Funnel Cloud in Alaska, August 28, 2002

NORTH ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
400 AM ADT WED AUG 28 2002

THE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THROUGH THURSDAY. AT 400 AM SATURDAY
THE ECMF HAS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WITH AXIS FROM A LOW OVER THE HIGH
ARCTIC TO THE BERING STRAIT AND SOUTH OVER THE ALEUTIANS. AT THE SAME
TIME THE MRF HAS THE LOW OVER THE HIGH ARCTIC AND A SEPARATE CLOSED LOW
SOUTHWEST OF THE PRIBILOFS. THE UPPER LOW OR TROUGHS MOVE EAST AND BY
SUNDAY AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BE BUILDING OVER THE NORTHERN BERING
SEA. THE RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OVER THE INTERIOR MONDAY AND
TUESDAY.

THE ALASKA REGIONAL COORDINATION SURFACE MAP DEPICTS A FRONT OVER THE
ARCTIC SOUTH TO EAST OF BARROW TO SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND TO SOUTH OF
SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND. THE FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF KOTZEBUE AND NORTON
SOUNDS TODAY. ON THURSDAY THE FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF MACKENZIE BAY
WITH THE SOUTHERN PORTION DISSIPATING OVER THE UPPER YUKON AND TANANA
VALLEYS. AT 400 AM THURSDAY LOW PRESSURE WILL BE 90 MILES NORTH OF
WRANGEL ISLAND WITH A COLD FRONT OVER THE WESTERN CHUKCHI SEA AND
SOUTHWEST OVER RUSSIA. AT 400 AM FRIDAY THE LOW WILL BE 400 MILES NORTH
OF PRUDHOE BAY WITH THE FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH TO ABOUT 100 MILES NORTH
OF BARROW AND SOUTHWEST AS A WARM FRONT OVER THE WESTERN CHUKCHI SEA
THEN TO A LOW 200 MILES WEST OF GAMBELL. ALSO AT 400 AM FRIDAY ANOTHER
LOW PRESSURE WILL BE 70 MILES WEST OF CAPE NEWENHAM WITH AN ASSOCIATED
OCCLUDED FRONT EAST TO NEAR ANCHORAGE AND SOUTH OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA.
A WEAK RIDGE WILL BE OVER INTERIOR ALASKA BETWEEN THE FRONT NORTH OF
BARROW AND THE OCCLUSION NEAR ANCHORAGE.

RADAR AT NOME THIS MORNING SHOWED LIGHT RAIN COVERING THE EAST HALF OF
THE SCOPE. RAIN WAS COMING TO AN END AT NOME AS THE COLD FRONT MADE
PROGRESS EAST. SHORTLY AFTER 200 AM THE COLD FRONT MOVED THROUGH NOME
WITH A WIND SHIFT FROM 180 DEGREES TO 260 DEGREES. THE FRONTAL PASSAGE
THROUGH NOME WAS A FEW HOURS AHEAD THE PROGNOSIS ACCORDING TO THE ALASKA
REGIONAL COORDINATION SURFACE MAP. RAIN WAS MOVING EAST AND UNALAKLEET
WAS LIKELY ALREADY RECEIVING A LITTLE LIGHT RAIN. THE SKY WAS OVERCAST
AT UNALAKLEET WITH VISIBILITIES DOWN TO 8 MILES. SATELLITE SHOWED THE
COLD FRONT APPROACHING NOME. INDICATIONS WERE THAT RAIN HAD ENDED OVER
SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND AND WOULD BE ENDING SHORTLY AT NOME. TO THE NORTH
OF NOME, THE FRONT WAS MAKING VERY LITTLE PROGRESS EASTWARD. VERY WEAK
WINDS WERE OBSERVED ON THE CENTRAL PROFILER. THIS WAS DUE TO A RIDGE OF
HIGH PRESSURE FROM SOUTHWEST ALASKA TO OVER THE UPPER YUKON VALLEY AND
TO NEAR MACKENZIE BAY.

RADAR AT FAIRBANKS SHOWED NO RETURNS THIS MORNING.

.AFG...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AREA 10B, WALES TO CAPE LISBURNE.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AREA 11A, CAPE LISBURNE TO ICY CAPE.

DA AUG 02