Small Craft Advisory 228, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...RETRANSMISSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
1045 AM AST WED MAR 16 2005

.DISCUSSION...SUNNY AND MILD WITH TEMPERATURES AT OR ABOVE NORMAL FOR
THE REST OF THIS WEEK THEN COOLER AND WINDIER WEATHER DEVELOPS OVER
THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK.

FRONT MOVING THRU THE REGION WEDNESDAY MORNING IS DRY BUT SNOW IS
FALLING ALONG THE WEST SLOPES OF THE ALASKA RANGE AS THE UPPER TROUGH
AXIS AND SWINGS THROUGH. THIS WILL END FROM THE WEST DURING THE
AFTERNOON AS HIGHER PRESSURE BUILDS IN BEHIND. WITH THIS SURFACE HIGH
BUILDING OVER THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY LOWER CLOUDS AND FOG WILL
DISSIPATE ACROSS THE DELTAS AND BRISTOL BAY DUE TO INCREASING
OFFSHORE FLOW. THAT SHOULD OCCUR LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
OTHERWISE, HIGH PRESSURE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE ALASKA MAINLAND FOR
THE NEXT 5 DAYS WHICH WILL KEEP THE PRECIPITATION ALONG THE ALASKA
PENINSULA AND WEST.

STRONG LOW SOUTH OF THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS TO REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY
WHICH WILL ALLOW UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO BUILD IN STRONGLY OVER MAINLAND
ALASKA BY FRIDAY MORNING. AGAIN THIS CHANGE IN THE PATTERN WILL
RESULT IN WINDY AND WET WEATHER FOR THE ALASKA PENINSULA, PRIBILOF
ISLANDS AND ALEUTIANS WHILE EVERYONE EAST OF THOSE AREAS WILL SEE
MAXIMUM DAYTIME SUNSHINE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE FIRST OF
NEXT WEEK.

BLUSTERY WINDS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALONG THE CHANNELED AREAS OF
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND THE NORTH GULF COAST TONIGHT AS THE HIGH
BUILDS INTO THE COPPER RIVER BASIN. AT THIS POINT WIND GUSTS SHOULD
BE UNDER ADVISORY LEVEL (45 MPH). SATURDAY THE UPPER HIGH RETREATS TO
THE WEST COAST AND A NORTHERLY JET FORMS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
RIDGE FROM THE ARCTIC SOUTHWARD INTO THE GULF. THIS MEANS SURFACE
WINDS WILL INCREASE MARKEDLY SATURDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS OF 60-65 MPH
POSSIBLE FOR THE MATANUSKA VALLEY, PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND THE NORTH
GULF COAST. BLOWING DUST A GOOD BET FOR THE MATANUSKA VALLEY.

MODELS NOT VERY CONSISTENT FROM ONE RUN TO THE NEXT BEYOND 5 DAYS BUT
THE DRY, WINDY AND COLDER PATTERN WILL LIKELY HOLD INTO THE MIDDLE OF
NEXT WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE AREAS 5B..12A..12A1..12B..13A.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

PERCY MAR 05