Brisk Wind Advisory 46, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
1205 PM AST THU MAR 30 2006

.DISCUSSION...FAIRLY STRONG LOW OFF THE YUKON DELTA COAST MOVING
NORTHWARD TO ST LAWRENCE THIS AFTERNOON. THE ASSOCIATED FRONT MOVING
INTO THE SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING HAS SPREAD LIGHT SNOW WELL INLAND
WITH ECHOES SHOWING UP ON THE KENAI RADAR OVER WESTERN COOK INLET.
BIG RIVER LAKES REPORTING VERY LIGHT SNOW. THERE IS A NARROW AREA OF
STRONG WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT..WITH GUST TO 70 MPH OBSERVED AT CAPE
NEWENHAM THIS MORNING. LOOK FOR WIND SPEEDS IN THE 20 GUST 35 MPH
RANGE WITH POSSIBLE GUSTS 50 MPH IN MORE EXPOSED AREAS..OR CHANNELED
AREAS SUCH AS TURNAGAIN ARM AND PORTAGE VALLEY TONIGHT. WITH
TEMPERATURES COMING ABOVE FREEZING BLOWING SNOW WILL NOT BE MUCH OF A
PROBLEM AND IN THE AREAS THAT REMAIN BELOW FREEZING NOT ENOUGH SNOW
WILL FALL TO REDUCE VISIBILITIES TOO MUCH. SO WE HAVE CANCELLED THE
BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY ZONE 155. EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THE FRONT IS
PRETTY SLOW WITH THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS MOVING ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL THIS
AFTERNOON AND INTO THE YUKON FRI MORNING. LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW SHOULD
BEGIN SOUTH KENAI PEN BY LATE AFTERNOON AND GRADUALLY DEVELOP OVER
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND LATER TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH FRI AS THE
FRONT STALLS OVER THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY AND KENAI PEN. 3 TO 6 INCHES
OF SNOW POSSIBLE IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF WESTERN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
AND THE KENAI PENINSULA. AGAIN AS TEMPERATURES GO ABOVE FREEZING
BLOWING SNOW WONT BE MUCH OF A PROBLEM ALONG THE SEWARD
HIGHWAY..EXCEPT AREAS EITHER SIDE OF TURNAGAIN PASS.

COLDER AIR FROM THE BERING WILL CHANGE ANY RAIN OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS
ACROSS THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA AND BRISTOL BAY TONIGHT WITH
BREEZY..SHOWERY CONDITIONS PERSISTING OUT IN THE ALEUTIANS AND
PRIBILOFS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHUT THE SHOWERS OFF AND DIMINISH THE
WINDS IN THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS EARLY ON FRI AND CONDITIONS WILL
IMPROVE AT ADAK AND ATKA BY AFTERNOON BUT THE PRIBILOFS..EASTERN
ALEUTIANS AND ALASKA PENINSULA WILL STAY IN A CHILLY..WINDY AND SNOWY
PATTERN PROBABLY THROUGH MOST OF SATURDAY.

A NEW LOW WILL FORM ON KODIAK ISLAND MID MORNING FRIDAY AND DRIFT
EASTWARD OVER THE WESTERN GULF IN THE LATE AFTERNOON. COOLER AIR WILL
FOLLOW THIS FEATURE AND BRING SNOW LEVELS BACK DOWN TO SEA LEVEL FOR
MOST OF THE KODIAK ZONE. THE AIRMASS DRIES OUT QUITE RAPIDLY AS WELL
SO ANY SNOWFALL THAT DOES OCCUR WILL BE QUITE LIGHT.

LATE SATURDAY ANOTHER FRONT WILL SWING INTO THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS FOR
GALES THERE..WHICH THEN MOVE TO THE FOX ISLANDS SUN MORNING. HIGH
PRESSURE WILL MAKE FOR A SUNNY DAY WITH LIGHT WINDS KODIAK
ISLAND..BRISTOL BAY AND MUCH OF THE KUSKOKWIM VALLEY. A WEAK LOW AND
UPPER TROUGH WILL BRING A GOOD CHANCE OF SNOW TO MOST OF THE FORECAST
AREA EAST OF THE ALASKA RANGE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE AREAS 130 132 138 140 150 155 160 165 180.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

PERCY MAR 06