Brisk Wind Advisory 66, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
449 PM AKST THU FEB 4 2016

.DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL PERSIST OVER THE ARCTIC OCEAN INTO THE
WEEKEND WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED NEAR THE ALASKA
PENINSULA ROTATES NORTHWEST AND OPENS TO A TROUGH ALONG THE WEST
COAST OF ALASKA BY SATURDAY. THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN BEGINS
TO SHIFT SOME BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE ARCTIC HIGH ELONGATES TO
THE SOUTHEAST AND MERGES WITH A RIDGE BUILDING OVER WESTERN
CANADA. OTHER THAN A PERIOD OF SNOW IN WESTERN ALASKA ON FRIDAY
AND SATURDAY...THE DRY WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO NEXT
WEEK ACROSS MOST OF NORTHERN ALASKA.

A STRONG EAST TO NORTHEAST PRESSURE GRADIENT EXISTS ACROSS THE
STATE AND IS RESULTING IN GUSTY WINDS THROUGH PASSES...OVER
SUMMITS AND IN CHANNELED AREAS. THE GRADIENT WILL SLACKEN OVER
THE INTERIOR AND NORTH SLOPE FRIDAY NIGHT BUT PERSIST OVER THE
CHUKCHI SEA COAST INTO SATURDAY. FROM THE BROOKS RANGE
SOUTH...THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE IF ANY NEW SNOW RECENTLY SO BLOWING
SNOW IS NOT AN ISSUE IN THE WINDY AREAS. WINDS FROM 25 TO 40 MPH
COMBINED WITH BLOWING SNOW HAS REDUCED VISIBILITY ALONG THE ARCTIC
COAST BUT CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE ON FRIDAY AS WINDS BEGIN TO
DIMINISH. COOLER AIR ALOFT MOVING INTO THE ARCTIC SLOPE FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY MAY RESULT WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES AROUND -50F MAINLY
EAST OF BARROW.

AS FOR SNOWFALL...THE MAIN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE ALASKA
PENINSULA HAS SPUN SOME CLOUDS AND MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE
INTERIOR AND WEST COAST. THIS HAS BROUGHT MID AND HIGH LEVEL
CLOUDS AND A FEW FLURRIES...EXCEPT ALONG THE ALCAN BORDER WHERE UP
TO AN INCH OF SNOW FELL NEAR EAGLE. A SECOND FRONT WILL ROTATE
NORTHWEST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH AN
INCH OR TWO OF SNOW POSSIBLE IN THE WESTERN INTERIOR AND ALONG THE
WEST COAST. THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE WILL SEE SCATTERED SNOW
SHOWER OR FLURRIES.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FOR AKZ217-AKZ218-AKZ219.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ201-AKZ202-AKZ203-AKZ204.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ225.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200-PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ230-PKZ235-
PKZ240-PKZ245.
&&

EWP FEB 16