Gale Warning 790, NWS Anchorage, AK

441 
FZAK61 PAFC 281300
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
400 AM AKST WED DEC 28 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-290215-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 28 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A 997 MB LOW NEAR 60N 147W DRIFTS OVER PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND
THEN WEAKENS TO 1012 MB THU MORNING NEAR 59N 138W BEFORE MOVING
INLAND. A 1011 MB LOW DEVELOPS THU NIGHT NEAR 60N 151W.

$$

PKZ351-290215-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 28 2016

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT INCREASING TO 20 TO 35 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 11 TO 14 FT.
.TONIGHT...W WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 17 FT.
.THU...W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.
.FRI...NW WIND 30 TO 45 KT. SEAS 9 TO 17 FT.
.SAT THROUGH SUN...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT.

$$

PKZ352-290215-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
400 AM AKST WED DEC 28 2016

.TODAY...NW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 13 TO 16 FT.
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT.
.THU...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 11 FT.
.FRI THROUGH SAT...W WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 9 TO 17 FT.
.SUN...SW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.

$$

966 
FZAK61 PAFC 282354
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
254 PM AKST WED DEC 28 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-291445-
254 PM AKST WED DEC 28 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A 1002 MB LOW NEAR 60N 146W MOVES INTO THE EASTERN GULF AND
WEAKENS THROUGH THU MORNING. A 1013 MB LOW DEVELOPS NEAR 60N 147W
LATE THU NIGHT...THEN MOVES INTO THE EASTERN GULF BY MIDDAY FRI.

$$

PKZ351-291445-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
254 PM AKST WED DEC 28 2016

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...W WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 10 TO 16 FT.
.THU...W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 10 TO 25 KT INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. AREAS OF FOG.
.FRI...W WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 TO 16 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 30 TO 45 KT. SEAS 10 TO 18 FT.
.SAT THROUGH MON...W WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.

$$

PKZ352-291445-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
254 PM AKST WED DEC 28 2016

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 11 TO 15 FT.
.THU...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.THU NIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 11 FT. AREAS OF FOG.
.FRI...W WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 10 TO 18 FT.
.SAT THROUGH MON...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.

$$

185 
FZAK61 PAFC 291254
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
354 AM AKST THU DEC 29 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-300145-
354 AM AKST THU DEC 29 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A 1010 MB LOW AT 59N 143W MOVES TO 59N 139W AT 1018 MB THU
AFTERNOON AND BECOMES A TROUGH STRETCHING OVER THE NORTH GULF
COAST AND SOUTHEAST ALASKA BY FRI MORNING. A FRONT ENTERS THE
WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA FRI MORNING AND MOVES TO SOUTHEASTERN
ALASKA BY SAT MORNING.

$$

PKZ351-300145-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
354 AM AKST THU DEC 29 2016

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY...

.TODAY...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT BUILDING TO 7 TO 12 FT
AFTER MIDNIGHT. AREAS OF FOG.
.FRI...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING NW 40 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS
9 TO 17 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 10 TO 18 FT.
.SAT THROUGH MON...W WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.

$$

PKZ352-300145-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
354 AM AKST THU DEC 29 2016

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY...

.TODAY...W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT. AREAS OF FOG.
.FRI...W WIND 20 TO 30 KT BECOMING NW 25 TO 40 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 9 TO 17 FT.
.SAT THROUGH MON...SW WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.

$$

779 
FZAK61 PAFC 300006
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
306 PM AKST THU DEC 29 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-301445-
306 PM AKST THU DEC 29 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A FRONT ENTERS THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA LATE TONIGHT AND MOVES
TO SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA BY SAT MORNING. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS JUST WEST OF KODIAK ISLAND THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING THEN
THE HIGH MOVES OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-301445-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
306 PM AKST THU DEC 29 2016

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 6 FT BUILDING TO 7 TO 12 FT
AFTER MIDNIGHT. AREAS OF FOG.
.FRI...W WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 9 TO 16 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 9 TO 17 FT.
.SAT...W WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...W WIND 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.

$$

PKZ352-301445-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
306 PM AKST THU DEC 29 2016

...GALE WARNING FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT. AREAS OF FOG.
.FRI...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT.
.FRI NIGHT...NW WIND 20 TO 35 KT. SEAS 9 TO 16 FT.
.SAT...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 9 TO 14 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 10 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 11 FT.

$$

700 
FZAK61 PAFC 301253
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
353 AM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-310200-
353 AM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A FRONT ENTERS THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA FRIDAY MORNING AND
PUSHES THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA BY SAT MORNING BEFORE FORMING A
TROUGH THAT EXTENDS BACK TO THE NORTH GULF COAST. HIGH PRESSURE
EXPANDS ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH SUN MORNING.

$$

PKZ351-310200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
353 AM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...W WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 9 TO 16 FT.
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 30 TO 45 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 10 TO 18 FT.
.SAT...W WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.

$$

PKZ352-310200-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
353 AM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016

...GALE WARNING THROUGH TONIGHT...

