Brisk Wind Advisory 44, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
540 AM AKST SAT FEB 4 2012

.DISCUSSION...
BERING STORM FRONTAL BAND IS PUSHING NWD...PABC RADAR SHOWING
THE SNOW IS MOVING NWD INTO AKZ214...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN
IN THE NOME AREA BY MID MORNING. WITH STRONG WINDS EXPECTED IN
MANY AREAS...THE REMAINING WINTER STORM WATCHES HAVE BEEN UPGRADED
TO BLIZZARD WARNINGS...EXCEPT IN AKZ208 WHICH IS UPGRADED TO A
WINTER STORM WARNING. LOCAL WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH EXPECTED IN
AKZ211-AKZ212. HEAVIEST SNOW AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE UP TO 12
INCHES IN AKZ211...6-12 INCHES IN AKZ210...AND 6-10 INCHES IN THE
NULATO HILLS.

GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS DEVELOPING
IN AKZ206 PASSES AROUND NOON TODAY AS A SURFACE TROUGH
DEVELOPS N OF THE BROOKS RANGE.

MEDIUM RANGE OUTLOOK...THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLES AGREE THAT THERE WILL BE
A STRONG RIDGE ACROSS NW CANADA AND NORTHERN AK. ABOVE NORMAL 500
MB HEIGHTS ON THE ORDER OF 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE FEBRUARY
MEANS ARE EXPECTED. 850 MB TEMPS NEAR OR ABOVE 0C IN MANY AREAS
WILL BE QUITE THE CHANGE FROM THE PROTRACTED JANUARY COLD.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE TO IN SOME CASES WELL ABOVE NORMAL
DURING THE MEDIUM RANGE WITH THE MILDEST TEMPS ACROSS THE HIGHER
TERRAIN. BY LATE IN THE WEEK AN OMEGA BLOCK IS EXPECTED WITH AN
UPPER HIGH CENTER ACROSS THE ARCTIC OCEAN OFF THE ALASKA COAST
WITH DEEP UPPER LOWS NEAR THE HUDSON BAY AND ACROSS THE WESTERN
BERING SEA. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE HIGH AND DRY WITH
THE CHANCE OF SOME SNOW MAINLY IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST ZONES AS
SHORTWAVES ROTATE AROUND THE MEAN BERING SEA LOW. NO MAJOR STORM
SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED...BUT THERE MAYBE SOME STRONG WIND ON PARTS
OF THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST AS A STRONG SFC HIGH PASSES EAST OF
THE AREA AND INTO NW CANADA TUE-WED. CB

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ207.

WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ208-AKZ213-AKZ214-AKZ215-AKZ216-
AKZ217.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ206-AKZ207-AKZ209-AKZ210-AKZ211-AKZ212.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ215-PKZ220.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ215-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ245.
&&

RF/CB FEB 12