Gale Warning 63, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
444 AM AKDT THU JUL 30 2009

.DISCUSSION...

UPPER AIR: RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN INTERIOR AND WESTERN CANADA WILL
BE FORCED EAST FRI AS WEST COAST LOW ROTATES A SHORT WAVE NORTH
OVER THE INTERIOR. LOWER HEIGHTS WILL FOLLOW THROUGH THE WEEKEND
FOR NORTHERN ALASKA...THEN RISES EARLY NEXT WEEK.

SURFACE: A 999 MB LOW NEAR THE BERING STRAIT WILL MOVE NORTH AND
WEAKEN. AT 4 AM FRI...THE LOW WILL BE 1005 MB 240 NM NORTHWEST OF
CAPE LISBURNE. LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTH OVER THE WESTERN
INTERIOR ON FRI TO NORTHWEST OF BARROW SAT MORNING. WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE WILL REBUILD OVER THE INTERIOR SAT NIGHT AND SUN. WEAK
HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE BEAUFORT SEA WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN.

NORTH SLOPE: LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTH OF THE BROOKS RANGE WILL
PRODUCE RAIN SHOWERS FROM BARROW WEST FRI NIGHT AND SAT. THE CLOUD
COVER AND SHOWERS WILL HOLD TEMPERATURES DOWN FOR THAT PART OF THE
NORTH SLOPE. EAST OF BARROW...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN RATHER WARM.

WEST COAST: SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL BECOME ISOLATED BY THIS EVENING
AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES NORTH OF THE BERING STRAIT AND WEAKENS.
WINDS AT GOLOVIN AND SAINT MICHAELS REMAIN QUIT STRONG THIS
MORNING... THEREFORE A STRONG WIND HEADLINE FOR THAT AREA HAS BEEN
CONTINUED UNTIL NOON TODAY. THE SOUNDS AND AREAS TO THE EAST WILL
HAVE ANOTHER GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS ON FRI AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES
NORTH OVER THE WESTERN INTERIOR. SUN AND MON WILL BE RATHER DRY
WITH LIGHT WINDS FOR THE WEST COAST.

INTERIOR: LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTH OVER THE WESTERN INTERIOR WILL
BRING SHOWERS FOR THE WESTERN TO NORTHERN INTERIOR AND ESPECIALLY
THE BROOKS RANGE ON FRI. DRYING WILL TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING THE LOW PASSAGE AND CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. THE
SOUTHEAST INTERIOR WILL BE KEPT DRY ON FRI BY DOWN SLOPING OFF THE
ALASKA RANGE. WIND GUSTS THROUGH ALASKA RANGE PASSES WILL APPROACH
ADVISORY LEVELS TONIGHT AND FRI.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...A RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN INTERIOR WILL WEAKEN
FRI... BUT WITH STRENGTHENING POSSIBLE AGAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS
WILL MEAN COOLER TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A SHORT WAVE
MOVING NORTH WILL PRODUCE LOCAL GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH THROUGH
ALASKA RANGE PASSES TONIGHT AND FRI. THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
INTERIOR AND ESPECIALLY THE BROOKS RANGE WILL HAVE A GOOD CHANCE
OF SHOWERS FRI AS THE WAVE MOVES NORTH. THE SOUTHEAST INTERIOR
WILL EXPERIENCE THE USUAL SHADOWING EFFECT OF THE ALASKA RANGE...
WITH VERY LITTLE IF ANY SHOWERS.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...GLACIAL MELT CONTINUES TO GIVE A GRADUAL RISE OF THE
TANANA RIVER. BY FRI AFTERNOON...THE RIVER STAGE AT NENANA IS
EXPECTED TO REACH 8 FT...UP FROM A STAGE OF 7 FT ON MON... BUT
WELL BELOW FLOOD STAGE OF 12.5 FT. LOWER FREEZING LEVELS THIS
WEEKEND MAY SLOW THE RISE.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ215.
&&

DA JUL 09