Heavy Snow in Alaska, December 30, 2003

SOUTHEAST ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
1045 AM AST MON DEC 29 2003

.SYNOPSIS...
.SHORT RANGE...INCOMING WEATHER SYSTEM STARTING TO MOVE INTO THE
AREA DURING MIDDAY...ALREADY STARTED SNOWING ACROSS THE EASTERN
GULF COAST AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OUT TONIGHT.  COLD AIR
ENTRENCHED FAIRLY WELL ACROSS THE INNER CHANNELS SO EXPECT THE
PRECIPITATION TO STAY SNOW. WILL HAVE A BIT HARDER TIME ALONG THE
COASTAL AREAS ON HOW MUCH WARM AIR IS BEING PUSHED NORTH AHEAD OF
THE FRONT TO CHANGE TO OR MIX WITH RAIN.

WEATHER FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE PANHANDLE TONIGHT AND THE
MAJORITY OF THE LOW WILL REMAIN OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA
BEFORE STARTING TO DRIFT SOUTHWARD.

COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT AND TROUGH ALOFT SHOULD BRING THE
CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS FAIRLY QUICKLY FOR TUESDAY...SPREADING
OVER THE PANHANDLE WHERE IT HAD GONE MIXED OR ALL RAIN. EXPECT
THE SNOW TO ACCUMULATE OVER THE NORTHERN INNER CHANNELS OVERNIGHT
AND INTO TUESDAY TO ABOUT 5 TO 8 INCHES MOST AREAS.

EARLIER POCKETS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE ACROSS THE INTERIOR ARE
SHORTLY OR HAVE ALREADY SWITCHED OVER TO SNOW...AS OF 11 AM. SO
WILL CANCEL THE FREEZING DRIZZLE ADVISORY.

.LONG RANGE...AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS OVER
INTERIOR ALASKA THROUGH MID WEEK AND PHASES WITH ANOTHER UPPER
HIGH NORTH OF THE ARCTIC COAST. THIS RESULTS IN A LONG FETCH OF
COLD AIR FROM THE POLE TO THE NORTHWEST CANADA BY THE END OF THE
WEEK. LINGERING SNOW FLURRIES SHOULD END WED WITH SKIES CLEARING
FROM THE NORTH WED NIGHT AND THU. MUCH COLDER AIR IS EXPECTED TO
SHOULD SPREAD OVER SOUTHEAST ALASKA BY THE WEEKEND WITH
TEMPERATURES REMAINING QUITE COLD THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

.AJK...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
PUBLIC...FRZG DRZL ADVISORY 25 ENDING.
      ...SNOW ADVISORY ...017>022-024>026

MARINE...GALE 043>052
      ...SMCR 021>031-033>042-053