Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
648 PM EDT Wed Jun 10 2020
Valid 12Z Sun Jun 14 2020 - 12Z Thu Jun 18 2020
...Overview and Weather Highlights/Threats...
During the forecast period /Sun-Thur/, a relatively progressive
flow pattern with a pair of storm systems will generally track
south of the mainland and more across the North Pacific and Gulf
of Alaska. For the start of the period /d4 Sun/, an area of low
pressure will be moving out of the region. This is followed by
another system mid-week that passes near the Aleutians. Aloft,
troughing and a couple of closed lows will remains south to
southwest of the mainland, while building heights and ridging
hangs on for the eastern mainland. A relatively weak area in
between will lead to more mesoscale driven sensible weather due to
daytime heating, resulting in scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Temperatures will also be on the increase, particularly for the
eastern mainland as upper ridging remains in place.
...Guidance/Predictability Assessment...
The 12Z ECMWF and 12Z GFS were heavily weighted for day 4/5 given
the above average agreement to start the period. The 12Z CMC was
again not incorporated with its too deep closed low lingering over
the Gulf of Alaska Typical model biases develop by day 5/6, where
the GFS appears to be too progressive with the next system that
approaches the Aleutians. Forecast confidence however remains
average to slightly above average given the good agreement through
much of the period, but given the spread by day 6-8, the
ECENS/GEFS were increasingly utilized.
Taylor
Additional 3-7 Day Hazard information can be found on the WPC
medium range hazards chart at:
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php
Hazards:
- Much above normal temperatures across portions of mainland
Alaska, Sat-Sun, Jun 13-Jun 14.
WPC medium range Alaskan products including 500mb, surface
fronts/pressures progs and sensible weather grids can also be
found at:
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/alaska/ak_5dayfcst500_wbg.gif
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/alaska/akmedr.shtml
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/alaska/ak_5km_gridsbody.html