Alert archive / Alaska / High Wind Warnings in 2025

High Wind Warning 2, NWS Fairbanks, AK

January 5, 2025North Slope Borough, Alaska

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this high wind warning at Jan 5, 2025, 12:09 PM AKST for North Slope Borough, Alaska. It took effect at Jan 6, 2025, 6:00 PM AKST. 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
Jan 5, 2025, 12:09 PM AKST (21:09 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 6, 2025, 6:00 PM AKST
Expired
Jan 7, 2025, 5:51 PM AKST
In force
24 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

County North Slope Borough, AK

The nearest sounding before it

Point Barrow, (PBRW), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 288 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Point Barrow, at 12:00Z on 2025-01-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Point Barrow, at 12:00Z on 2025-01-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -12 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
898 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

986 
WWAK71 PAFG 052109
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1209 PM AKST Sun Jan 5 2025

AKZ801-061600-
/O.UPG.PAFG.HW.A.0002.250107T0300Z-250108T0600Z/
/O.NEW.PAFG.HW.W.0002.250107T0300Z-250108T0600Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
1209 PM AKST Sun Jan 5 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM MONDAY TO 9 PM AKST
TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Western Arctic Coast.

* WHEN...From 6 PM Monday to 9 PM AKST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property 
  and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult especially 
  for high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
7 follow-up statements
278 
WWAK71 PAFG 052130 AAA
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
1230 PM AKST Sun Jan 5 2025

AKZ801-061600-
/O.CON.PAFG.HW.W.0002.250107T0300Z-250108T0600Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
1230 PM AKST Sun Jan 5 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM MONDAY TO 9 PM
AKST TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Point Hope.

* WHEN...From 6 PM Monday to 9 PM AKST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property 
  and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult especially 
  for high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
318 
WWAK71 PAFG 061320
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
420 AM AKST Mon Jan 6 2025

AKZ801-070100-
/O.CON.PAFG.HW.W.0002.250107T0300Z-250108T0600Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
420 AM AKST Mon Jan 6 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO
9 PM AKST TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Point Hope.

* WHEN...From 6 PM Monday to 9 PM AKST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property 
  and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult especially 
  for high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
783 
WWAK71 PAFG 062356
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
256 PM AKST Mon Jan 6 2025

AKZ801-071600-
/O.EXT.PAFG.HW.W.0002.250107T0300Z-250108T1200Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
256 PM AKST Mon Jan 6 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM
AKST WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Point Hope.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 3 AM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property and
  cause power outages. Travel will be difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
491 
WWAK71 PAFG 071345
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
445 AM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

AKZ801-080100-
/O.CON.PAFG.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-250108T1200Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
445 AM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM AKST
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Point Hope.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 3 AM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property 
  and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
384 
WWAK71 PAFG 071354
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
454 AM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

AKZ801-080100-
/O.CON.PAFG.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-250108T1200Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
454 AM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM AKST
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Point Hope.

* WHEN...Until 3 AM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property 
  and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
894 
WWAK71 PAFG 072314
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
214 PM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

AKZ801-081200-
/O.CON.PAFG.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-250108T1200Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Hope, Point Lay, and Cape Lisburne
214 PM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM AKST
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Point Hope.

* WHEN...Until 3 AM AKST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...High winds may move loose debris, damage property 
  and cause power outages. Travel will be difficult.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
514 
WWAK71 PAFG 080251
NPWNSB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
551 PM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

AKZ801-080400-
/O.CAN.PAFG.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-250108T1200Z/
Western Arctic Coast-
Including the cities of Point Lay, Cape Lisburne, and Point Hope
551 PM AKST Tue Jan 7 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING IS CANCELLED...

$$

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 Jan 5, 2:56 AM AKST, 9 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 5, 2:56 AM AKST, 9 hours 13 minutes before
Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
256 AM AKST Sun Jan 5 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
The cold weather of the past week is coming to an end with the
arrival of a series of low pressure systems bringing warmer
temperatures, stronger winds, and waves of snow to northern
Alaska for the remainder of this week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Key Messages...

Central and Eastern Interior...
-Warmer this morning with highs near 0, except in the Yukon Flats
 and upper Tanana Valley where highs of -10 to -15 are expected.
 Temperatures further increase into the teens above Monday and
 Tuesday with colder spots reaching near 0 Monday and above 0
 Tuesday.

-The Tanana Valley Jet persists through the end of the week, with
 gusts 45 to 55 mph.

-Gusty southerly gap winds ramp up in the Alaska Range Sunday
 night into Monday afternoon with gusts of 50 to 60 mph in the
 Eastern Alaska Range passes. Winds diminish briefly Monday
 evening and Monday night before ramping up once again Tuesday.

-A wave of snow moves across the Interior this morning through
 Tuesday AM. Highest snow amounts from Arctic Village to near
 Stevens Village where 2 to 3 inches of snow are possible and 3 to
 5 inches in the eastern Alaska Range south of Trims Camp.

-Another wave of snow comes Tuesday night through Thursday. Snow
 will be more widespread than the first wave. With the heaviest
 falling from the Dalton Highway Summits through the Kobuk Valley
 with 5 to 8 inches across 2 and a half days expected. The
 Fairbanks Area south to the Alaska Range will see 1 to 2 inches
 with little to no accumulations for the upper Tanana Valley and
 areas from Eagle south. The Yukon Flats will see between 2 and 4
 inches. Another 3 to 5 inches along the southern slopes of the
 eastern Alaska Range south of Trims Camp is expected.

West Coast and Western Interior...
-Along the coast strong northeasterly winds with gusts of 30 to 40
 mph this morning from the Seward Peninsula south. These winds
 shift more northerly this evening.

