Including the city of Shemya and Amchitka
420 AM AKST Sat Jan 28 2023

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM AKST
SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Winds 50 to 70 mph with gusts up to 80 mph expected.

* WHERE...Western Aleutians.

* WHEN...From noon today to 6 AM AKST Sunday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris and damage property.
  Travel could be difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Strong southeasterly winds will begin this
  afternoon. After a brief break in the late afternoon and
  evening, winds will shift southwesterly and gust as high as 75 
  mph through early Sunday morning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown
around or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

For more information from the National Weather Service visit
https://weather.gov/afc
617 
WWAK72 PAFC 290108
NPWALU

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
408 PM AKST Sat Jan 28 2023

AKZ191-291500-
/O.CON.PAFC.HW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-230129T1500Z/
Western Aleutians-
Including the city of Shemya and Amchitka
408 PM AKST Sat Jan 28 2023

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Winds 50 to 70 mph with gusts up to 80 mph expected.

* WHERE...Western Aleutians.

* WHEN...From noon today to 6 AM AKST Sunday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris and damage 
  property. Travel could be difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Strong southeasterly winds are developing
  across the Western Aleutians this afternoon with gusts over 70 
  mph already observed in Shemya. Winds will continue to increase 
  through the evening hours before temporarily subsiding as 
  southeasterly winds shift to southwesterly with the passage of 
  the upper low. After a brief break in winds, southwesterly gusts
  to as high as 75 mph are expected to develop after midnight, 
  gradually tapering off through the early morning hours on 
  Sunday.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown
around or damaged by the wind.

&&

$$

For more information from the National Weather Service visit
https://weather.gov/afc
432 
WWAK72 PAFC 291503
NPWALU

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
603 AM AKST Sun Jan 29 2023

AKZ191-291615-
/O.EXP.PAFC.HW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-230129T1500Z/
Western Aleutians-
Including the city of Shemya and Amchitka
603 AM AKST Sun Jan 29 2023

...HIGH WIND WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

Gusts to 75 mph are no longer expected. However, elevated winds 
up to 45 mph with gusts up to 60 mph will persist through Monday.

$$

For more information from the National Weather Service visit
https://weather.gov/afc

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 Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this high wind warning went out at Jan 27, 5:59 AM AKST, 9 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 27, 5:59 AM AKST, 9 hours 8 minutes before
Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
559 AM AKST Fri Jan 27 2023

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...

This morning, a longwave trough is situated with its axis near
the Kamchatka Peninsula, while a ridge is located to the east,
building into southern mainland Alaska from the Northeast
Pacific. This configuration puts a southerly jet streak, and
associated plume of moist, warm air (evident on satellite imagery)
over the eastern Bering Sea taking aim at Southwest Alaska. A warm
front, pushing north across the Alaska Peninsula is bringing rain
there this morning before it is set to produce freezing rain and
mixed precipitation types once it reaches the Southwest coast
later today. A mid-level shortwave ridge out ahead of the warm
front is allowing a cirrus-free glimpse of patchy stratus
lingering around the southern mainland in weak flow. Generally
calm conditions are present over Southcentral, where temperatures
have broadly fallen back below freezing, with the exception of
coastal locations within the fjords of Prince William Sound.
Underneath the building ridge, low stratus is abundant across the
Gulf of Alaska, with some locations along the coast reporting
overcast ceilings below 1000 ft. Out west, a complex low within
the longwave trough is affecting the central and western Bering
Sea/Aleutians. Disturbances embedded within this low are bringing
periods of shower activity (mostly snow) to the islands as they
rotate around the low center.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...

Models remain in good synoptic agreement through the short term.
There continues to be small-scale differences in the northward
extent of the warm air later today, so there remains some
uncertainty with what locations within the Kuskokwim Delta and
Lower Kuskokwim Valley will see freezing rain and for how long.
The NAM continues to depict a warmer solution than other models.
There is increased agreement with regards to the placement of
precipitation, especially with the evolution of the front Friday
night into Saturday over Southwest Alaska. Going into Sunday and
Monday, there is good agreement that another surge of warm air
will bring more widespread rain chances to Southwest Alaska and
parts of Southcentral.

&&

.AVIATION...

