Blizzard Warning 16, NWS Anchorage, AK

143 
WWAK41 PAFC 232313
WSWAER

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
213 PM AKST SAT FEB 23 2013

AKZ125-240015-
/X.CAN.PAFC.BZ.W.0016.000000T0000Z-130224T0100Z/
WESTERN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WHITTIER...SEWARD...GIRDWOOD...
MOOSE PASS
213 PM AKST SAT FEB 23 2013

...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED THROUGH PORTAGE VALLEY AND
EASTERN TURNAGAIN ARM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ANCHORAGE HAS CANCELLED THE
BLIZZARD WARNING. 

STEADY SNOW WILL BECOME SHOWERY AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. WINDS
WILL REMAIN LIGHT OUT OF THE EAST.

$$

SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
500 AM AKST SAT FEB 23 2013

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
IR/WV SATELLITE SHOW THE CENTER POSITION OF THE DEEP UPPER LOW IN THE
BERING JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF UNALASKA. AN OCCLUDED FRONT EXTENDS
AHEAD OF THE LOW ACROSS THE EASTERN BERING AND FURTHER EAST INTO THE
GULF OF ALASKA. GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN
ALEUTIANS AND WINDS HAVE INCREASED ALONG THE FRONT. SNOW HAS
DEVELOPED ACROSS BRISTOL BAY AND THE GULF. THE HEAVIEST SNOW BANDS
ARE DEVELOPING SOUTH OF MIDDLETON ISLAND.

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN
THROUGH THE SHORT TERM FORECAST. THE FRONT IN THE GULF WILL CONTINUE
ITS NORTHWARD TRACK THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN MOVE INLAND OVERNIGHT.
AT THE SAME TIME...THE CLOSED LOW IN THE BERING WILL WILL WEAKEN INTO
A TROUGH AS IT MOVES OVER THE ALASKA PENINSULA TONIGHT. WINDS WILL
INCREASE ACROSS THE GULF AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. PRECIPITATION
WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHWARD TODAY. THE MAIN CONCERNS IN THE
CURRENT FORECAST PACKAGE ARE BLIZZARD WARNINGS ISSUED FOR THE WINDS
AND SNOW ACROSS THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS AND THROUGH PORTAGE VALLEY AND
EASTERN TURNAGAIN ARM.

.SHORT TERM FORECAST...
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...
RAIN AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE WESTERN GULF THIS MORNING ALONG
THE FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE DAY SNOW WILL SPREAD NORTH
AND EAST. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH AND THEN
TAPER OFF. A BLIZZARD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED THROUGH PORTAGE VALLEY
AND EASTERN TURNAGAIN ARM UNTIL 4 PM AKST THIS AFTERNOON AS GUSTY
WINDS AND SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW AMOUNTS WILL FALL ACROSS PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND WITH
ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 4 TO 8 INCHES. THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE NORTHERN
GULF...CONVECTIVE WEATHER BEHIND THE FRONT MAY PRODUCE ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS OUT OVER THE WATERS SOUTH OF MIDDLETON ISLAND. ON
SUNDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH FROM THE BERING WILL MOVE OVER THE GULF AND
INLAND BRINGING ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE REGION.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA...
WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH AND THEN TAPER OFF.
PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH THE FRONT THAT
MOVES THROUGH TODAY AND A SHORTWAVE WHICH WILL MOVE THROUGH ON
SUNDAY. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT TODAY WILL PUSH
ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALASKA THIS EVENING AND THROUGH THE BEGINNING
OF THE NEXT WEEK. GUSTY WINDS ALONG THE COAST THIS WEEKEND WILL
PRODUCE WINDS CHILLS TO 35 BELOW AND POSSIBLY COLDER IN LOCALIZED
AREAS.

ALEUTIANS/BERING SEA...
THE BLIZZARD WARNING FOR THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT
UNTIL 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON AS WIND SPEEDS WILL CONTINUE TO GUST
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION ON THE BACKSIDE
OF THE LOW. WINDS WILL TAPER DOWN BY EARLY EVENING AND THE BLIZZARD
WARNING SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. THE NEXT UPPER LOW WILL MOVE
INTO THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS SUNDAY NIGHT FROM THE PACIFIC. THIS SYSTEM
WILL STAY SOUTH OF THE CHAIN ON AN EASTERLY TRACK.

.LONG TERM FORECAST...
AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES THROUGH THE EXTENDED FORECAST
WITH UPPER LOWS MOVING EAST ALONG THE EASTERN CHAIN. THROUGH MID
WEEK...THE STRONG LOW THAT HAS MOVED INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA WILL STAY
IN PLACE AND THEN MIGRATE TOWARD THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

.AER/ALU...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
PUBLIC...BLIZZARD WARNING 125 195.
MARINE...STORM WARNING...155 170 175.
         GALE WARNING 120 130 132 138 140 150 160 165 171 172 176 179
         185.
         HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING 127 140 165.
FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

KH FEB 13

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1115 PM AKST FRI FEB 22 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0208 PM     BLIZZARD         3 S ST. PAUL            57.17N 170.22W
02/22/2013                                      AK   ASOS

            VISIBILITY 1/4 MILE OR LESS WITH WINDS 25 MPH GUSTING
            45-50 MPH FROM 208PM TO CURRENT.

&&

DSTRICKL