Heavy Snow Warning 2, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
541 AM ADT FRI APR 28 2006

.DISCUSSION...
THE LONG WAVE TROUGH OVER MAINLAND ALASKA AND THE GULF OF ALASKA
WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUN AND POSSIBLY LONGER. THIS MEANS BELOW
NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND AREAS OF SNOW PERSISTING THROUGH THE
WEEKEND, AND POSSIBLY INTO NEXT WEEK.

MODELS INITIALIZE WELL AND SIMILAR SOLUTIONS AT THE SURFACE.
ONE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE 500 MB PATTERN WHERE THE GFS DROPS A
SHORT WAVE FROM THE CHUKCHI SEA SOUTH ALONG THE WEST COAST OF
ALASKA ON SAT. THIS WILL CAUSE GUSTY WINDS ALONG WEST COAST SAT.

A THE OCCLUDED FRONT FROM ANCHORAGE TO A 990 MB LOW NEAR NORTHWAY
WILL DRIFT SLOWLY NORTH TODAY AND THEN DISSIPATE SLOWLY TONIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY. THIS IS NOW CAUSING MODERATE SNOW AT NORTHWAY
WITH ABOUT 2 INCHES IN THE LAST TWO HOURS. THIS WILL SPREAD A
CHANCE OF SNOW NORTH TO CENTRAL AND WEST TO HEALY TODAY WITH UP
TO 4 INCHES IN UPLSOPE AREAS ALONG THE ALASKA RANGE. EXPECT STORM
TOTALS THROUGH TONIGHT UP TO 5 INCHES IN THE TOK AREA AND 6 INCHES
IN THE EASTERN ALASKA RANGE.

THIS FRONT COMBINED WITH A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE NORTH
SLOPE IS CAUSING NORTHEAST WINDS 15-25 KT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA
SOUTH OF THE BROOKS RANGE. THE WINDS WILL DECREASE TONIGHT AS THE
WEATHER FRONT STARTS TO WEAKEN.

A TROUGH ALOFT OVER NORTON SOUND WILL MOVE SOUTH OF THE YUKON
DELTA THIS AFTERNOON. FLURRIES AND NORTH WINDS G30 KT ALONG THIS
TROUGH WILL DECREASE NORTH OF THE TROUGH.

A SURFACE TROUGH WILL APPROACH THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST FROM THE
NORTH FRI NIGHT AND MOVE ALONG THE EASTERN BROOKS RANGE SAT.
THIS WILL KEEP FLURRIES ALONG THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST AND
INCREASE WINDS AGAIN TONIGHT.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ245.
&&

JB APR 06