Small Craft Advisory 246, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST WED MAR 15 2006

.DISCUSSION...

SUBTLE CHANGES IN THE LONG WAVE PATTERN OVER THE NEXT WEEK AS THE
EASTERN SIBERIAN HIGH SPLITS AND RETROGRADES WEST AND WEAKENS INTO
TWO CENTERS ACROSS CENTRAL SIBERIA AND NORTHERN EUROPE. THIS ALLOWS
THE COLD LOW ENTRANCHED OVER THE YUKON TO RETROGRADE WEST TO AROUND
SOUTHWEST ALASKA. THIS WILL BRING AN END TO THE DRY NORTH FLOW AND
SNOW TO SOUTHCENTRAL UNDER A RELATIVELY COLD SOUTHERLY FLOW OVER THE
WEEKEND.

WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO COME DOWN IN THE MATANUSKA AND KNIK VALLEYS AS
WELL AS IN THE VALDEZ AREA. THE COPPER DELTA WILL REMAIN AT MINIMUM
HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS.

DEEP LOW ROLLING UP ACROSS THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS WILL DRIFT INTO THE
CENTRAL BERING SEA BY THE END OF THE WEEK. HIGH WINDS AND A WINTERY
MIXTURE OF PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD EAST WITH THE SYSTEM INTO THE
EASTERN BERING AND WESTERN ALASKA.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WATCH 187 191. HIGH WIND WARNING 135.
MARINE...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING 121 160. STORMS 172 175 176.
GALES 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

CAS MAR 06