Small Craft Advisory 216, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 PM AST THU MAR 1 2007

.DISCUSSION...
THE CURRENT PATTERN OVER MAINLAND ALASKA WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH FOR THE
NEXT 2 TO 3 DAYS.

UPPER AIR...
THE 500 MB TROUGH OVER THE YUKON TERRITORY WILL EXTEND SOUTHWESTWARD
INTO THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TONIGHT THEN SLOW WEAKEN THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AN NORTH-SOUTH UPPER RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN BERING
SEA AND WESTERN ALEUTIANS WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE CENTRAL BERING SEA
FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO THE EASTERN BERING SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS PATTERN
WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP COLD, DRY AIR OVER MAINLAND ALASKA THROUGH
SUNDAY.

THE 300 MB JET NORTHERLY JET OVER WESTERN ALASKA WILL SHIFT EASTWARD
INTO THE SUSITNA VALLEY AND KENAI PENINSULA FRIDAY NIGHT AND
SATURDAY. THIS WILL ENHANCE THE GUSTY NORTH WINDS ALONG THE SUSITNA
VALLEY AND COOK INLET AND ALSO SOME OF THE GAP WINDS ALONG THE ALASKA
RANGE AND CHUGACH MOUNTAINS.

AT SURFACE...
WEST DOMAIN...
A WEAKENING LOW SOUTH OF THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
SOUTHEAST AND DISSIPATE OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC TONIGHT. THE WEATHER
FRONT ALONG THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN WILL ALSO MOVE SOUTH OF THE CHAIN
TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHWARD OUT OF THE CHUKCHI SEA IN
THE EASTERN BERING SEA THROUGH FRIDAY AND WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA
THROUGH SUNDAY.

RAIN SHOWERS ALONG THE ALEUTIANS WILL DIMINISH TONIGHT.

A MODERATE LOW OVER THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC WILL MOVE TO 450 NM SOUTH
OF SHEMYA BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE ASSOCIATED WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE
INTO THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. GALE FORCE
WINDS AND SNOW WILL MOVE IN THE WESTERN ALEUTIAN SATURDAY NIGHT.

EAST DOMAIN...
CLEAR, DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE OVER MAINLAND ALASKA THROUGH SUNDAY.
VERY WINDY CONDITIONS DUE TO A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL CONTINUE
OVER SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA THROUGH SATURDAY AND POSSIBLE SUNDAY.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNING ZONE 111 131 135.
MARINE...GALES 120 121 125 130 132 138 140 141 170 172.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY...120 121 125 130 138 140 141 150 160
                                165 179 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

NM MAR 07