.TODAY...W WIND 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 9 TO 13 FT.
.TONIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 9 TO 17 FT.
.SAT...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...SW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 10 FT.
.SUN THROUGH TUE...W WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.

$$

561 
FZAK61 PAFC 310005
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
305 PM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-311445-
305 PM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...
A TROUGH REMAINS ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST THROUGH SAT AFTERNOON. 
HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA SAT NIGHT AND
CONTINUES THROUGH SUN AFTERNOON.

$$

PKZ351-311445-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
305 PM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 40 KT. SEAS 10 TO 17 FT.
.SAT...NW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...W WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.

$$

PKZ352-311445-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
305 PM AKST FRI DEC 30 2016

...GALE WARNING TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...NW WIND 25 TO 40 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 30 KT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 9 TO 16 FT.
.SAT...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.
.SUN...SW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 9 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...NW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.

$$

072 
FZAK61 PAFC 311245
OFFAER

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
345 AM AKST SAT DEC 31 2016

OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA WEST OF 144W

WIND FORECASTS REFLECT THE PREDOMINANT SPEED AND DIRECTION
EXPECTED. SEA FORECASTS REPRESENT AN AVERAGE OF THE HIGHEST
ONE-THIRD OF THE COMBINED WIND WAVE AND SWELL HEIGHT.

PKZ399-010145-
345 AM AKST SAT DEC 31 2016
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA...

A TROUGH ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST AND SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA
WEAKENS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH MON MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE SPREADS
ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA THROUGH MON MORNING.

$$

PKZ351-010145-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE NORTH OF 57N AND WEST OF 144W-
345 AM AKST SAT DEC 31 2016

.TODAY...NW WIND 15 TO 30 KT BECOMING W 10 TO 20 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 7 TO 12 FT.
.TONIGHT...W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.SUN...W WIND 20 KT. SEAS 5 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 6 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 7 FT.

$$

PKZ352-010145-
GULF OF ALASKA OFFSHORE SOUTH OF 57N NORTH OF 55N AND WEST OF
144W-
345 AM AKST SAT DEC 31 2016

.TODAY...W WIND 10 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 13 FT.
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 8 FT.
.SUN...SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 8 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...SW WIND UP TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 10 FT.
.MON THROUGH WED...NW WIND UP TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.

$$

Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
542 AM AKST Tue Dec 27 2016

.ANALYSIS AND UPPER LEVELS...
A broad longwave trough is entrenched over the state with a sharp
shortwave ridge building over the western Bering. Within the
trough, three weak lows are the dominant features. The first is
moving into Bristol Bay. It is just starting to cause enough
mixing to break up some of the fog that has formed across the
region. However, low ceilings will linger as the system is fairly
weak and will not bring any strong offshore flow with it. The next
low is up near Bethel this morning. It continues to keep light
snow falling across much of the Delta. It should move off to the
southeast today allowing much drier, gusty northwest winds to move
in. The final low is tracking along the northern Gulf of AK. This
has left much of Cook Inlet under a rather moist airmass with
diffuse flow. The result is some low ceilings hovering around with
the radar continuing to show the possibility of some light
precipitation. This low is also aiding in some gustier offshore
winds for places like Seward and Whittier. To the east of the low,
Cordova and the Gulf Coast will remain in a showery, mixed
precipitation regime through much of the day.

&&

.MODEL DISCUSSION...
Models are doing well synoptically and this is leading to moderate
forecast confidence. The exceptions to this are along the Kenai
Peninsula and over Bristol Bay. Lingering low-level moisture and
weak flow is making it difficult to pin-point ceilings and
precipitation. These forecasts continue to be based off radar and
observation trends. In the medium range, models are starting to
converge on a potential snow set-up for Wed across South Central.
The GEM was the first to show this and now other models are
starting to converge on the same solution. The NAM/GFS were used
for this scenario to get some better detail. Later on this week, models
are nearly in lock-step with the warm front tracking across the
Bering Sea. However, the NAM is the most aggressive with the
precipitation across South Central when the warm front arrives.
The morning forecast leans towards a more middle ground solution
(GFS) for now.

&&

.Aviation...
VFR conditions are expected to persist throughout the day, as weak
cold advection should be just strong enough to keep fog/low
clouds largely at bay. Light snow is expected to move into the
Matanuska Valley tonight, with the main impact to the Anchorage
area likely being some flurries and a lowering but still VFR
ceiling.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 and 2)...

