Brisk Wind Advisory 154, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
512 AM AST THU DEC 6 2007

.DISCUSSION...
A HIGH LATITUDE BLOCKING PATTERN WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THE NEXT FEW
DAYS. UPPER LOWS WILL BE FOUND TO THE WEST OF THE 49TH STATE AS
WELL AS TO THE NORTH OF HUDSON BAY. IN BETWEEN...A RIDGE WILL
BUILD OFF THE WEST COAST OF THE CONUS AND INTO SOUTHEAST ALASKA.

AT THE SURFACE...A 966 MB LOW IS NEAR 57N 177W JUST WEST OF SAINT
PAUL THIS MORNING.  THIS LOW WILL CONTINUE TO FILL AS IT LIFTS
TOWARD GAMBELL TONIGHT AND ACROSS THE BERING STRAIGHT FRIDAY
MORNING. MOST OF THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW
WILL BE FOUND ALONG THE WEST COAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH
A POTPOURRI OF ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS FOR SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED IN ZONES 210-211 AS WELL AS 215-216
WHERE SEVERAL INCHES OF ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED.
FREEZING RAIN WILL BE A CONCERN TODAY ACROSS THE SEWARD PENINSULA
AS WELL AS ON SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND.

A LEE SIDE TROUGH INTO THE INTERIOR WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SOME
STRONG WIND IN THE PASSES OF THE ALASKA RANGE TODAY WHERE FREQUENT
GUSTS ABOVE 60 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED AT THE PARKS HIGHWAY ALL
NIGHT. THIS STRONG WIND WILL CONTINUE TODAY...AND WILL DIMINISH
LATE TODAY OR THIS EVENING AS THE GRADIENT SLACKENS. ELSEWHERE THE
WIND WILL BE LIGHTER IN THE VALLEYS. CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE
INCREASE WITH SOME AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW SPREADING INTO THE INTERIOR
TONIGHT.

ANOTHER LOW IS EVIDENT ON SATELLITE NORTH OF HAWAII.  THIS LOW IS
EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY DEEPEN AND WILL LIFT TOWARD THE ALEUTIANS ON
FRIDAY.  AS THE AFORE MENTIONED LOW LIFTS TOWARD NUNIVAK ISLAND THIS
WEEKEND IT WILL LIKELY SPREAD MORE PRECIPITATION AND WIND ALONG THE
WEST COAST.

WILL NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE POTENTIAL OF HEAVY
SURF/COASTAL FLOODING IN THE VICINITY OF KIVALINA TOMORROW. AT
THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS A MINIMAL THREAT OF COASTAL
FLOODING...BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL
MOVE UP ALONG THE WEST COAST THIS WEEKEND. THERE IS NOT GOOD MODEL
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF ON THE TRACK OF THE STORM...
WITH THE ECMWF KEEPING THE STORM OFFSHORE AND THE GFS BRINGING THE
CENTER OF THE STORM ACROSS THE NORTON SOUND SATURDAY. HOPEFULLY
LATER MODEL RUNS WILL COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SNOW ADVISORY FOR AKZ217.

HEAVY SNOW WARNING FOR AKZ215-AKZ216.

FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FOR AKZ212-AKZ213-AKZ214.

HIGH WIND WARNING FOR AKZ225.

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ220-PKZ225.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ220-PKZ225.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ215.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ220.
&&

DEC 07