Blizzard Warning 4, NWS Fairbanks, AK

218 
WWAK41 PAFG 130004
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
304 PM AKST SUN JAN 12 2014

AKZ204-130300-
/O.CON.PAFG.BZ.W.0004.000000T0000Z-140113T0300Z/
EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST-
INCLUDING...KAKTOVIK...FLAXMAN ISLAND
304 PM AKST SUN JAN 12 2014

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM AKST THIS
EVENING. 

* VISIBILITY...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW REDUCING VISIBILITY TO ONE
  QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. VISIBILTIY IS EXPECTED TO
  IMPROVE THIS EVENING AS WIND SPEEDS GRADUALLY DECREASE.

* WINDS...WEST WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO 
  BEGIN TO DECREASE THIS EVENING. 

* IMPACTS...VISIBILITY WILL BE GREATLY REDUCED AND SNOW WILL 
  ACCUMULATE INTO DRIFTS. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR. TRAVEL 
  AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WILL BE 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
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
313 AM AKST SUN JAN 12 2014

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HOURS. UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER
BANKS ISLAND WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH SUN AND THEN
BEGIN TO MOVE WESTWARD ON MON.UPPER LOW IN THE BERING SEA WILL
MOVE EASTWARD AND MOVE TO NEAR KODIAK BY LATE MON NIGHT.

UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD NORTHWARD THROUGH THE
WEEK. THIS WILL LIKELY SET UP A CHINOOK PATTERN OVER THE CENTRAL
INTERIOR IN SOME FORM OR FASHION ON THU AND FRI.

A COUPLE OF SHORT WAVE TROUGHS WILL MOVE DOWN THE BACK SIDE OF THE
LOW NEAR BANKS ISLAND. THIS WILL SPREAD SOME SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE
ARCTIC COAST THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS OVER THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST
WILL SUBSIDE THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FAIRLY
STRONG THROUGH THE BERING STRAIT THROUGH MON.

AS THE FIRST RAGGED WASHED OUT OCCLUDED FRONT MAKES IT AROUND THE
RIDGE IT WILL BRING MUCH WARMER AIR INTO NORTHERN ALASKA
BEGINNING MON AS WELL AS A CHANCE OF SNOW IN MANY AREAS. SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE LIGHT. ANOTHER OCCLUDED FRONT WILL RIDE
UP AND OVER THE RIDGE ON TUE WHICH WILL GIVE THE EASTERN INTERIOR
A CHANCE OF SNOW.

BOTH THE GFS AND THE ECMWF ARE SUGGESTING A HUGE WARM UP BY NEXT
THU OVER THE CENTRAL INTERIOR WITH THE ONSET OF THE CHINOOK FLOW.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ245.
&&

CF JAN 14