Low pressure spinning outside Prince William Sound today will
continue to keep showers intermittent along the coast, but inland
areas should stay mostly dry. Most areas have cooled down a bit
since yesterday, which has effectively changed the precipitation
type back to snow in most places as well. Even though the region
has cooled a bit, more significant cold air advection will not
begin until tonight. Thus, with clearing skies and weak ridging
trying to get a foothold overhead, some patchy fog can't be ruled
out around Cook Inlet and also the Copper River Basin, especially
during the morning hours today.

By late tonight and especially into Wednesday the forecast gets a
little more interesting as an upper low currently near Nome is
expected to make a dramatic plunge to the southeast and across
upper Cook Inlet and the Copper River Basin on Wednesday
afternoon. This represents a source of dynamic lift as it moves
across the area, and when combined with low-level moisture feeding
in from remnant showers in the northern Gulf it is starting to
look like the Matanuska Valley and perhaps east Anchorage could
get some fairly minor accumulations of snow by Wednesday
afternoon. Even west Anchorage should see some snowflakes, but at
this point little more than a dusting is expected. Hi-resolution
guidance will prove increasingly useful throughout the day today
as the showers begin to elongate northwestward toward the
population centers. The exact positioning of this moisture feed
will have a big difference on who gets 2 inches of snow and who
gets nothing.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)...
A broad trough with multiple centers of low pressure extends from
the Bering, across Bristol Bay and Southwest Alaska and over the
Gulf and Southcentral Alaska. The low in the Bering associated
with the western most portion of the upper trough will track east
and swing across the Alaska Peninsula this afternoon. Further to
the north a cold upper level trough digging southeast into western
Alaska will increase northwesterly flow and bring a much colder
air mass into Southwest Alaska Tuesday night. An upper level ridge
building over the eastern Bering will shift into southwest Alaska
Wednesday ahead of a strong warm front pushing onshore.
Temperatures will warm rapidly through Wednesday night with snow
quickly turning over to rain along the coast. Inland valleys will
be slower to turn over and possibly mix with freezing rain midday
Thursday before turning to rain by late Thursday afternoon.
Cooler air will push in from the west Thursday night through
Friday morning.

&&

.SHORT TERM FORECAST BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 through 3)... A
surface low just to the east of the Pribilof Islands will continue
to gradually fill as it continues east into Bristol today and
across the Alaska Peninsula this afternoon. Ridging will build in
over the central and eastern Bering today and tonight ahead of a
rapidly strengthening frontal system pushing across the western
Aleutians. The associated surface low will deepen to around 945 mb
but stay well west of the area, tracking north along 170E. The
warm front will quickly cross the Bering to reach the Southwest
Alaska coast Wednesday afternoon. The cold front, over the western
Aleutians Wednesday will track east to the central Aleutian
Wednesday night through Thursday morning and over the eastern
Aleutians and Alaska Peninsula Thursday night.

&&

.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 3 through 7)...

The longwave pattern continues to amplify from Wednesday afternoon
onward, with strengthening jet streaks on both the upstream and
downstream sides of the upper level ridge that builds ahead of a
strong cyclone moving into the western Bering. This will mean
increasing north to westerly outflow winds with cold advection
from the mainland into the Gulf and adjacent inside waters that
will peak Wednesday evening before winding down as low pressure
moves away from the area.

To the west, as mentioned before a storm-force low and front will
move north and east across the Bering region, and will be
accompanied by a very warm and moist air mass as the strong
southerly jet streak moves in tandem with the surface front. This
will mean a pronounced warm front moving across the Southwest
mainland Wednesday afternoon into the evening, with the potential
for significant accumulations of snow especially for the Kuskokwim
Delta. This will be followed by an unseasonably warm air mass
pushing across the region and changing snow to rain. Additionally,
as the warm air moves across the ice- and snow-covered ground, fog
is likely to form and could pose significant visibility issues
ahead of the main surface cold front.

As this system continues to move into the mainland, most of the
energy will be diverted well north toward northern Alaska;
however, there will still likely be a residual triple-point low
that develops over the Northern Gulf Friday. The exact track and
placement of this low will determine the extent of any light snow
that may impact the Anchorage area at that time.

The remainder of the period through the weekend into next week is
likely to be dominated by a highly-amplified blocking high
pressure system over the Gulf and mainland, with low pressure
systems being shunted well north from the Pacific through the
Bering and into the Arctic. This may allow for rain and warm
temperatures to move unusually far north along the west coast of
Alaska during this time period, while tranquil conditions persist
over Southcentral with strong valley inversions.

&&

.AFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PUBLIC...None.
MARINE...Storm Warning 175 177 178
         Gale Warning 130 131 132 150 155 170 172 173 174 185
         Heavy Freezing Spray 180 181

&&

SYNOPSIS AND MODEL DISCUSSION...MSO
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...AD
SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS...JR
LONG TERM...CC