Wind Advisory 28, NWS Juneau, AK

SOUTHEAST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
307 PM AKST FRI MAR 12 2010

.SHORT TERM...DEFORMATION BAND ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
PANHANDLE ON TRACK AS EARLIER FORECAST WITH ONLY SOME MINOR
MODIFICATIONS TO SNOW AMOUNTS EXPECTED TO FALL THROUGH THE DAY
INTO TO FRIDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. HAINES AREA APPEARS TO GET
ENOUGH SNOW THAT REGION WAS BUMPED UP TO WARNING LEVELS AND ADDED
GUSTAVUS TO WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY GROUPING.

BAND WILL MAKE FORECAST INTERESTING AS IT IS EXPECTED WAFFLE EAST
AND WEST THROUGH TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY WITH BRIEF RIDGE AND
THEN INCOMING FRONTAL BAND FOR SATURDAY.

NEXT SYSTEM MOVING EAST ACROSS THE NORTH PACIFIC AND SOUTHERN GULF
WITH THE FRONTAL BAND APPROACHING SOUTHEAST ALASKA COAST FRIDAY
AFTERNOON. RAIN AND SNOW EXPECT TO START MOVING ON SHORE FOR THIS
FRONT IN THE AFTERNOON HOURS. EXPECT STRONG GALE FORCE WINDS OVER
THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS (40 TO 45 KT) BY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE
FRONT. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO START TO IMPACT THE COASTAL AREAS SO
WIND ADVISORIES STARTED AS WELL AROUND MIDDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM...FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE ONSHORE SOUTHEAST ALASKA
THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. GUSTY WINDS ALONG THE OUTER COAST WARE
EXPECTED TO PERSIST MOST OF THE NIGHT BUT SHOULD BE DIMINISHING BY
DAYBREAK.

PRECIPITATION WILL BE MAINLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE
PANHANDLE...THOUGH THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND INTO THE JUNEAU AREA
ALONG THE COAST MOUNTAINS WILL MAKE SATURDAY NIGHTS FORECAST A
CHALLENGE. BEST AREA FOR A SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL LOOKS TO BE IN
THE HAINES AREAS AGAIN. MY PRESENT ESTIMATE FOR THAT AREA IS 4 TO
6 ADDITIONAL INCHES OF SNOW. WITH THE PRESENT WEATHER WARNINGS IN
THE AREA WILL NOT BE ISSUING ANYTHING ON THIS EVENT FOR SNOW.

THE LOW OUT OVER THE GULF WILL CONTINUE TO BE QUASI- STATIONARY
OVER THE CENTRAL GULF UNDER THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. WILL LIKELY
SEE A TROUGH/DEVELOPING LOW SPIN OFF TOWARDS THE SOUTHERN
PANHANDLE FOR TUESDAY.

DO EXPECT A WEAK RIDGE TO BE MOVED ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF AHEAD
OF THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/SHORT WAVE THAT WILL BE
MOVING TO THE BERING SEA REGION AT THE END OF NEXT WEEK.

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM AKST SATURDAY FOR AKZ018-026.
         WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON AKST SATURDAY TO 4 AM AKDT SUNDAY FOR
     AKZ022-023-027-028.
         WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM AKST SATURDAY FOR AKZ019-021-024-
     025.
         WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING FOR AKZ020.
MARINE...GALE WARNING FOR PKZ021-022-033>036-041>043-051-052.
         SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ031-032.

&&

BEZENEK