Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
503 PM EDT Sun Mar 28 2021
Valid 12Z Thu Apr 01 2021 - 12Z Mon Apr 05 2021
...Guidance/Uncertainty Assessment...
Yet another tough Alaskan forecast through medium range time
scales. The 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF solutions seem reasonably well
clustered and have good ensemble support for day 4/Thu. It goes
downhill quickly from there with model solutions diverging due to
upstream sensitivities in both the amplitude evolution and stream
interaction without a clear signal for any singular solution, at
least to me. For the just sent WPC 500mb progs, I used a guidance
composite day 4/Thu and quickly transitioned Fri to a 50-50
GEFS/ECMWF ensemble mean blend out through day 8. The means have
differences with stream interactions as well, but overall are
decently compatible considering the rapidly increasing forecast
spread and maintain much better WPC continuity than the models.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
Lingering/uncertain upper trough support over the Interior may
favor periods with unsettled/cooled weather to include some threat
for locally heavy snows. Meanwhile, an amplified upper trough will
dig over the central to eastern Gulf of Alaska into later week and
next weekend. This will be periodically be reinforced by
progressive/uncertain upstream energies and surface systems from
an also unsettled Bering Sea that dig to the lee of an upper ridge
building up through the Aleutians. This pattern should favor a
mean surface low position over the northern Gulf of Alaska and a
threat of high winds/waves and lead/favorable onshore flow to fuel
periods with terrain enhancing precipitation over eastern southern
and especially Southeast Alaska later week through next weekend.
Schichtel
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
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