Small Craft Advisory 54, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST SAT JAN 15 2005

.DISCUSSION...

STRONG BLOCKING RIDGE OVER EXTREME EASTERN SIBERIA REMAINS THE
DOMINANT FEATURE AFFECTING ALASKA WITH RIDGELINE STRETCHING SOUTHEAST
ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA. PRECIPITATION STREAMING NORTHWEST ACROSS
MOST OF THE DOMAIN TO THE SOUTH OF THE RIDGE AXIS. AIRMASS REMAINS
UNSEASONABLY WARM WITH WITH TEMPERATURES NOW ABOVE FREEZING AS FAR
NORTH AS A  PAIL TO KUSKOKWIM BAY. A MIXTURE OF RAIN AND SNOW IS
FALLING ALONG THE LINE WITH RAIN TO THE SOUTH. THOUGH SNOW IS
GENERALLY FALLING IN THE COLD AIR IT IS OCCASIONALLY MIXED WITH
FREEZING RAIN BECAUSE THE COLD AIR IS SO SHALLOW.

HOWEVER TH RIDGE AXIS SHOULD BEGIN A SLOW SOUTHWARD DRIFT TONIGHT IN
RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW DRIVING SOUTHEAST OUT OF THE ARCTIC. HEIGHTS
WILL SAG AND PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO FROZEN EAST OF COLD BAY TO
NUNIVAK ISLAND BEFORE ENDING OVERNIGHT IN THE DRYING AIRMASS. WARM
AIR SHOULD REMAIN OVER THE CENTRAL BERING AND ALEUTIANS.  PRESSURE
GRADIENTS WILL BEGIN RELAXING OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND WINDS WILL
COME DOWN SLOWLY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALES 5A..6A..8..12A..13B..14..15.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

CAS JAN 05