Gale Warning 48, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
436 AM AKDT SAT APR 25 2009

.DISCUSSION...
THE NUMERICAL MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE
WEEKEND...ALTHOUGH GFS A LITTLE STRONGER WITH BERING SEA AND
CHUKCHI SEA LOWS BY SUN AFTERNOON. AN UPPER RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN
HALF OF ALASKA WILL BE THE MAJOR FEATURE THIS WEEK...SLOWLY
BREAKING DOWN BY NEXT WEEKEND. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL LIFT
RAPIDLY NORTH THROUGH THE BERING SEA SUN NIGHT AND MON...THEN OVER
THE ARCTIC OCEAN BY TUE.

THIS PATTERN FAVORS ABOVE TO WELL ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN ALASKA ESPECIALLY EAST OF 150W. ABOVE
AVERAGE PRECIPITATION EXPECTED WEST OF 150W WITH LITTLE
PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST INTERIOR...PROTECTED BY THE
STRONG RIDGE. THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF ALASKA WILL HAVE PERIODS OF
RAIN AND SNOW ACCUMULATING GENERALLY LESS THAN ONE INCH WITH WINDY
CONDITIONS THROUGH SUN.

THE INTERIOR WILL SEE WINDS INCREASING THROUGH THE ALASKA RANGE
TONIGHT AND SUN TO NEAR ADVISORY LEVELS. VERY WARM TEMPERATURES
OVER THE TANANA RIVER BASIN THIS WEEK WILL GIVE SPRING A BIG PUSH
AND CAUSE HYDROLOGISTS TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. GREEN-UP IN THE
INTERIOR WOULD SEEM TO BE ONLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AWAY NOW.

THE ARCTIC COAST WILL HAVE MODERATE SOUTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS
WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES AND A FEW FLURRIES. A CHANCE OF SNOW
WILL RETURN SUN AND MON FOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COAST.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...NONE THIS WEEKEND...BUT CLOSE ATTENTION TO RAPID SNOW
MELT EXPECTED BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-
PKZ230.
&&

RL APR 09