Small Craft Advisory 217, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 AM AST FRI MAR 11 2005

.DISCUSSION...

988 MB LOW ABOUT 120 NM NORTHWEST OF ANCHORAGE RAPIDLY DISSIPATING
BUT SIGNIFICANT TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE
SUSITNA VALLEY AND COPPER RIVER BASIN. RADAR SHOWS NUMEROUS BANDS OF
MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS. ECHO RETURNS SLOWLY WEAKENING.

A 1029 MB HIGH 900 NM SOUTH OF MIDDLETON ISLAND WILL STRENGTHEN TO
1043 MB 330 NM EAST OF MIDDLETON ISLAND SAT NIGHT. THE SHARP CONTRAST
OF LOWER PRESSURE INLAND WITH HIGHER PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE
GULF IS ALREADY YIELDING STRONG GUSTY SOUTHEAST WINDS ACROSS MUCH
OF SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA. ESPECIALLY FOR TURNAGAIN
ARM...PORTAGE VALLEY...ANCHORAGE HILLSIDE...AND GULKANA. LLWS
CURRENTLY AN ISSUE AT PANC PABE AND PAKN. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH
SIGNIFICANTLY THIS AFTERNOON THEN REDEVELOP OVERNIGHT.

LONGER TERM...HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN OVER SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA.
MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES BEGINNING MONDAY. DIURNAL FREEZE THAW PATTERN
CONTINUES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS AND BEYOND.

MEANWHILE A LARGE 969 MB LOW 270 NM SOUTHWEST OF DUTCH HARBOR WILL
WEAKEN TO 1011 MB 210 NM NORTH OF SAINT PAUL SAT NIGHT.
STRONG ROTATION AROUND THE LOW CURRENTLY IN CENTRAL ALEUTIANS...BUT
WINDING DOWN. GALE FORCE WINDS TODAY FOR THE WESTERN MARINE ZONES
FROM 12A EASTWARD.

LITTLE TIME BETWEEN SYSTEMS. NEXT LOW IS A LARGE 957 MB THAT WILL
BE 600 NM WEST OF SHEMYA SAT NIGHT AND AND OVER SIBERIA BY TUE
MORNING. ASSOCIATED OCCLUDED FRONT MOVES FROM SHEMYA TO COLD BAY
BETWEEN SAT EVENING AND MON MORNING.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE 3B 5A 5B 6A 6B 8 12A
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

ASB MAR 05