Small Craft Advisory 227, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST WED MAR 8 2006

.DISCUSSION...BIG ISSUE TODAY REVOLVES AROUND THE 965 MB LOW
SOUTHWEST OF YAKUTAT. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THIS LOW HAS
COMBINED WITH A TIGHT SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO PRODUCE STRONG
WINDS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AREA. POSITIVE VORTICITY AT 500 MB OVER
KODIAK ISLAND HAS ALSO EXACERBATED THE SITUATION THERE. MEASURED
WINDS AT THE KODIAK HARBOR HAVE BROKEN 100 MPH TODAY. WINDS SHOULD
EASE UP A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT BUT PROBABLY WILL NOT DIMINISH UNDER
HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA UNTIL LATE THURSDAY MORNING.
THE VALDEZ AREA AND THE COPPER RIVER DELTA ARE ALSO AREAS OF CONCERN
THAT HAVE PROMPTED HIGH WIND WARNINGS. WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO PICK UP
THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY LATE AFTERNOON FOR VALDEZ.
SEE HIGH WIND WARNINGS FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

THE LOW IS MOVING TO THE EAST AND PRECIPITATION WILL BE EAST OF THE
AREA. THE OVERALL PICTURE HAS STRONG WINDS...ESPECIALLY THROUGH
CHANNELED TERRAIN...CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY FOR MOST OF THE AREA ALONG
AND EAST OF THE ALASKA RANGE.

A SERIES OF LOWS ENTERING THE WESTERN BERING SEA BEGINNING TONIGHT
WILL BRING GALE AND SOME STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE BERING SEA AND
ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. WINDS WILL STRETCH EASTWARD TO THE ALASKA PENINSULA
AND BRISTOL BAY COAST BY SATURDAY.

MODEL ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT AND SEEM TO BE HANDLING THE LOW NEAR
YAKUTAT WELL. NO MAJOR CONCERN WITH THEM IN THE SHORT TERM.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNING 131 135 171.
MARINE...GALES AND STORMS GULF COAST THROUGH ALEUTIAN ISLANDS.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY 121 129 132 138 140 141 150 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

MAR 06