Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
449 PM EDT Fri Aug 12 2022
Valid 12Z Tue Aug 16 2022 - 12Z Sat Aug 20 2022
...Cool/wet-to-snowy pattern for the North while rounds of heavy
rainfall likely across the South & Panhandle...
...Guidance/Predictability Assessment...
The guidance maintains the pattern of a the western AK upper
trough/upper low, which causes cyclones to navigate around its
periphery through the Aleutians towards Southern AK. The guidance
shows relatively good agreement, so used a compromise of the 12z
GFS, 12z Canadian, 12z UKMET, and 12z ECMWF for the pressures/500
hPa heights/winds mid next week and a combination of the 12z
ECMWF/12z GFS/12z Canadian/00z ECMWF ensemble mean/12z NAEFS mean
to deal with detail issues and uncertainty late next week which
led to reasonable continuity for a forecast at that range. The
grids were derived from the 19z NBM except the QPF, which weighted
towards deterministic guidance for realistic amplitudes.
...Sensible Weather...
Cooler air from the Arctic remains across the North with
high-elevation snow possible over the Brooks Range. Meanwhile,
the greatest threat of heavy rain will be focused along the
coastal sections and nearby high terrain of south and southeast
Alaska and the AK panhandle through the foreseeable future as
south to southwest flow off the Pacific continues around the
southeast and eastern peripheries of the closed mid-level low.
Local amounts of 6"+ are possible from this system in the favored
topography early and mid next week.
Meanwhile, the central portion of Alaska should be sheltered from
significant rain chances/amounts. However, with the upper trough
across the west and cyclone moving in from the west and south,
much of the state should be cloudy. Cool air from the Arctic will
continue chilly conditions along the North Slope with snowfall
possible over the Brooks Range. The polar air is forecast to show
limited southward penetration down the west coast but should
remain across the North Slope into early next to mid next week.
The interior will be mild to warm, with temperatures peaking in
the 60s each day.
Roth
- Heavy rain across portions of the Alaska Panhandle and mainland
Alaska, Mon-Fri, Aug 15-Aug 19.
- Much below normal temperatures across portions of mainland
Alaska, Mon-Wed, Aug 15-Aug 17.
Additional 3-7 Day Hazard Information can be found on the WPC
medium range hazards outlook 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