Small Craft Advisory 989, NWS Anchorage, AK

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA
500 AM AKST SAT DEC 5 2009

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
LARGE LOW OVER THE BERING SEA THIS MORNING WITH ANOTHER LOW SOUTH
OF THE ALEUTIANS. STRONG BLOCKING RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC
STRETCHING ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA INTO THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL
PORTIONS OF MAINLAND ALASKA.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
EXPECT THE GENERAL PATTERN OF TROUGH/RIDGE OVER THE BERING/GULF TO
CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SOUTH
OF THE ALEUTIANS WHICH IS CURRENTLY MOVING RAPIDLY EAST WILL STALL AS
IT NEARS THE BLOCKING RIDGE LATER TODAY AND THEN TURN NORTHWARD
TONIGHT. THIS LOW WILL TAKE A PATH SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS LOW AND
WILL MOVE INTO THE BERING SEA DURING THE DAY MONDAY.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
THE BLOCKING RIDGE LOOKS LIKE IT WILL HOLD OUT POSSIBLY UNTIL NEXT
WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A CONTINUATION OF THE CURRENT PATTERN
AND DISTRIBUTION OF WEATHER.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING 191.
         HIGH WIND WARNING 161 185 195.
         HIGH WIND WATCH 181.
MARINE...STORM WARNING 155 160 176 179 180 185.
         GALE WARNING 120 130 132 138 150 165 170 171 172 175.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

LUDWIG DEC 09