Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, March 11 to 12, 2006

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
230 PM AST FRI MAR 10 2006

.DISCUSSION...

ALOFT...RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER SOUTHWEST INTERIOR TO WRANGEL ISLAND
TONIGHT AND SAT. LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN OVER THE WESTERN
BERING SEA. BY SUN AFTERNOON...CLOSED LOW WILL BE CENTERED WEST OF
SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND AND CLOSED HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER
KOTZEBUE SOUND. THE HIGH WILL COVER MUCH OF NORTHERN ALASKA BY MON
AFTERNOON THEN PERSIST INTO MID WEEK. A TROUGH CURRENTLY EXTENDING
SOUTH FROM THE ARCTIC TO OVER THE EASTERN BROOKS RANGE AND SOUTH
TO THE EASTERN ALASKA RANGE WILL MOVE EAST INTO CANADA SUN.

SURFACE...979 MB LOW NORTH OF THE CENTRAL ALEUTIANS WILL MOVE
NORTHWEST. THE LOW WILL BE 400 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GAMBELL SUN
AFTERNOON. A WARM FRONT MOVING NORTH OF THE BERING STRAIT AND
SEWARD PENINSULA THIS AFTERNOON WILL CROSS THE WESTERN ARCTIC
COAST ON SAT AND THE REST OF THE ARCTIC COAST ON SUN. HIGH
PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE BROOKS RANGE WILL BE NEAR MACKENZIE
BAY SAT. THE HIGH CENTER WILL BE SOUTHEAST OF MACKENZIE BAY SUN
AFTERNOON.

NORTH SLOPE...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA THROUGH SUN WILL PRODUCE
LIGHT WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES. BERING SEA LOW PRESSURE WILL
CAUSE MODERATE SOUTHEAST WINDS FOR THE WESTERN ARCTIC COAST ON
SAT. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM SAT THROUGH SUN. THE LOW WILL WEAKEN
SUN THROUGH MON.

WEST COAST...STRONG WINDS WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW CONTINUE OVER
SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND AND THE YUKON DELTA. MODERATE TO STRONG
WINDS WILL SPREAD TO THE REST OF THE WEST COAST SAT. SNOW WILL
LIKELY NOT MOVE EAST OF NORTON SOUND. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH
SUN AFTERNOON AS BERING SEA LOW WEAKENS. MON AND TUE WILL BE DRY
WITH LIGHT WINDS.

INTERIOR...HIGH PRESSURE WILL PRODUCE DRY WEATHER INTO MID WEEK.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR AKZ203-AKZ204.

BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ213.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ200.
&&

MAR 06

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