Blizzard Warning 16, NWS Fairbanks, AK

680 
WWAK41 PAFG 220431
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
731 PM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

AKZ204-221500-
/X.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-101222T1800Z/
EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST-
INCLUDING...KAKTOVIK...FLAXMAN ISLAND
731 PM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM AKST WEDNESDAY...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM AKST WEDNESDAY. 

A WEST WIND OF 40 TO 55 MPH WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE EASTERN
BEAUFORT SEA COAST THROUGH MID-MORNING WEDNESDAY. THE STRONG WIND
WILL COMBINE WITH FALLING TO SNOW TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING
AND DRIFTING SNOW. THE VISIBILITY WILL FREQUENTLY BE REDUCED TO
ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS WITH LOCAL WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. 

CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY IMPROVE LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING
INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS THE STRONG WIND GRADUALLY DIMINISHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND
EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND
MAKE ANY TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY HAZARDOUS.

&&

$$

769 
WWAK41 PAFG 221346
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
446 AM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

AKZ204-230000-
/X.EXT.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-101223T0000Z/
EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST-
INCLUDING...KAKTOVIK...FLAXMAN ISLAND
446 AM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

...BLIZZARD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON...

THE BLIZZARD WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM AKST THIS
AFTERNOON. 

A WEST WIND OF 40 TO 55 MPH WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE EASTERN
BEAUFORT SEA COAST THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WEDNESDAY. THE STRONG
WIND WILL COMBINE WITH FALLING TO SNOW TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THE VISIBILITY WILL FREQUENTLY BE
REDUCED TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS WITH LOCAL WHITE-OUT
CONDITIONS AT TIMES.

CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY IMPROVE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS
THE STRONG WIND GRADUALLY DIMINISHES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND
EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND
MAKE ANY TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY HAZARDOUS.

&&

$$

406 
WWAK41 PAFG 222205
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
105 PM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

AKZ204-222315-
/X.CAN.PAFG.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-101223T0000Z/
EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST-
INCLUDING...KAKTOVIK...FLAXMAN ISLAND
105 PM AKST WED DEC 22 2010

...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS CANCELLED THE
BLIZZARD WARNING FOR THE EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST OF ALASKA. THE
WINDS AT KAKTOVIK HAVE DIMINISHED TO LESS THAN 30 MPH AND LOCAL
RESIDENTS REPORT THAT VISIBILITY HAS IMPROVED.

$$

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
525 AM AKST TUE DEC 21 2010

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HOURS. ARCTIC FRONT MOVING
SOUTHEAST FROM THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC WILL IMPACT THE NORTHWEST ARCTIC
COAST BY LATE TUE AFTERNOON. STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IN THE
BERING SEA CONTINUE TO REBUILD AFTER BEING SQUASHED DOWN BY
REPETITIVE SHORT WAVES RIDING OVER THE TOP.

THE COLDER AIR WILL MAKE IT TO THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS OF MAINLAND
ALASKA BY WED AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE LONG WAVE TROUGH SETTING
UP OVER THE CENTRAL INTERIOR WILL BE REINFORCED BY ANOTHER STRONG
UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVING EAST ACROSS FAR EAST RUSSIA. THIS WILL
SQUASH THE RIDGE DOWN ONE MORE FOR THU AFTERNOON.

SURFACE LOW 75 NM NORTH OF BARTER ISLAND WILL WEAKEN BUT THE
SURFACE HIGH FROM FAR EAST RUSSIA WILL MOVE EAST AND STRENGTHEN SO
THE GRADIENT WILL ACTUALLY INCREASE OVER THE EASTERN ARCTIC. SO
WINDS WILL INCREASE LIKELY OVER THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST THIS
AFTERNOON. BLOWING SNOW AT THE BARTER ISLAND LOCATION IS ALREADY
DROPPING VISIBILITY TO BELOW 1 MILE...THEREFORE BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE BY AFTERNOON IN THIS AREA.

CLOUDS FROM THE UPPER LEVEL LOW IN WESTERN CANADA HAVE SPREAD
WESTWARD INTO EAST CENTRAL ALASKA WHICH IN TURN HAS BROUGHT THE
COLD TEMPERATURES OF FORT YUKON OF AROUND 51 BELOW TO A BALMY 29
BELOW CURRENTLY.

MID RANGE MODELS DIVERGE IMMENSELY BEGINNING AT ABOUT 168 HOURS OR
SLIGHTLY BEFORE. THE ECMWF SOLUTION IS TO KEEP MAINLAND ALASKA IN
THE LONG WAVE TROUGH PATTERN THROUGH 240 HOURS WHILE THE GFS
ESTABLISHES A STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH OVER MAINLAND ALASKA.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BLIZZARD WATCH FOR AKZ204.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ204.

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ210.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ245.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ240.
&&

CF DEC 10