High Wind in Alaska, July 1 to 2, 2002

NORTH ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
400 AM ADT MON JUL 1 2002

MODELS BEGIN TO DISAGREE TOWARDS THE END OF THIS WEEK. OTHERWISE, UNTIL
THEN THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT.

THIS MORNINGS ALASKA REGIONAL COORDINATION WEATHER MAP DEPICTED A
COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM THE ARCTIC SOUTH OVER PRUDHOE BAY TO BETTLES,
NORTON SOUND AND NORTH OF SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND THEN TO EASTERN RUSSIA.
LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE FRONT NEAR ANAKTUVUK
PASS. AT 400 AM TUESDAY MORNING THE LOW PRESSURE WILL BE 300 MILES
NORTHEAST OF BATER ISLAND. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE LOW
SOUTH OVER NORTHWESTERN CANADA TO NEAR TANANA THEN WEST OVER THE
BERING STRAIT TO EASTERN RUSSIA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE BUILDING IN
BEHIND THE FRONT.

AT 400 AM WEDNESDAY LOW PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED NORTHWEST OF FORT
YUKON WITH A COLD FRONT SOUTH OVER TANANA AND WEST TO BETWEEN SAINT
LAWRENCE ISLAND AND SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND THEN WEST INTO RUSSIA.

A THERMAL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM EAGLE TO SOUTHWEST OF DENALI
WILL AGAIN BE THE FOCUS OF THUNDERSHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
LIGHTNING DETECTION EQUIPMENT INDICATED 582 LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THE
VICINITY OF THIS THERMAL TROUGH SINCE YESTERDAY.

SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWED A BAND OF CLOUDS STRETCHING ALONG THE COLD
FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM PRUDHOE BAY TO SAINT MARYS THEN WEST OFF THE
COAST. ONLY SPRINKLES OR LIGHT RAIN WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BAND
OF CLOUDS. RADAR AT NOME INDICATED SHOWERS. AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN AND
FOG WERE COMMON FROM KOTZEBUE SOUND AND NORTH. THIS WAS IN ASSOCIATION
WITH THE MOVEMENT OF COLD AIR INTO THE WARM OVER THAT REGION. LIGHT
RAIN CHANGED OVER TO LIGHT SNOW AT BARROW LATE SUNDAY EVENING. SNOW
ENDED AT WAINWRIGHT LAST NIGHT.

THE FOCUS OF PRECIPITATION WILL SHIFT EASTWARD TODAY AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. PRECIPITATION TONIGHT WILL BE
WIDESPREAD FROM THE BERING STRAIT OVER KOTZEBUE SOUND, THE BROOKS RANGE
AND ALONG THE NORTH COAST, EAST OF BARROW. THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION
WILL OCCUR TONIGHT OVER THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE BROOKS RANGE EAST OF
THE COLEVILLE RIVER INCLUDING ANAKTUVUK PASS. A FEW INCHES OF SNOW WILL
BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS.

COLD AIR COMING IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL CAUSE ADVISORY LEVEL
WINDS FOR MARINE AREAS OF THE WEST COAST AND SOUNDS.

.AFG...WATCH/WARNING SUMMARY
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING MARINE AREAS:
    AREA 14, SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND WATERS.
    AREA 9A, NORTON SOUND.
    AREA 9B, NOT THE ENTIRE AREA, ONLY THE SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND WATERS.
    AREA 10A, KOTZEBUE SOUND.
    AREA 10B, WALES TO CAPE LISBURNE.

DA JUN 02