Gale Warning 28, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
338 PM AKST SAT FEB 21 2009

.DISCUSSION...
THE LONG WAVE PATTERN CONSISTING OF A TROUGH OVER THE NORTHWEST
PACIFIC AND RIDGE OVER ALASKA APPEARS LIKE IT WILL REMAIN THROUGH
AT LEAST NEXT WED AND POSSIBLY LONGER. THIS WILL KEEP A SERIES OF
STRONG SHORTWAVES MOVING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE BERING SEA INTO THE
WEST COAST OF ALASKA AND THEN WEAKENING AS THEY MOVES ACROSS
MAINLAND ALASKA. THIS MEANS THE PRESENT STORMY PATTERN FOR THE
WEST COAST, WESTERN INTERIOR AND ARCTIC COASTS WILL CONTINUE.

A 1046 MB HIGH OVER NORTHEAST ALASKA WILL MOVE EAST OVER THE
BEAUFORT SEA AND NW CANADA TONIGHT AND THEN PERSIST INTO MON WITH
WEAK RIDGING PERSISTING OVER THE EASTERN INTERIOR. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES
REMAIN UNDER THIS FEATURE EXCEPT FOR AN AREA OF FLURRIES FROM
EAGLE TO FORT YUKON.

A STRONG OCCLUDED FRONT FROM ANADYR TO THE SOUTHEAST BERING SEA
WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO LIE FROM CAPE LISBURNE TO BETHEL BY 3AM SUN
AND THEN DISSIPATE ALONG A BARROW TO TANANA LINE BY 3PM SUN. HEAVY
SNOW WITH THE FRONT WILL TAPER OFF TO SNOW SHOWERS WEST OF THE
FRONT. EXPECT 3-6 INCHES OF SNOW WITH THIS FRONT ALONG THE WEST
COAST WITH AMOUNTS DECREASING SIGNIFICANTLY AS IT MOVES INLAND.
GALES FORCE WINDS WITH STORM FORCE GUSTS ARE NOW OCCURRING ALONG
THE FRONT CAUSING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. THESE CONDITIONS WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST WITH THE FRONT TONIGHT TO THE CAPE LISBURNE AREA TONIGHT.
WINDS WILL DECREASE SOME BEHIND THE FRONT AND ON SUNDAY AS THE
FRONT WEAKENS.

A SECOND STRONG WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE FROM THE SOUTHWEST BERING
SEA TO ALONG THE WEST COAST OF ALASKA BY 3AM MON...AND WEAKEN FROM
BARROW TO BETHEL BY 3PM MON. WILL SEE ANOTHER SEVERAL INCHES OF
SNOW WITH THIS FRONT ALONG WITH MINIMUM SOUTHEAST GALES. SINCE
THIS FEATURE IS SO CLOSE BEHIND THE FIRST FRONT THERE IS NO COLD
AIR BETWEEN THEM. THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM TO NEAR
FREEZING JUST AHEAD OF THIS SECOND FRONT FROM THE SEWARD PENINSULA SOUTH
AND REDUCE BLOWING SNOW ON SUN FROM THE SEWARD PENINSULA SOUTH.
THERE IS EVEN A CHANCE OF RAIN SOUTH OF NOME ON SUN AND SUN NIGHT
AHEAD OF THIS.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ202-AKZ203.

WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ210-AKZ211.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ207-AKZ209-AKZ212-AKZ213-AKZ214.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ201-AKZ208.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ230-PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245.
&&

JB FEB 09