Blizzard Warning 25, NWS Fairbanks, AK

612 
WWAK41 PAFG 050554
WSWNSB

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
854 PM AKST Wed Dec 4 2019


AKZ204-051500-
/O.EXP.PAFG.BZ.W.0025.000000T0000Z-191205T0600Z/
/O.NEW.PAFG.WW.Y.0129.191205T0600Z-191205T1500Z/
Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast-
Including Kaktovik and Flaxman Island
854 PM AKST Wed Dec 4 2019

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM AKST THURSDAY...
...BLIZZARD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM AKST THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Blowing and drifting snow occuring, with visibility one
  half mile or less at times. Plan on areas of poor visibilities
  to create difficult travel conditions. West winds gusting to 45
  mph.

* WHERE...Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast.

* WHEN...9 PM today to 6 AM Thursday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds now gusting to 45 mph will decrease
  slowly early Thursday. Blowing and drifting snow will decrease
  early Thursday and visibility will improve Thursday morning. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow means periods of
blowing snow will cause travel difficulties. 

$$

AKZ203-050700-
/O.EXP.PAFG.WW.Y.0128.000000T0000Z-191205T0600Z/
Central Beaufort Sea Coast-
Including Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, and Kuparuk
854 PM AKST Wed Dec 4 2019

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM AKST THIS
EVENING...

Winds, along with blowing and drifting snow, are now decreasing. 
Visibility is above one half mile and is expected to remain that 
way tonight. Winds gusting to 25 mph will decrease tonight and 
visibility will continue to improve.

$$

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
238 AM AKST Wed Dec 4 2019

.DISCUSSION...
Areas of stratus and flurries over the southern interior continue
to diminish as high pressure continues to build over northern
Alaska. Temperatures will have plummeted as skies clear and will
will continue to cause air quality issues through Friday for the
Middle Tanana Valley. A front will push east across the Y-K Delta
early Thursday brining the next major pattern change. Snow across
the West Coast and warmer temperatures in the Interior will be
expected over the weekend with hill locations warming quicker than
valley locations.

Aloft 500 mb...
A deep longwave trough over eastern Alaska and western Canada is
anchored by a 530 DM low diving southeast into the Gulf of
Alaska. A ridge axis extends from the north Pacific to Adak,
across the eastern Bering Sea to the Gulf of Anadyr. High pressure
also occupies the high Siberian Arctic, with a ridge extending
southeast into northwestern Alaska. The result is a weak and
disorganized setup aloft over mainland Alaska despite the longwave
troughing. The Bering Sea ridge will push east over the next few
days, clearing skies, and causing temperatures to fall statewide
through Friday. A high amplitude trough will follow the high in
quick succession, reaching the eastern Bering Sea Friday.
Southerly flow aloft will set up over the Interior, bringing a
return to warmer weather into the weekend and early next week.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
A ridge of high pressure extends southeast from the Siberian
Arctic across the North Slope. A 994 mb low in the high Canadian
Arctic will cause flow to remain mostly northerly through Friday.
The low will drop rapidly south, reaching the McKenzie Delta late
Thursday night and Friday morning causing flow to shift more
westerly across the Beaufort Coast with scattered snow showers
likely. Low pressure moving north over the Eastern Bering Sea will
produce easterly winds over the North Slope Coast over the
Weekend.

West Coast and Western Interior...
Low stratus and fog continues to plague much of the area, as weak
high pressure slowly becomes reinforced from the Bering Sea.
Skies have cleared over the lower YK Delta however clouds and
flurries persist over much of the western Interior. A weather
front will push onshore Thursday morning across the Y-K Delta. The
front will quickly dissipate before reaching the lower Yukon
Valley, but a second low will swing a front north along the coast
early Friday. The front is expected to reach the Bering Strait
early Saturday and continue north into the Chukchi Sea. Warmer air
will be transported north with a mix of precipitation possible
over the lower YK Delta over the weekend.

Central and Eastern Interior...
Stratus and a few flurries continue over the Central and Eastern
Interior mainly south and west of Fairbanks. Temperatures are
expected to drop through the day in Fairbanks as the clearing line
passes south and west later this morning. Cold temperatures will
be the main concern over the next couple of days as clearing skies
allow temperatures to drop rapidly. Thursday night and Friday
night will be the coldest this week with temperatures in the 20s
to 30s below range from the middle Tanana Valley west, and 30s to
40s below for the Yukon Flats, Fortymile Country, and the upper
Tanana Valley. Cloud cover will continue to make temperature
forecasts difficult with large temperature differences over a
short distance depending on where cloud cover remains or is
slower to diminish. A return to southerly flow is expected
Saturday and Sunday as south winds support warming aloft. Hill
locations and higher terrain will warm much quicker over the
weekend as compared to valley locations where cold air will
persist.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ210-PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.

Small Craft Advisory for PKZ200-PKZ220-PKZ225.

Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ245.

Gale Warning for PKZ210.
&&

CCC DEC 19