Blizzard Watch 4, NWS Anchorage, AK

000 
WWAK42 PAFC 181408
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
508 AM AST FRI JAN 18 2008

...A LOW MOVING INTO THE WESTERN BERING SEA WILL BRING SNOW AND STRONG
SOUTHEAST WINDS TO THE WEST COAST OF THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA THIS
EVENING...

AKZ155-190215-
/X.EXT.PAFC.BZ.A.0004.080119T0300Z-080119T0900Z/
KUSKOKWIM DELTA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BETHEL...HOOPER BAY...NUNIVAK ISLAND
508 AM AST FRI JAN 18 2008

...BLIZZARD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL LOCATIONS...

THE BLIZZARD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THIS EVENING. 

STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING ALONG THE
KUSKOKWIM DELTA COAST AND NUNIVAK ISLAND. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW
MAY REDUCE VISIBILITY TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES THIS
EVENING. BY MIDNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM. SNOW WILL
THEN BE LESS LIKELY TO BLOW AND VISIBILITIES WILL IMPROVE.

A BLIZZARD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FALLING AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES.
THIS CAN LEAD TO WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE TRAVEL VERY
DANGEROUS.

$$

000 
WWAK42 PAFC 190045
WSWALU

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
345 PM AST FRI JAN 18 2008

...A LOW MOVING INTO THE WESTERN BERING SEA WILL BRING SNOW AND
STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS TO THE WEST COAST OF THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA
THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...

AKZ155-191000-
/X.UPG.PAFC.BZ.A.0004.080119T0300Z-080119T0900Z/
/X.NEW.PAFC.BZ.W.0005.080119T0100Z-080119T1200Z/
KUSKOKWIM DELTA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BETHEL...HOOPER BAY...NUNIVAK ISLAND
345 PM AST FRI JAN 18 2008

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM AST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM AST SATURDAY. THE
BLIZZARD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING ALONG
THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA COAST AND NUNIVAK ISLAND. AREAS OF BLOWING
SNOW MAY REDUCE VISIBILITY TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES THIS
EVENING. AFTER MIDNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM. SNOW
WILL THEN BE LESS LIKELY TO BLOW AND VISIBILITIES WILL IMPROVE.
INLAND AREAS WILL HAVE LIGHTER WINDS AND OCCASIONALLY REDUCED
VISIBILITIES. ISOLATED AREAS OF FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED INLAND
BEFORE TEMPERATURES RISE.

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITE-OUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ALL TRAVEL AND
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.

$$

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
12 PM AST THU JAN 17 2008

.MODEL DISCUSSION...12Z GFS MODEL RUN SEEMS TO BE MORE IN SYNC WITH
12Z NAM FROM ANALYSIS THROUGH 36 HRS WITH LOW OVER KODIAK ISLAND.
PREVIOUS MODEL VERSIONS HAD LOW EITHER TOO FAR EAST OR WEST VERSUS
NAM POSITIONING. STICKING WITH 12Z NAM OVER EASTERN DOMAIN AND 12Z
GFS OVER WESTERN DOMAIN THROUGH 36 HRS AND THEN GOING WITH 12Z GFS
FOR THE REST OF PERIOD OVER ENTIRE DOMAIN.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...UPPER JET INTENSIFIES OVER ALEUTIANS
CHAIN STARTING FRIDAY MORNING AND REACHES 150 KT OVER EASTERN
ALEUTIANS SATURDAY MORNING. A STRONG STORM IN THE NORTH PACIFIC WILL
DEEPEN THROUGH THIS PERIOD AND MOVE ACROSS THE ALEUTIANS FRIDAY
NIGHT. AS THIS STORM DEEPENS A RESULTING STRONG RIDGE BUILDS OVER
MAINLAND ALASKA. A WARMING TREND EXPECTED OVER EASTERN BERING SEA AND
SOUTHWEST ALASKA ALONG WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS. 12Z GFS 40KM GRID
SPLITS THE ENERGY OF THE STRONG STORM IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE WINDS
WILL LIKELY BE BELOW WIND WARNING CRITERIA FOR WESTERN DOMAIN.
HOWEVER, WINDS STILL EXPECTED TO BE STRONG WITH GUSTS AROUND 65 MPH
OVER THE ALEUTIANS AND PRIBILOFS.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE.
MARINE...GALE 413 414 175 172 170 155 165 138 130 140 120 351
HVY FREEZING SPRAY 185 411
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

JWP JAN 08