Blizzard Watch 3, NWS Fairbanks, AK

172 
WWAK41 PAFG 102306
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
206 PM AKST SAT MAR 10 2012

AKZ204-110600-
/X.CAN.PAFG.WC.Y.0039.000000T0000Z-120311T0600Z/
/X.UPG.PAFG.BZ.A.0003.120311T0600Z-120312T0200Z/
/X.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0010.120311T0600Z-120312T0200Z/
EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST-
INCLUDING...KAKTOVIK...FLAXMAN ISLAND
206 PM AKST SAT MAR 10 2012

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
AKDT SUNDAY...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
AKDT SUNDAY. THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE
BLIZZARD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* WINDS...WEST WINDS INCREASING TO 25 TO 40 MPH

* VISIBILITY...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO 
  ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS. 

* IMPACTS...SVERY LOW VISIBLITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL
  MAKE TRAVEL VERY DIFFICULT. 

* TIMING...STARTING AFTER 9PM AND CONTINUING THROUGH SUNDAY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS IN
BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND VERY POOR VISIBILITIES ARE
OCCURRING OR EXPECTED.

&&

$$

AKZ203-110600-
/X.CON.PAFG.WC.W.0016.000000T0000Z-120311T1400Z/
CENTRAL BEAUFORT SEA COAST-
INCLUDING...NUIQSUT...PRUDHOE BAY...ALPINE...DEADHORSE...KUPARUK
206 PM AKST SAT MAR 10 2012

...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKDT SUNDAY...

A WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKDT SUNDAY. 

* WIND CHILL VALUES...TO 70 BELOW

* TEMPERATURES...35 TO 40 BELOW BUT RISING OVERNIGHT

* WINDS...WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH THIS 
  AFTERNOON. 

* TIMING...CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY MORNING

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILLS WITH
SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 15 MPH OR MORE ARE OCCURRING OR
EXPECTED. IF OUTDOORS...COVER EXPOSED SKIN TO PREVENT FROSTBITE.

&&

$$
RT MAR 12

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
616 AM AKST SAT MAR 10 2012

.DISCUSSION...

INTERIOR...
LIGHT SNOW HAS TAPERED OFF TO FLURRIES ACROSS THE INTERIOR THIS
MORNING AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM HAS WEAKENED AND ONLY AREAS OF
STRATUS REMAIN OVER MOST OF THE INTERIOR. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL
REMAIN OVER THE INTERIOR THIS WEEKEND. CLOUDS AND FLURRIES WILL
PERSIST INTO SUNDAY.

WEST COAST...WINDS WILL REMAIN AT OR ABOVE 15 MPH ALONG THE
BERING STRAIT COAST IN ZONE 213 AND ZONE 207 WHERE WIND CHILL
ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. WIND CHILL ADVISORIES WERE EXTENDED TO
SUNDAY MORNING AS WINDS AND TEMPS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE IN
THESE AREAS.

NORTH SLOPE...COLD TEMPERATURES REMAIN OVER THE NORTH SLOPE. HIGH
PRESSURE OVER SIBERIA WILL CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE THE WESTERN
NORTH SLOPE. A PRESSURE GRADIENT INCREASE OVER THE EASTERN NORTH
SLOPE WILL INCREASE THE WEST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AND PRODUCE WIND
CHILLS OF 55 BELOW INTO SUNDAY MORNING. WIND CHILL ADVISORIES HAVE
BEE ISSUED FOR ZONES 203 AND 204.

VERY LITTLE CHANGE IN THE FORECAST PHILOSOPHY DURING THE MEDIUM
RANGE.  A DEEP MEAN UPPER TROUGH EXTENDS FROM THE BEAUFORT SEA TO
THE SOUTHWEST MAINLAND AND INTO THE GULF OF AK MON NIGHT.  THE LOW
CENTER SLOWLY MIGRATES TO THE VCNTY OF THE BERING STRAIT BY
FRI...BUT WITH MUCH OF NORTHERN AK UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE COLD
LOW ALOFT.  TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO AVERAGE BELOW NORMAL...AND LIKELY
WELL BELOW NORMAL ACROSS MUCH THE AREA WEST OF 155W.  THE PATTERN
CONTINUE TO LOOK MAINLY DRY FOR THE FORECAST AREA AS SYSTEMS
GENERALLY MOVE ALONG OR NEAR THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN AND INTO THE GULF OF
ALASKA.  WIND CHILL ISSUES LIKELY AT TIMES THROUGH MUCH OF THE
WEEK...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE WESTERN CAPES AND THROUGH THE BERING
STRAIT.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ203-AKZ204-AKZ207-AKZ213.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ245.
&&

JK MAR 12