PANC...With light winds expected through the forecast period,
stratus is expected to stick around. This will keep ceilings VFR
(below 5000 ft) to MVFR through the morning hours. The best chance
for this stratus to disperse will be during the afternoon and into
the evening, before ceilings are expected to decrease again with
the onset of potential shower activity late tonight and continuing
into Saturday.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3/Today
through Sunday night)...

A ridge of high pressure centered over mainland Alaska and the
Gulf of Alaska will strengthen through Saturday, then weaken and
shift eastward on Sunday. Warm air will ride up the west side of
the ridge today then curve eastward over top of the ridge and
across Southcentral Alaska tonight. A reinforcing shot of warm air
will move in on Saturday. The warm air will ride up and over the
cold air in place, leading to strengthening temperature
inversions. Expect temperatures to rise above freezing in the
mountains - roughly from around 1500 to 5000 feet - and perhaps
higher across the Kenai . Temperatures at sea level will remain
at or below freezing. Expect variable cloudiness across the region
as clouds move around the ridge. Areas of low clouds in place
this morning, namely in the Cook Inlet region will likely persist
as temperature inversions strengthen. In addition, there could be
localized areas of fog.

The initial warm front will bring some light rain to Kodiak
Island today. Behind the front, a steep inversion will quickly
lead to development of very low clouds and fog. As the warm air
overruns Southcentral, there could be some patchy light
precipitation tonight into Saturday morning. The most likely spot
seems to be the west side of the Talkeetna Mountains, with weak
upslope contributing to upward vertical motion. Otherwise, expect
mostly dry conditions through Saturday night. A series of short-
waves lifting up the west side of the ridge will ultimately cause
it to weaken and shift eastward, allowing light precipitation to
overspread the region Sunday through Sunday night. The big
forecast challenge will be precipitation type. The airmass in
place will have cooled a bit from the peak of warmth Friday night
through Saturday night. However, all indications are that there
will still be a layer of above freezing temperatures from the
Kenai Peninsula to Anchorage. Surface temperatures will likely
be right around the freezing mark, so freezing rain is a
possibility.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (Days 1 and 2)...

The forecast remains largely on track. The primary concern over
the short-term continues to be freezing rain over much of
Southwest Alaska, from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Kuskokwim
Delta, Lower Kuskokwim Valley, and Bristol Bay. The biggest
changes to the forecast package overnight have been to increase
precipitation amounts given increasing forecast confidence. As
such, forecast snow and ice amounts have increased for the Lower
Kuskokwim Valley and Bristol Bay.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 and 2)...

The forecast remains largely on track. The big story is a strong
low that will impact the Western Aleutians and Bering Sea from
Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. A High Wind Watch is in
effect for the Western Aleutians as winds look to be sustained at
storm force, with hurricane force gusts possible. This could be a
one-two punch as the initial front brings strong southeasterly
winds Saturday afternoon, followed by the potential for strong
southwesterly winds enhanced by cold advection on the back side
of the low from late Saturday night through Sunday morning.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Monday through Thursday)...

A relatively active weather pattern is in store for the upcoming
workweek. The long term forecast begins on Monday with an upper-
level ridge slowly exiting the Southern Mainland to the southeast
while an area of high pressure breaks off and heads to the
northwest. An upper trough over the Bering and Aleutians pushes
east and aids in breaking down the ridge. The main forecast
uncertainties lie with how the models decide to handle various
upper-level disturbances embedded within the trough. Nonetheless,
there is general consensus for a Western Bering surface front and
a low near the Alaska Peninsula to spread precipitation across
much of the Bering/Aleutians and Southern Mainland, respectively,
through the week as they track eastward. Southwest Alaska is
expected to experience above normal temperatures roughly through
Tuesday, which would promote the potential for mixed
precipitation across the region. Winds up to gale-force are
anticipated to accompany the Bering front, while winds with the
low should remain at or below small craft. Another low is
advertised to approach the Aleutians from the North Pacific on
Tuesday night into Wednesday. Beyond this time, however,
confidence with the low track decreases significantly.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...High Wind Watch 191.
         Winter Weather Advisory 152 155 161.
MARINE...Storm Warning 177 178.
         Gale Warning 411.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...CQ
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...SEB
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...KC
LONG TERM...AF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 28, 3:34 AM AKSTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFC71 hr

Nearby

High Wind Warnings in Alaska, 2023Every high wind warning in 2023

Sources

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