Winter Storm Warning 8, NWS Juneau, AK

716 
WWAK47 PAJK 140153
WSWAJK

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
453 PM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

AKZ018-140900-
/X.NEW.PAJK.WS.W.0009.120114T0900Z-120114T2100Z/
TAIYA INLET AND KLONDIKE HIGHWAY-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...SKAGWAY
453 PM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON
AKST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JUNEAU HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR BLOWING SNOW...HIGH WINDS...AND LOW WIND CHILLS...WHICH 
IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON AKST SATURDAY.

* WIND...NORTH TO NORTHEAST 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH OR
  MORE.

* BLOWING SNOW...VISIBILITY REDUCED TO 1/2 MILE OR LESS AT TIMES
  IN BLOWING SNOW MAINLY NEAR WHITE PASS.

* WIND CHILL...AS LOW AS 40 BELOW ZERO NEAR WHITE PASS.

* TIMING...STRONGER WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS
  EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. LOWEST WIND
  CHILLS WILL BE LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS ON THE KLONDIKE HIGHWAY
  ESPECIALLY THROUGH WHITE PASS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY...STRONG
  WINDS...AND VERY COLD WIND CHILLS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WARNING MEANS THAT A WINTER STORM IS ALREADY OCCURRING OR
IMMINENT. THIS STORM COULD POSE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED.

THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED BY MIDNIGHT AKST TONIGHT OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

&&

$$

AKZ027-028-140600-
/X.CON.PAJK.WS.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120114T0600Z/
DIXON ENTRANCE TO CAPE DECISION COASTAL AREA-
SOUTHERN INNER CHANNELS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CRAIG...KLAWOCK...KETCHIKAN...
METLAKATLA
453 PM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING. 

* SNOW...2 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW HAS BEEN REPORTED SO FAR AND AN 
  ADDITIONAL 2 TO 6 INCHES IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE EVENING. 
  SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL VARY GREATLY FROM PLACE TO PLACE. STORM 
  TOTAL 4 TO 18 INCHES. 

* TIMING...SNOW SHOWERS WILL MOVE IN FROM WEST WITH CLEARING IN 
  BETWEEN. SNOWFALL RATES WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE DURING HEAVY 
  SNOW SHOWERS. 

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DIFFICULT DUE TO HEAVY SNOW WITH 
  VISIBILITIES REDUCED TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WARNING MEANS THAT A WINTER STORM IS ALREADY OCCURRING OR
IMMINENT. THIS STORM COULD POSE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED BY 9 PM AKST OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

&&

$$

863 
WWAK47 PAJK 140340
WSWAJK

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
640 PM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

AKZ027-028-140445-
/X.CAN.PAJK.WS.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120114T0600Z/
DIXON ENTRANCE TO CAPE DECISION COASTAL AREA-
SOUTHERN INNER CHANNELS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CRAIG...KLAWOCK...KETCHIKAN...
METLAKATLA
640 PM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JUNEAU HAS CANCELLED THE WINTER
STORM WARNING. 

SNOW SHOWERS HAVED DIMINISHED SOMEWHAT EARLY THIS EVENING...AND
ONLY MINOR ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY.

THIS WILL BE THE FINAL STATEMENT ON THIS EVENT.

$$

AKZ018-140900-
/X.CON.PAJK.WS.W.0009.120114T0900Z-120114T2100Z/
TAIYA INLET AND KLONDIKE HIGHWAY-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...SKAGWAY
640 PM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
TO NOON AKST SATURDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
NOON AKST SATURDAY. 

* WIND...NORTH TO NORTHEAST 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH OR 
  MORE. 

* BLOWING SNOW...VISIBILITY REDUCED TO 1/2 MILE OR LESS AT TIMES 
  IN BLOWING SNOW MAINLY NEAR WHITE PASS. 

* WIND CHILL...AS LOW AS 40 BELOW ZERO NEAR WHITE PASS.

* TIMING...STRONGER WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE 
  THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. LOWEST 
  WIND CHILLS WILL BE LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. 

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS ON THE KLONDIKE HIGHWAY 
  ESPECIALLY THROUGH WHITE PASS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY...STRONG 
  WINDS...AND VERY COLD WIND CHILLS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WARNING MEANS THAT A WINTER STORM IS ALREADY OCCURRING OR
IMMINENT. THIS STORM COULD POSE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED.

THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED BY MIDNIGHT AKST TONIGHT OR SOONER
IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

&&

$$

RWT

SOUTHEAST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JUNEAU AK
557 AM AKST FRI JAN 13 2012

.SHORT TERM...THE LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A LOW PRESSURE
SOUTH OF PWS WITH SNOW SHOWERS ROTATING AROUND INTO THE EASTERN
GULF AND OVER SE AK. THE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE PANHANDLE IS
PRODUCE SOME GUSTY WINDS OVER THE FAR NORTHERN INNER CHANNELS
ALONG WITH HIGH GUSTS NEAR STRONG SHOWERS ALONG THE COASTAL
AREAS. THE SNOW SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY DISSIPATE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH
THROUGH TONIGHT AS THE UPPER AND SURFACE LOW DRIFTS SE. SNOW
AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 4 INCHES FROM THE SNOW SHOWERS
THROUGH TONIGHT WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD
AND COASTAL LOCATIONS.

