Gale Warning 859, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
300 PM AST SUN NOV 5 2006

.DISCUSSION...
TYPICAL COLD WINTER PATTERN OVER THE MAINLAND PART OF THE STATE WITH
A COLD TROUGH ALOFT AND HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE. TEMPERATURES
REACHED TO AT LEAST 20 BELOW IN AREAS OF THE COPPER RIVER BASIN AND
BROAD PASS THIS MORNING.

AS MENTIONED EARLIER THERE IS A LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH OVER THE
STATE. THIS IS KEEPING THE JET STREAM WELL SOUTH OF THE ENTIRE AREA.
NO MAJOR CHANGES IN THIS PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. A
SHORT WAVE IS DROPPING DOWN OVER THE ALASKA PENINSULA TODAY AND WILL
BRING RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS THROUGH TONIGHT.

A WEAK LOW NEAR KAMCHATKA WILL MOVE SOUTHWEST OF ADAK TUESDAY. THIS
WILL BRING A LITTLE PRECIPITATION TO THE WESTERN ALEUTIAN ISLANDS BUT
IT WILL NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE A LOT OF WIND.

THE MOST INTERESTING WEATHER FEATURE SEEMS TO BE SETTING UP LATE IN
THE WEEK IN THE NORTH GULF COAST. A STRONG LOW IN THE NORTH PACIFIC
WILL MOVE INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA THURSDAY AND THEN HEAD FOR
THE NORTH GULF COAST THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY TIGHTEN
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT AND BRING STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS ALONG THE ENTIRE
GULF COAST BY FRIDAY. THIS IS STILL A WAYS OFF BUT BEARS WATCHING.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

NOV 06