Blizzard Watch 5, NWS Fairbanks, AK

493 
WWAK42 PAFG 071928
WSWWCZ

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1128 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012

AKZ213-080200-
/X.UPG.PAFG.BZ.A.0005.120408T0800Z-120409T0800Z/
/X.NEW.PAFG.BZ.W.0012.120408T0800Z-120409T0800Z/
ST LAWRENCE ISLAND AND BERING STRAIT COAST-
INCLUDING...GAMBELL...SAVOONGA...BREVIG MISSION...TELLER...
WALES...DIOMEDE
1128 AM AKDT SAT APR 7 2012

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT
AKDT SUNDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT
AKDT SUNDAY NIGHT. THE BLIZZARD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* LOCATION...CONDITIONS MOST SEVERE OVER SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND

* VISIBILITY...NEAR ZERO IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* WINDS...EAST 30 TO 45 MPH. LOCAL GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

* SNOW...STORM TOTAL 6 TO 9 INCHES.

* TIMING...THE STRONGEST WINDS...HEAVIEST SNOWFALL...AND LOWEST 
  VISIBILITIES ARE EXPECTED FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 
  EVENING. A BRIEF PERIOD OF STRONG WINDS AND NEAR BLIZZARD 
  CONDITIONS IS POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS 
  EVENING...BUT THIS IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM THAT IS 
  EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT. 

* IMPACTS...THE VISIBILITY WILL BE VERY POOR AND SNOW MAY 
  ACCUMULATE INTO LARGE DRIFTS. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR. 
  TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. 

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.

&&

$$

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
119 PM AKDT FRI APR 6 2012

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HOURS. UPPER LEVEL RIDGE HAS
MOVED OFF TO THE EAST. A SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE OVER THE
NORTH CENTRAL PORTION OF THE STATE TONIGHT AND SAT BEFORE AN UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE BEGINS TO AMPLIFY ITSELF AGAIN OVER MUCH OF MAINLAND
ALASKA BEGINNING SUNDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF
THE WEEK. A SURFACE LOW WITH THE ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL LOW
WILL MOVE INTO THE BERING SEA LATE SAT NIGHT AND THEN MOVE
NORTHWARD TO THE NORTHERN BERING SEA LATE SUN NIGHT.

A LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST BEGINNING LATE WED
AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK AS THE LONG WAVE
TROUGH SETS UP RESIDENCE OVER THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE STATE.
THIS WILL ALSO BRING IN COLDER AIR FROM WEST TO EAST AND DROP
TEMPERATURES TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE BELOW NORMAL ACROSS NORTHERN
ALASKA WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER LEVEL COLD TROUGH. SCATTERED
SNOW SHOWERS WILL ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONT AS IT
MOVES EASTWARD. THE LONG WAVE TROUGH PATTERN APPEARS TO RESIDE IN
SOME OR FASHION THROUGH 360 HOURS.

WINDS IN MOST OF THE ZONES HAVE DROPPED OFF AND ARE BELOW ADVISORY
LEVELS. ZONE 210 WINDS WILL LIKELY COME BACK UP LATE TONIGHT
THROUGH SAT.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...NONE.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ210.
&&

CF APR 12