Gale Warning 176, NWS Fairbanks, AK

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
332 AM AKST Fri Dec 30 2022

.SYNOPSIS...Flurries and areas of light snow over the northern
Interior and North Slope will gradually dissipate through tonight
with clearing skies from the Brooks Range south. A few lingering
snow showers will persist along the west coast from the Bering
Strait south to the Yukon Delta. Gusty southeast winds 25-35 mph
will continue in the Delta Junction area. Along the west coast,
northerly winds 40-50 mph through the Bering Strait to St.
Lawrence Island and to the outer capes of the Yukon Delta will
increase on Saturday. Temperatures will gradually warm over the
weekend as southerly flow aloft develops.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Models are good agreement with the main features into the weekend. A
ridge of high pressure aloft extending from southwest Alaska to
the Yukon Territory will lift northeast to the eastern Arctic
Coast and Alcan border by Saturday night bringing decreasing
clouds. This is in response to a large area of low pressure moving
north to the Alaska Peninsula Saturday night. Gusty east to
northeast winds will develop across the forecast area as the
pressure gradient tightens. This pattern also sets up a longwave
trough over western Alaska and ridging over the British Columbia
and the Yukon Territory on Sunday. As a result, southerly flow and
warmer air will push north into mainland Alaska with considerable
warming on Sunday into Monday. A weather front associated with
the low will rotate into the western half of the Interior on
Sunday night and Monday. The eastern Interior will remain dry due
to the Alaska Range blocking precipitation.

Arctic Coast and Brooks Range...Generally cloudy with some
flurries and patchy fog into the weekend with clearing skies in
the Brooks Range. Winds mainly northeast to east at 5 to 15 mph
along the coast and light inland. The exception will Cape Lisburne
south where winds will be stronger with gusts 25 to 35 mph. Winds
will increase on Saturday night into Sunday but especially along
the Chukchi Sea coast. High temperatures today will range from
the single digits above to around 10 below. Low temperatures
tonight will range from around 20 below to the single digits
above.

West Coast and Western Interior...A mix of clouds. Lingering light
snow or flurries in the Upper Kobuk and western Brooks Range will
taper off through this evening with little to no accumulation.
Some snow showers will persist from the Bering Strait south to the
Yukon Delta. Winds variable to 10 mph inland, with mainly north
to northeast winds 35 to 50 mph from the Bering Strait south to
St. Lawrence Island and outer capes of the Yukon Delta. Winds will
increase in all areas on Saturday and continue into Sunday. This
will likely drop visibility to 1/2 mile or lower in blowing snow
through the Bering Strait. High temperatures today will range
from the single digits above to around 20 above. Low temperatures
tonight will range from around 10 below to near 10 above.

Central and Eastern Interior...A few lingering flurries over the
Yukon Flats and eastern Brooks Range will dissipate today. A
gradual clearing from the south today but some pesky stratus may
persist in the Yukon Flats into Saturday. The clearing skies over
the southern Interior has allowed a strong temperature inversion
to develop which will continue into Saturday. Valley temperatures
range from 5 to 20 below while temperatures in the hills are in
the teens and 20's above zero. The Tanana Valley jet will continue
to bring on and off gusty southeast winds 25-35 mph to the Delta
Junction area with winds increasing on Saturday night. East to
northeast winds will also increase across most areas on Saturday
night into Sunday with higher terrain and channeled areas seeing
gusts over 40 mph along the with blowing snow, such as the summits
of the Dalton, Elliott, and Steese Highways. The southerly flow
will bring chinook winds to Alaska Range passes by Sunday.

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

Extended forecast for days 4 to 7...Weak high pressure across the
mainland with a strong low in Bristol Bay Monday morning with a
front extending east across the Gulf of Alaska. An inverted trough
will develop in the vicinity of the Middle Yukon Valley with snow
developing Sunday night and sliding west over the coast Tuesday.
Strong north winds will continue just off the West Coast through
midweek. Slowly warming temperatures will continue into next week
with temperatures above climatological normals for early January.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...None.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ201-220.
     Gale Warning for PKZ210.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ225.
&&