Gale Warning 5, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
102 PM AKST FRI JAN 16 2009

.DISCUSSION...
THE NUMERICAL MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING
ALTHOUGH THE NAM MOVES THE LOW IN WESTERN ALASKA A LITTLE MORE
QUICKLY NORTH THEN THE OTHER MODELS.

A 949 MB LOW NEAR COLD BAY THIS MORNING WILL BECOME A 952 MB
CENTER IN BRISTOL BAY THIS AFTERNOON. IT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
RAPIDLY NORTH TO THE SEWARD PENINSULA AS A 964 MB LOW SATURDAY
MORNING...THEN JUST NORTH OF BARROW AS A 978 MB LOW SATURDAY
AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM HAS BROUGHT VERY WARM AIR INTO WESTERN
ALASKA AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR...MANY RECORD HIGHS HAVE BEEN
BROKEN AND RAIN HAS OCCURRED AS FAR NORTH AS UNALAKLEET TO GALENA.
FREEZING PRECIPITATION HAS FALLEN NORTH OF FAIRBANKS CAUSING ICY
DRIVING CONDITIONS ON THE DALTON HIGHWAY. RAIN FALLING ON COLD
ROADS AND SOME AREAS OF HEAVY SNOW IN THE ALASKA RANGE HAS ALSO
BEEN A BIG PROBLEM FOR DRIVERS THERE. WINTER WEATHER WARNINGS ARE
OUT THROUGH SATURDAY IN WESTERN ALASKA NORTH OF A UNALAKLEET TO
GALENA LINE FOR HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING SNOW...AND HIGH WINDS WITH
ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES COMMON...AND AS MUCH AS 12 INCHES
IN SOME LOCAL AREAS. STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW THROUGH
PASSES IN BOTH THE ALASKA AND BROOKS RANGES WITH WINDS 60 TO 70
MPH AT TIMES AND GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO BLOWING SNOW.
THE ARCTIC COAST FROM DEADHORSE WEST WILL SEE HEAVY SNOW STARTING
TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...CONDITIONS WILL BE WATCHED FOR
POSSIBLE WINTER WEATHER WARNINGS. ALSO NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
WILL EXIST FOR THE NEXT 12 TO 18 HOURS ALONG THE BERING STRAIT AS
STORM FORCE WINDS WILL BLOW OVER MARINE ZONE 210.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FOR AKZ223.

WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ205-AKZ206-AKZ207-AKZ208-AKZ209-
AKZ210-AKZ211-AKZ212-AKZ213-AKZ217.

FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FOR AKZ220-AKZ221.

HIGH WIND WARNING FOR AKZ220-AKZ225-AKZ226.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.

STORM WARNING FOR PKZ210.

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

RL JAN 09