Blizzard in Alaska, April 10 to 11, 2013

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
248 AM AKDT WED APR 10 2013

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS IN DISAGREEMENT AFTER ABOUT 46 HOURS BUT EVEN IN THE NEAR
TERM...ALTHOUGH THEE MODELS ARE CONSISTENT...THE TIMING IS WAY
OFF. ONE COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT THE ECMWF IS THE CLOSEST TO
REALITY THOUGH SO WILL TRY TO FOLLOW THAT FOR THE MOST PART.

DEEP COLD UPPER LOW CENTERED OVER SOUTHWEST ALASKA WILL MOVE EAST
TO BE JUST NORTH OF VALDEZ BY EARLY THU MORNING WITH A TROUGH
CONNECTING TO ANOTHER UPPER LOW NEAR THE EASTERN PORTION OF
MACKENZIE BAY.

MOST OF THE SNOW THAT HAS FALLEN OVER THE NORTHERN INTERIOR HAS
ENDED SOUTH OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. THE AREA OF SNOW HS MOVED TO
THE BROOKS RANGE AND NORTH. SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO FALL OVER THE
ARCTIC COST EAST OF BARROW THROUGH THE DAY AND TAPER OFF FROM THE
WEST. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO PICK UP IN THE EASTERN ARCTIC TODAY AND
COMBINE WITH FALLING SNOW TO PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER THE
EASTERN ARCTIC FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

THE WEST COAST WINDS HAVE DEFINITELY INCREASED DURING THE DAY ON
WED TO PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS FROM CAPE KRUSENSTERN NORTHWARD
BUT WILL EVENTUALLY TAPER OFF THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE
WEST COAST AS WELL FOR BLOWING SNOW DUE TO HIGH WINDS.

UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING IN OVER BERING SEA WILL FORCE THE UPPER
LEVEL TROUGH OVER CENTRAL ALASKA TO THE EAST. THIS WILL BRING IN
MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES ALOFT WHICH WILL TRANSLATE TO SURFACE
TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO LEVELS NEAR NORMAL BY THE FIRST PART OF
NEXT WEEK

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NONE.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...NONE.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AKZ204-AKZ207.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ206-AKZ208-AKZ210-AKZ218-AKZ219-
AKZ220-AKZ224.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ220-PKZ245.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ210-PKZ225.
&&

CF APR 13