Small Craft Advisory 10, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 AM AST TUE JAN 4 2005

.DISCUSSION...
.DISCUSSION...
A HUGE 123 KT JET STREAK IS OVER THE ALEUTIAN RANGE AND WESTERN
ALASKA RANGE THIS MORNING. THIS CONTINUES TO DRIVE MOIST AIR WITH
TROPICAL ORIGINS INTO THE STATE. WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER
THE PANHANDLE... THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT OVER
SOUTHCENTRAL. THIS COMBINED WITH TREMENDOUS JET SUPPORT MEANS OUR
WARNING CRITERIA WINDS CONTINUE FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
ANCHORAGE AREA AND TURNAGAIN ARM THIS MORNING. A THE SURFACE FRONT
MOVES OVER SOUTHCENTRAL THIS AFTERNOON... WINDS WILL DIMINISH. THE
SOUTHERLY FETCH CONTINUES TO PRODUCING FREEZING RAIN AND HEAVY SNOW
IN THE SUSITNA VALLEY... WHICH SHOULD TAPER TO SHOWERS LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT MOVES EAST. RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES... WILL
CONTINUE IN SOUTHEAST PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND THROUGH TONIGHT WITH SNOW
ENDING IN VALDEZ THIS EVENING.

FURTHER WEST... THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY CONTINUES TO SEE LIGHT SNOW
SHOWERS THIS MORNING... THOUGH THEIR ASTONISHING TWO-FOOT SNOWFALL
EVENT IS WINDING DOWN SINCE THE FRONT HAS PASSED TO THE EAST OF
MCGRATH. ANOTHER SHOT OF SNOW IS LIKELY TOMORROW THROUGH AMOUNTS WILL
NOT BE NEARLY AS SIGNIFICANT.  A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IS BUILDING
OVER THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALEUTIANS... THOUGH MOST OF THE BERING
WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SNOW SHOWERS IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION. A LOW
300 NM NORTHWEST OF SHEMYA WILL MOVE OVER SAINT LAWRENCE
ISLAND TUE EVENING. THIS COMBINED WITH THE RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE
CENTRAL ALEUTIANS - ALASKA PENINSULA WILL KEEP GALES IN THE FORECAST
FOR THE NORTHERN 1/2 OF THE BERING AND OVER THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS
THROUGH TONIGHT. GALES ALSO FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF THE K-DELTA FOR
TONIGHT. ANOTHER WAVE WILL MOVE IN TO THE WEST OF SHEMYA TONIGHT AND
TOMORROW - POSSIBLY STORM FORCE AND POSSIBLY HURRICANE FORCE WINDS T0
THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WED AND WED NIGHT WHILE MOST OF THE BERING AND
THE REMAINDER OF THE ALEUTIANS WILL SEE A RELATIVELY CALM PERIOD
UNDER THE RIDGE.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...WINTER STORM WARNING 145
         HIGH WIND WARNING 101
MARINE...STORM WARNING...13B
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING...8 14
         GALE WARNING...8 13A 14
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

AMF JAN 05

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1112 AM AST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1108 AM     HEAVY SNOW       15 W TRAPPER CREEK      62.24N 150.88W
01/04/2005  0.0 INCH                            AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

            CO-OP OBSERVER REPORTED 35 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST
            24 HOURS.

&&

AB

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1132 AM AST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1120 AM     HEAVY SNOW       50 SW CANTWELL          62.86N 150.04W
01/04/2005  18.0 INCH                           AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

            CO-OP OBSERVER LOCATED AT MILE 156 ON PARKS HIGHWAY
            REPORTED 18 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST 24 HOURS.

&&

AB

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1146 AM AST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1000 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST ANCHORAGE               61.18N 149.19W
01/03/2005  81 MPH                              AK   CO-OP OBSERVER

            CO-OP OBSERVER LOCATED AT GLEN ALPS REPORTED OCCASIONAL
            GUSTS ON THE 3RD ABOVE 70 MPH WITH PEAK GUST OF 81 MPH.

&&

AB

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1254 PM AST TUE JAN 04 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG EAGLE RIVER             61.32N 149.57W
01/03/2005                                      AK   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC LOCATED NEAR INTERSECTION OF YOSEMITE DRIVE AND
            YELLOWSTONE DRIVE REPORTED OVERNIGHT WINDS TOOK SHINGLES
            OFF ROOF.

&&

AB