-Northerly winds strengthen overnight tonight through the Bering
 Strait and across St. Lawrence Island. Gusts reach 60 to 65 mph
 by Monday morning.

-The first wave of snowfall Sunday PM through Tuesday AM will
 bring an inch or 2 of snow to the western Interior and Y-K Delta.

-The second wave of snowfall Tuesday PM through Thursday AM will
 bring 3 to 4 inches to the Y-K Delta and Western Interior with
 additional snow of 4 to 8 inches In the Kobuk Valley and southern
 Slopes of the Brooks Range.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
-East to northeast winds of 10 to 20 mph persist through the
 weekend Point Barrow east, while near Point Hope northerly winds
 increase to 20 to 30 mph today to near 40 mph with gusts 60 to
 65 mph by Monday morning.

-Temperatures slowly increase through early next week. Lows in
 the teens along the coast and near 30 below across the Arctic
 Plains.

-Snow chances increase Monday through Tuesday from the eastern
 Beaufort Sea coast to the Central Brooks Range. Snow
 accumulations will be limited north of the Brooks Range with 1 to
 2 inches along the Coast and 3 to 5 inches in the Brooks Range.
 The Southern Slopes of the Brooks Range will see more snow with 5
 to 8 inches possible between Coldfoot and Ambler through
 Wednesday night.

Extended Forecast Days 4-7...
-A low pressure system moves into the Gulf of Alaska Wednesday
 night through Thursday as a near 960 mb low, but weakens rapidly
 overnight Thursday as it nears the Southern Coast of Alaska.

-Additional southerly flow will keep temperatures above normal.

-An additional round of snowfall is expected in the Interior with
 this system. Some accumulation is possible from Fairbanks south
 to the Alaska Range, but most of the accumulation will be north
 and west of Fairbanks where moisture from the system will be less
 obstructed by the Alaska Range.

Analysis and Forecast Confidence...
A 970 low south of the Alaskan Peninsula has several less potent
lows moving around it. These lesser lows are rotating into the
Gulf of Alaska Coast bringing waves of snow and strong winds to
the state. By 10pm tonight the more potent low will have moved to
near Unalaska with the first of the notable smaller lows moving
into Kodiak Island as a 977mb low.

This movement is bringing a warm front across the Alaskan
Interior which will increase temperatures and bring snow to the
northern Interior through Monday. Some uncertainty remains with
the exact areas where snow will accumulate from this first wave of
precipitation depending on how quickly the dry air above the
surface fills in with moisture. It is most likely to fall north of
Fairbanks with Fairbanks receiving little, if any, snow from this
first wave.

Afterwards a stronger low with a pressure between 960 and 965 mb
will move into the Gulf of Alaska and make landfall near the Kenai
Peninsula Monday evening through Monday night. There is still
considerably disagreement between several model solutions for the
strength and timing of this low with the 00Z Canadian offering a
solution that splits that feature from a single strong low to 2
weaker lows around 980mb and 985 mbs. For this morning's forecast
we are leaning more towards the GFS/NAM solution of a single low
near 960mb moving near the Kenai Peninsula Monday night to
Tuesday morning bringing heavy snow and strong winds to the Alaska
Range as well as a second round of snow to the Interior.
Widespread snowfall across the Interior is more likely with this
system as the first wave will have significantly diminished the
dry air that would otherwise hinder snowfall. 3 to 5 inches is
generally expected north of Fairbanks with the highest amounts
being along the Dalton Highway Summits through the Kobuk Valley
with total accumulations of 5 to 8 inches.

As this low moves north, it brings warming temperatures and will
bring temperatures near the Alaska Range to near freezing. This
will bring with it a very slight chance for wintry mix Tuesday to
the southern slopes of the Alaska Range. Strong southerly winds
over the Alaska Range will help dry the air from Fairbanks South
to the Alaska Range limiting snowfall amounts. The middle Tanana
Valley will see some light snow from this event likely between 1
and 2 inches. Areas just north of the Alaska Range and in the
Forty Mile Country will remain mostly dry seeing little, if any,
snowfall with accumulations expected under an inch the upper
Tanana Valley and Forty Mile Country.

More lows follow with another near 960 mb low moving into the
Gulf of Alaska Wednesday night into Thursday with a near 970 mb
low moving to near Bristol Bay Friday night. Model spread is
sufficient with these systems to leave details uncertain, but
each of these should bring with them an additional round of
snowfall to the Interior as well as southerly flow and stronger
winds at elevation.

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

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...High Wind Watch for AKZ801.
     Wind Advisory for AKZ849.
     High Wind Watch for AKZ820-827.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ832.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ834.
     Wind Advisory for AKZ837.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ801>803-811-850-853-857.
     Gale Warning for PKZ804-806-807.
     Gale Warning for PKZ805-816-817-851-854.
     Gale Warning for PKZ810-852-856.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ812.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ815.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ851.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ858.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ861.
&&

Stokes

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 5, 2:31 AM AKSTHigh Wind WatchAFGNorth Slope10 hr
Jan 5, 3:05 AM AKSTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG59 hr
Jan 5, 3:05 AM AKSTGale WarningAFG3 days
Jan 5, 11:52 AM AKSTWinter Storm WatchAFGDenali, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area27 hr
Jan 5, 11:55 AM AKSTHigh Wind WatchAFGSoutheast Fairbanks Census Area27 hr
Jan 5, 11:58 AM AKSTHigh Wind WarningAFGNome Census Area54 hr
Jan 5, 1:07 PM AKSTGale WarningAFG26 hr

Nearby

High Wind Warnings in Alaska, 2025Every high wind warning in 2025

Sources

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