 THE SURFACE LOW WILL BE NEAR DIXON ENTRANCE BY LATE TONIGHT
WHILE THE UPPER LOW WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD. AS
THE LOW TRACK SE A THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL BACK AROUND TO THE
NW AS A UPPER HIGH BUILDS OVER WESTERN AK. THERE WILL BE SOME
ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS LEFT OVER THE FAR SOUTHERN AREAS WITH
CLOUDS DECREASING AND BECOMING MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY BY
LATE TONIGHT OVER THE NORTHERN HALF.

 A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE YUKON TODAY AND THEN
SLIDE OVER THE NORTHERN THIRD OVER THE PANHANDLE THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT. THIS HIGH WILL INCREASE THE WINDS FROM THE NORTH ALONG
WITH ADVECTING COLDER AIR OVER THE REGION. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN MOSTLY STEADY THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY BUT AS THE SKIES
CLEAR OUT AND THE NORTHERLY WINDS INCREASE TEMPS WILL TUMBLE INTO
THE LOW TEENS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF AND MID TO UPPER 20S OVER
THE SOUTHERN HALF. THE WINDS WILL SWITCH TO THE NORTH OVER THE
NORTHERN HALF LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THEY WILL INCREASE TO GALES
OVER THE FAR NORTHERN AREAS WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO 60 KT
FROM INTERIOR PASSES OVER THE NORTHERN GULF AND NEAR CROSS SOUND
AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. THE SOUTHERN HALF WILL SEE THE
WINDS INCREASE FROM THE NORTH BUT GENERALLY BE NEAR SMALL CRAFT
CRITERIA WITH LIGHTER NORTH WINDS OVER THE FAR SOUTHERN AREAS.
LAND AREAS WILL SEE THE WINDS DECREASE FROM THE SE/SW THIS
MORNING AND INCREASE FROM THE NNE THROUGH TONIGHT. THERE WILL BE
STRONG WINDS GUSTS NEAR PAGY WITH LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS SOUTH
OF HAINES AND NEAR PAYA WITH HIGHER GUSTS NEAR INTERIOR PASSES.
THE CENTRAL INNER CHANNELS WILL SEE THE WINDS INCREASE WITH
HIGHER GUSTS MAINLY IN EXPOSED AREAS. THE JUNEAU AREA WILL SEE
WINDS INCREASE FROM THE NNE THROUGH TONIGHT WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH
DEVELOPING NEAR INTERIOR PASSES AND DOWNTOWN JUNEAU BUT THESE
WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE INTO SAT.

 THERE IS ABOVE AVERAGE FORECAST CONFIDENCE FOR THE NEXT
24 HOURS.

&&

.LONG TERM...LONG RANGE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH A
WEAKENING UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF AND
SOUTHEAST ALASKA MOVING EAST AS A STRONG UPPER HIGH AMPLIFIES
ACROSS THE EASTERN BERING SEA THROUGH LATE SUNDAY. THIS UPPER HIGH
WILL CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THROUGH LATE MONDAY THEN BEGIN
RETROGRADING TO THE WEST. THIS SYNOPTIC PATTERN WILL INVITE ARCTIC
AIR MASS DRIFTING SOUTH FROM NORTHERN CANADA. THE NAM AND ECMWF
MADE A GOOD CONSENSUS AND WERE USED TO MAKE SOME COSMETIC TOUCHES
OVER THE INHERITED FORECAST PACKAGE THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.
THEN USED THE GFS AND HPC FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LONG TERM
PERIODS.

 AFTER THE WEAKENING LOW OVER THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE MOVING
SOUTHEAST OUT OF THE AREA...STABLE ATMOSPHERE WITH STRONG
SUBSIDENCE UNDER OFFSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE FORECAST
DOMAIN THROUGH MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...MAKING THE FORECAST MORE
PREDICTABLE. GENERALLY SPEAKING...DRY...COLD AND WINDY WEATHER
WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE EASTERN GULF AND THE ALASKAN
PANHANDLE. A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT HAS BEEN POSTED FOR ALL
ZONES FOR UPCOMING COLD AND WINDY CONDITIONS. THE MEAN UPPER LEVEL
JET REMAINS SOUTH OF 40N THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS SUB-PRESSING
STORM PATTERN CHANGES WITH THE GFS...BRINGING A LOW CLOSE TO THE
SOUTHERN PANHANDLE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

 PERSISTING STRONG OFFSHORE FLOW WILL PRODUCE FREEZING SPRAY
ACROSS THE NORTHERN INNER CHANNELS AND YAKUTAT BAY ON
SATURDAY...BECOMING HEAVIER AND SPREADING SOUTH AND OUT ACROSS THE
OUTSIDE WATERS THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. NORTHERN LYNN CANAL WILL
INITIALLY SEE A STORM FORCE WINDS THEN MOSTLY SOLID GALE WILL
CONTINUE ALONG WITH MOST OF OTHER MARINE AREAS. MAY NEED A HIGH
WIND WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN MOST PANHANDLE...ESPECIALLY FOR THE
KLONDIKE AND HAINES HIGHWAYS...BUT DECIDED TO GO WITH STRONG WINDS
WORDING AT THIS TIME AND INITIALLY CUTOFF THE HEADLINE TIME
THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. TAKU WINDS WILL ALSO BE LIKELY TO OCCUR
FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...STRONG WIND FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT FOR
     AKZ019-020-025.
         STRONG WIND UNTIL 9 AM AKST THIS MORNING FOR AKZ018.
         STRONG WIND FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT FOR
     AKZ018.
MARINE...GALE WARNING FOR PKZ011>013-022.
         SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ021-031-032-034-041>043-051-053.
         SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY DUE TO SEAS FOR PKZ052.

&&

ABJ/AHN