Gale Warning 220, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
400 AM AKST THU FEB 26 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
MEAN RIDGE POSITION ALONG 170 DEGREES WEST LONGITUDE. VERTICALLY
STACKED LOW OVER SOUTHERN ALASKA IS DROPPING SOUTHWARD OFF THE COLD
SIDE OF THE RIDGE AND THE RIDGE IS POPPING UP BEHIND IT OVER THE
EASTERN BERING SEA. DEEP LOW OVER SIBERIA WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW
OVER THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC AND THE WESTERN BERING SEA.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA TODAY AS THE BERING
SEA RIDGE NOSES INTO THE AREA. WINDS WILL INCREASE TODAY IN SOUTH
CENTRAL ALASKA THROUGH AREAS FAVORABLE FOR STRONG COLD ADVECTION
WINDS. THE RIDGE WILL PUSH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA ON FRIDAY AS
THE NEXT BERING SEA SYSTEM REACHES THE WEST COAST. THIS NEXT SYSTEM
IS ANOTHER RIDGE TOPPER AND THUS THE RAPID SURFACE PRESSURE
CHANGES WILL MAKE FOR SOME DECENT WINDS WITH THIS SYSTEM FRIDAY
THROUGH SATURDAY...BUT NOT AS STRONG AS WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
ANOTHER SHOT AT SOME SNOW ON SATURDAY AS THE FLOW ALOFT BRIEFLY
TURNS SOUTHWESTERLY AND CYCLONIC.

THE RIDGE WILL NOT REBOUND AS STRONGLY NORTHWARD INTO ALASKA BEHIND
THE NEXT SYSTEM SATURDAY NIGHT AND MOIST ZONAL FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO
IMPACT SOUTHWEST ALASKA. MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL WILL BE FAIRLY DRY IN
THE LEE OF THE ALASKA RANGE.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
YET ANOTHER RIDGE-TOPPING SYSTEM WILL RACE THROUGH ALASKA SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...THE CENTER OF THIS SYSTEM A LITTLE
FURTHER NORTH THAN PREVIOUS LOWS. THIS PATTERN OF PERIODIC LOWS
SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING 155 161.
MARINE...STORM WARNING 130 132 176 185.
         GALE WARNING 138 150 155 160 165 170 172 175 179 180.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING 121 160 179 180 185.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

LUDWIG FEB 09