Heavy Freezing Spray Warning 7, NWS Anchorage, AK

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 PM AKST THU JAN 12 2012

.MODEL DISCUSSION...ALL IN LINE IN THE SHORT TERM AND BEYOND.

WIND CHILL ADVISORY ENDED FOR THE KUSKOKWIM RIVER DELTA DUE TO LACK
OF WIND. THERE'S ENOUGH OF A BREEZE TO CONTINUE THE BRISTOL BAY
ADVISORY THROUGH TONIGHT. A BLIZZARD WARNING FOR HOMER AND SELDOVIA
WILL BE ISSUED THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH ADDING PORTAGE VALLEY TO THE
125 BLIZZARD WARNING. OTHER WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES HOLDING AS
SCHEDULED.

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...LAST OF THE BIG SNOW PRODUCERS FOR THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE HAS A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW FALLING
FROM EAST OF THE ALASKA RANGE NORTH TO THE TANANA VALLEY. DEEP ARCTIC
AIRMASS OVER WESTERN INTERIOR EASILY SPILLING OVER THE ALASKA RANGE
AND SEEPING INTO (-1 DEGREE F/HR) NORTHERN COOK INLET AND THE SUSITNA
VALLEY. THIS HAS ENHANCED SNOWFALL SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA AND MAKES THE
EARLIER FORECAST SNOW AMOUNTS LOOK BETTER, BUT STILL ON THE HIGH
SIDE.

STRONG FRONT PUSHING IN ACROSS THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS AND BERING MARKS
THE BEGINNING OF A BIG CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN THAT WILL BRING
COLD DRY WEATHER TO ALL AREAS OF MAINLAND ALASKA, AS WELL AS THE
PANHANDLE. UPPER RIDGE POSITION WILL SLOWLY ESTABLISH ITSELF OVER THE
EASTERN BERING SEA THIS WEEKEND, AND BE IN FULL ARRAY AS A BLOCK BY
EARLY MONDAY MORNING.  NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL EXTEND FROM THE WEST
COAST EASTWARD ACROSS THE YUKON AND PANHANDLE. THIS WILL ALLOW THE
COLDEST TEMPERATURES TO SWITCH FROM WESTERN ALASKA TO THE EASTERN
AREAS AND THE COLDEST WEATHER OF THE WINTER SEASON FOR THE PANHANDLE.

REMAINTS OF THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ALEUTIAN FRONT WEAKENS
CONSIDERABLY AS IT SLIDES OVER THE DEVELOPING RIDGE AND WILL ONLY
PRODUCE LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES ALONG THE WEST COAST. IT'S WHEN THIS
FEATURE ROUNDS THE CREST OF THE RIDGE SAT NGT THAT THE HIGH  WILL
RAPIDLY BUILD INTO A BLOCK AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...HIGH WIND WARNING 191
         BLIZZARD WARNING 121 125
         HIGH WIND WATCH 187
         SNOW ADVISORY 101 111 121 145
         WIND CHILL ADVISORY 155
MARINE...HURRICANE 175 176
         STORM 130 132 150 172 185
         GALE 120 121 127 129 138 155 170 179
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY 120 121 125 126 127 128 129 130 132 138
                              140 141 150 155 165
FIRE WEATHER...NONE

PERCY JAN 12