Brisk Wind Advisory 76, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
551 AM AKST MON MAR 5 2012

.DISCUSSION...
THE GFS AND NAM COMPUTER WEATHER FORECAST MODELS FORECAST A BERING
SEA WEATHER FRONT TO MOVE ON SHORE OVER THE BERING SEA COAST THIS
MORNING...AND TO REACH THE CENTRAL INTERIOR TONIGHT. THIS IS TO BE
FOLLOWED BY BRISK WESTERLIES ALOFT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. THIS
MOBILE PATTERN IS FORECAST TO SHIFT BACK TO WHAT WE HAVE HAD FOR
MUCH OF THIS WINTER...A LARGE AREA OF COLD LOW PRESSURE ALOFT
OVER MAINLAND ALASKA WILL BE REESTABLISHED WEDNESDAY...AND IS
FORECAST TO HOLD THROUGH MOST OR ALL OF NEXT WEEK.

THE INCOMING WEATHER FRONT FROM THE BERING SEA HAS BROUGHT A
SUDDEN ONSET OF SNOW AND BRISK EAST WINDS TO THE BERING SEA COAST
OF NORTHERN ALASKA. THE AREA OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY EXPAND
OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN AND CENTRAL INTERIOR BY THIS EVENING...AND
OVER THE EASTERN INTERIOR TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING. MOST OF THE
ENERGY AND PRECIPITATION FROM THE BERING SEA WEATHER FRONT IS
FORECAST TO BE DIRECTED EASTWARD.

BRISK SOUTHWEST WINDS WITHIN 5000 FEET OF SEA LEVEL ARE FORECAST
TO BRING STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW TO HIGHLAND
SUMMITS OF THE INTERIOR SOUTH OF FORT YUKON AND BETTLES
TONIGHT...AND TO CONTINUE TUESDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL BE
OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN INTERIOR DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A SERIES OF SHORT WAVES ALOFT IS LIKELY TO MOVE EASTWARD OVER
NORTHERN ALASKA STARTING TONIGHT. IN FAST MOVING FLOW ALOFT SUCH
AS THERE IS PREDICTED FOR THE NEXT 36 HOURS...THE DETAILS OF THESE
SHORT WAVES ARE DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. AS THE COLD TROUGH OF LOW
PRESSURE ALOFT SETTLES DOWN OVER THE ALASKA MAINLAND STARTING
TUESDAY NIGHT...SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED TO BRING A
PATTERN OF UNEVEN SNOWFALL. COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO
RETURN STARTING WEDNESDAY EVENING AS THE COLD LOW ALOFT FURTHER
EXPANDS OVER MAINLAND ALASKA.

THIS MORNINGS POLAR ORBITING WEATHER SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS CLEAR
SKIES AND 40 TO 50 BELOW TEMPERATURES OVER THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN
BROOKS RANGE...AS WELL AS SOME VALLEYS IN THE NORTHEASTERN
INTERIOR. OVERCAST STRATOCUMULUS WHICH HAD PERSISTED OVER THE
CENTRAL INTERIOR FOR DAYS IS NOW HEADED SOUTHEASTWARD OVER THE
YUKON TANANA UPLANDS AND THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALASKA RANGE.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL WARNING FOR AKZ204.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ213-AKZ214-AKZ215-AKZ216-AKZ220-
AKZ221-AKZ222-AKZ227.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ215-PKZ220.
&&

TF MAR 12