Small Craft Advisory 150, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
608 AM AKDT WED OCT 26 2011

.DISCUSSION...

SATELLITE IMAGERY REVEALS RAPIDLY FILLING 984 MB LOW SPINNING IN
THE NORTHERN GULF AS STRONG LEE SIDE TROUGH ON THE NORTHERN SIDE
OF THE ALASKA RANGE CLOSES OFF INTO A SURFACE LOW NOW LOCATED JUST
EAST OF PAFA ALONG OLD OCCLUDED FRONT. THIS LOW HAS DROPPED TO
APPROX 982 MB. AN INVERTED TROUGH EXTENDS NORTHWEST FROM PAFA TO
NEAR PAOT AND CONTINUES WESTWARD TO A 986 MB LOW IN THE BERING
STRAIT. 1020 MB HIGH OVER THE CHUKCHI SEA ALONG WITH THE 982 MB
LOW IN THE INTERIOR PROVIDING FOR A VERY STRONG GRADIENT ALONG THE
NORTH SLOPE WHERE WINTER WEATHER FOR BLOWING SNOW ARE HOISTED FOR
ZONES 201 202 203 AND 204 THROUGH THIS EVENING. WINTER STORM
WARNING HOISTED FOR ZONE 209 WITH 8 INCHES NOTED AT PAOT IN
ASSOCIATION WITH BERING STRAIT LOW.

CHINOOK FLOW ALONG THE ALASKA RANGE HAS ENDED AS SOUTHWEST FLOW ON
THE BACK OF THE SURFACE AND MID LEVEL LOW IN THE INTERIOR ALONG
WITH FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL CONDITIONS ARE IN PLAY FOR WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR SNOW FOR ZONES 216 217 219 220 221 222 AND
224. FREEZING RAIN NOTED AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AS PRECIP BEGINS
ACROSS THE INTERIOR. QUICK TRANSITION TO SNOW WITH COLUMN COOLING
SHORTLY AFTER PRECIP BEGINS HAVE BEEN NOTED. EXPECT LONGER TRANSITION
FROM FREEZING RAIN TO SNOW IN NORTHERN PORTIONS OF ZONE 224 WHERE
TEMPERATURES REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING. VERY LIGHT RAIN CONTINUES TO
FALL ON FROZEN GROUND WHERE A TRACE TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE
ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED BEFORE A TRANSITION TO SNOW BY NOON.

SNOW ACROSS THE INTERIOR RETREATS NORTHWARD AS INTERIOR LOW
WEAKENS AND REMNANTS OF OCCLUDED FRONT MOVE CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH
TOWARD THE BROOKS RANGE.

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ209.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ201-AKZ202-AKZ203-AKZ204-AKZ216-
AKZ217-AKZ219-AKZ220-AKZ221-AKZ222-AKZ224.

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FOR PKZ225-PKZ230-PKZ235-PKZ240-
PKZ245.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ225-PKZ230-PKZ235-PKZ240-PKZ245.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ220.
&&

CCC OCT 11