Small Craft Advisory 80, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST WED JAN 25 2006

.DISCUSSION...
THE MODELS ARE FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN THE EAST SO EITHER ETA OR GFS
WILL DO. OUT OVER THE WESTERN DOMAIN, THE GFS IS PREFERRED.

UPPER AIR...AN UPPER TROUGH FROM NORTHERN CANADA INTO NORTHERN ALASKA
WILL SOUTHEAST INTO EASTERN ALASKA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A RIDGE OF
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE WESTERN BERING SEA FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY. THIS PATTERN WILL MAINTAIN A NORTHERLY FLOW OVER WESTERN
ALASKA AND GRADUALLY FEED MORE COLD AIR INTO SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA
THROUGH SATURDAY.

AT THE SURFACE. A NEAR STATIONARY LOW OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF
ALASKA WILL PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY. A COLD DRY AIR MASS WILL REMAIN
OVER SOUTHERN ALASKA THROUGH SATURDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO
EDGE LOWER THROUGH FRIDAY.

THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT ALONG THE GULF WILL PERSIST FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS AND WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS BLOWING OFF-SHORE
THROUGH THE GAPS IN THE TERRAIN.

A WEAK FRONT OVER THE SOUTHERN BERING SEA AND THE EASTERN ALEUTIANS
WILL DISSIPATE TONIGHT.

A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OUT OF SIBERIA INTO THE EASTERN
BERING SEA TROUGH SATURDAY. THIS SHOULD FORM A BLOCK THAT WILL STORM
SYSTEMS OUT OF THE BERING SEA.

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

NM JAN 06