Gale Warning 24, NWS Fairbanks, AK

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
418 AM AKST Tue Feb 8 2022

.SYNOPSIS...
A very cold arctic trough is continuing bitter cold wind chills
across the Brooks Range, North Slope, and West Coast. A front will
move north across the Interior bringing clouds and snow chances
through tonight, which will also result in increased blowing and
drifting over Interior highway summits.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Upper Levels and Analysis...
A very impressive 490 dam 500 hpa arctic low is centered over
Nunivak Island with the trough axis aloft extending northeast
across the Arctic Coast. A warm front is extending up across the
entire N Gulf Coast with a 979 mb low centered over the Barren
Islands. A 1032 mb high over Wrangel Island is supporting a
normal northeast winter gradient over the Mainland. Satellite
shows a warm conveyor belt aloft moving north across the Bristol
Bay region, and this will be a snow maker over the West
Coast/Interior heading into tomorrow.

Central and Eastern Interior...
A front will move north of the AK Range and bring a quick shot of
snow as it tracks north this afternoon through tonight. Expect
good downslope flow north of the AK Range, with Fairbanks as usual
right on the edge of things. Expecting little accumulation in
Fairbanks, but farther north a quick 1-2 inches is expected. With
snow, however, will be a weakening gradient so the northeast winds
and blowing snow over the highway summits of the Interior will
wane through tonight. South flow will also bring gusty AK Range
winds with gusts into the 40-55 mph range along with snow over the
southern parts of the passes. Snow squalls behind a strong arctic
front will impact the Interior Wednesday evening with another 1-2
inches of accumulation possible, including the southern Interior.

West Coast and Western Interior...
Another day, more northeast winds along the coast and over the
Capes. Bitter cold wind chills continue with values of -35 to -50
F over the windy areas. Winds gradually diminish today as a
surface inverted trough moves north, bringing light snow from the
Lower Yukon through Norton Sound and into the Seward Peninsula
today. The front lifts north to Kotezbue Sound then falls apart
tonight. Expect a general swath of 1-3 inches of snowfall possible
with little if any over the Yukon Delta.

After this, snow showers linger over the Lower Yukon with co,d and
dry high pressure building in for Wednesday and beyond.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
A strong northerly gradient with bitter cold wind chills
continues across the Brooks Range and will persist through today
before weakening tonight. This will be in conjunction with a
front lifting north from the south, which will increase the east
gradient over the northeast Arctic where gale force winds will
develop from Barter Island east. This will bring in more cold wind
chills and blowing snow, with those cold wind chills extending
into Prudhoe Bay Wednesday before the front shifts offshore,
ending east winds.

Snow shower threats and a return to west winds redevelop Thu.

Extended Forecast Days 4-7...
A quasi-stationary arctic front will remain draped over the
Mainland Friday through the weekend, keeping threats for snow over
the Mainland as a semi-active pattern emerges as energy from the
Pacific lifts inland.

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

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

Wind Chill Advisory for AKZ203-AKZ208-AKZ210-AKZ212.

Wind Advisory for AKZ226.

Wind Chill Warning for AKZ204-AKZ206-AKZ218.

Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ207-AKZ213-AKZ219-AKZ220-AKZ221.

Gale Warning for PKZ210-PKZ220.

Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ200-PKZ225-PKZ245.

&&

AHSENMACHER FEB 22