Small Craft Advisory 341, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM ADT FRI APR 14 2006

.DISCUSSION...
IN THE UPPER LEVELS...THE COLD TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN OVER THE AREA
REMAINS OVER THE STATE. THIS TROUGH WILL BE BRIEFLY DISPLACED BY A
RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE BERING SEA THAT WILL MOVE OVER THE
SOUTHERN MAINLAND PART OF THE STATE THIS WEEKEND. A NEW COLD UPPER
LEVEL LOW WILL DROP DOWN OUT OF EASTERN RUSSIA INTO THE BERING SEA
SATURDAY AND MOVE TO THE ALASKA PENINSULA SUNDAY. THIS LOW WILL CUT
OFF AS IT MOVE SOUTH AND DISPLACE THE UPPER RIDGE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL
ALASKA WITH ANOTHER COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT.

AT THE SURFACE...A STRONG LOW IS IN THE SOUTHEAST GULF OF ALASKA.
THIS WELL DEVELOPED SYSTEM SHOW UP NICELY ON THE SATELLITE AND THE
ENTRAINMENT OF COLD AIR THROUGH THE ALASKA PENINSULA AND EASTERN
ALEUTIANS INTO THIS LOW IS EVIDENT. A NEW LOW IS DEVELOPING NEAR
MIDDLETON ISLAND THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY
BEFORE IT DISSIPATES LATE SUNDAY. THIS NEW LOW IS SIGNIFICANT FOR THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER KODIAK ISLAND THROUGH THE ALASKA PENINSULA
TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS LOW WILL HELP KEEP THE GRADIENT
TIGHT AND THEREFORE KEEP THE GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS FLOWING THROUGH
THOSE AREAS.

NEXT FEATURE TO WATCH IS A LOW THAT IS CURRENTLY NORTHWEST OF ATTU
AND MOVING INTO THE BERING SEA OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM WILL MOVE TO NEAR THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
STRENGTHEN INTO THE UPPER 960S MB. STROM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED ON
THE BACK SIDE OF THIS LOW. LOOKS LIKE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON LAND
WILL BE SUNDAY OVER THE CENTRAL ALEUTIAN ISLANDS.

AN INTERESTING FEATURE ON THE VISIBLE SATELLITE LOOP IS THE STRATUS
FORMING IN THE BERING SEA AS THE COLD AIR OFF THE ICE PACK HITS THE
WARMER OPEN WATERS IN THE BERING SEA.

MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT AGAIN TODAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALES 130 132 150 155 165 170 172 175 176 179 185.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY 150 160 165 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

EZ APR 06