High Wind Watch 5, NWS Anchorage, AK

579 
WWAK71 PAFC 142333
NPWAER

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
233 PM AKST FRI JAN 14 2011

AKZ111-151400-
/X.UPG.PAFC.HW.A.0005.110115T0600Z-110115T1400Z/
/X.NEW.PAFC.HW.W.0007.110115T0300Z-110115T1400Z/
MATANUSKA VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PALMER...WASILLA...SUTTON...CHICKALOON
233 PM AKST FRI JAN 14 2011

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 AM
AKST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 AM AKST
SATURDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE OVER THE COPPER RIVER BASIN WILL TRACK
WEST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT...AND
ENHANCE THE ALREADY STRONG WINDS ONGOING ACROSS THE MATANUSKA
VALLEY. LOOK FOR NORTHEAST WINDS OF 45 TO 60 MPH TO BE ACCOMPANIED
BY FREQUENT GUSTS OF 70 TO 80 MPH. THE UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE
WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE REGION EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. PEOPLE ARE URGED TO SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS THAT COULD
BE BLOWN AROUND OR DAMAGED BY THE WIND.

&&

$$

JAM

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKST FRI JAN 14 2011

.MODEL DISCUSSION...MODELS IN SYNC THROUGH THE NEXT 36 HOURS BUT
TROUBLES BEGIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER. STRUGGLING TO RESOLVE INVERTED
TROUGH THAT DEVELOPS ALONG THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHEAST GULF COASTS
SUNDAY MORNING. MODELS ALSO CAN'T AGREE ON STRENGTH AND SPEED OF
FRONT APPROACHING THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS SUN EVENING.

.UPPER LEVELS...
UPPER LEVEL HIGH OVER THE CHUKCHI SEA GRADUALLY WEAKENS AND SLIDES
OFF TO THE NORTHWEST. CLOSED UPPER LOW DEVELOPS OVER SOUTHERN BERING
THIS EVENING THEN MOVES OFF QUICKLY TOWARDS KAMCHATKA. SECOND UPPER
LOW CENTER DEVELOPS OVER BRISTOL BAY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND IS
EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH SUN AFTERNOON.

.SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SHORT TERM FORECAST...
BROAD ANTICYCLONIC FLOW ENCOMPASSES SOUTHERN ALASKA AND THE BERING
SEA. OFF CONTINENT FLOW IS PUSHING BERING SEA STRATUS...FOG..AND
FLURRIES AWAY FROM THE COAST...BUT PRIBILOFS AND CENTRAL AND WESTERN
ALEUTIANS SHOULD REMAIN SOCKED IN THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
CONTRAST OF COLD HIGH PRESSURE OVER INTERIOR ALASKA AND WARMER LOWER
PRESSURE AIR OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA IS SERVING TO MAINTAIN A
TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA. GUSTY
NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 55 TO 65 MPH AGAIN TODAY IN THE
MATANUSKA VALLEY...THOMPSON PASS...AND THE COPPER RIVER DELTA.
A NARROW LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE ZONE ALONG NORTH GULF COAST CONTINUES
TO GENERATE LOCALIZED BUT INTENSE SNOW SHOWERS THIS MORNING BUT WILL
BECOME DISORGANIZED AND DISBAND BY THIS EVENING.
OTHERWISE CLEAR AND COLD FOR MOST OF SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN
ALASKA THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AM TEMPERATURES AND GUSTY WINDS THROUGH
CHANNELED AREAS WILL GENERATE WIND CHILLS OF 30 TO 40 BELOW THROUGH
PORTIONS OF THE CHUGACH RANGE THIS MORNING.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
SIGNIFICANT PATTERN CHANGE EXPECTED STARTING MONDAY. STRONG FRONT
POISED TO MOVE INTO THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS MONDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT.
FRONT SHOULD MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE BERING SEA AND MOVE INTO KODIAK
ISLAND AND WESTERN ALASKA ON TUESDAY. STRONG WINDS AND PLENTY OF WARM
AIR ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...NONE
MARINE...GALES 130 138 140 150 185
         HEAVY SPRAY 121 130 141 160 179 185
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

ASB JAN 11