Gale Warning 106, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
511 AM AST THU DEC 1 2005

.DISCUSSION...

ALOFT...BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN ALASKA WILL HOLD
IN PLACE THROUGH SATURDAY THEN POSSIBLY BEGIN A RETREAT NORTH
WESTWARD ON SUNDAY AS PACIFIC HIGH BUILDS NORTH OVER THE GULF OF
ALASKA. LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER RUSSIA ON
THURSDAY WILL DRIFT WEST.

SURFACE...A 1008 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA
WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH SATURDAY THEN DISSIPATE ON
SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE OVER EASTERN RUSSIA NEAR 66 NORTH AND 161
EAST WILL PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY. A TROUGH EXTENDING FROM LOW PRESSURE
OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA TO THE CHUKCHI SEA WILL PERSIST THROUGH
FRIDAY.

NORTH SLOPE...WINDS WILL BE MAINLY NORTH TODAY. THE BEAUFORT SEA COAST
WILL HAVE SOME WEST WINDS DUE TO WEAK LOW PRESSURE NEAR MACKENZIE
BAY. ALL WINDS...EXCEPT NEAR CAPE LISBURNE...WILL BE BELOW
ADVISORY LEVELS. FLURRIES WILL PERSIST.

WEST COAST...AS WITH NORTH SLOPE...THERE WILL ALSO BE NORTH WINDS
AND FLURRIES. WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST OVER POINT HOPE AND WILL BE
AT ADVISORY LEVELS OVER MARINE AREAS SOUTH THROUGH BERING STRAIT
TO SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND MARINE AREA. DRIER AND CALMER CONDITIONS
WILL BEGIN ON SATURDAY WITH HIGH OVER RUSSIA RETROGRADING
WESTWARD. SIGNIFICANT SNOW MAY OCCUR EARLY NEXT WEEK(SEE INTERIOR
DISCUSSION).

INTERIOR...AREAL COVERAGE OF FLURRIES WILL CONTINUE DECREASING
THROUGH FRIDAY. THE WEEKEND WILL BE DRY. A THREAT OF SIGNIFICANT
SNOW ACCUMULATION APPEARS ON THE HORIZON FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK AS
PACIFIC RIDGE BUILDS NORTH OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA AND
UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NORTHERN BERING SEA PROVIDES AMPLIFICATION
WITH POSSIBLE SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPING. THIS IS A DIFFERENT
PATTERN THAN WAS PRESENTED BY PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS AND WILL
THEREFORE HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR BETTER RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ210.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ220-PKZ225.
&&

DEC 05