Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
756 PM EDT Mon Sep 5 2022
Valid 12Z Fri Sep 9 2022 - 12Z Tue Sep 13 2022
***Heavy precipitation/wind/atmospheric river threat inland from
the Gulf of Alaska to south-central/southeast Alaska and the
Interior on Friday***
...Guidance/Predictability Assessment...
The 12Z guidance suite initially has a good overall depiction of
the weakening upper low centered over western Alaska on Friday and
the trailing trough/front across the Gulf region. By Saturday,
the GFS becomes more amplified with the system crossing the Bering
and is slower than the better clustered CMC/ECMWF/UKMET solutions,
and the GFS is also displaced to the northeast with the upper
ridge across the Arctic this weekend. A general blend of the
aforementioned operational models sufficed as a good starting
point in the forecast process through early Sunday, and this
maintained decent overall WPC continuity. By early next week, the
ensemble means favor upper level troughing building back in across
the Bering and western Alaska, with the CMC and ECMWF fairly well
aligned with the GEFS and ECENS. To account for increasing
mesoscale uncertainties, more of the ensemble means were
incorporated for the Day 7 and 8 time periods.
...Sensible Weather and Potential Hazards...
The main emphasis of the forecast going into the end of this week
and into the weekend will be the evolution of shortwaves and
embedded lows digging from the Bering to just south of the
Aleutians, along with how they may interact with North Pacific
flow/surface low pressure systems. Heavy rainfall associated with
a probable atmospheric river on Friday is expected to result in
several inches of rain from the eastern Kenai Peninsula to the St.
Elias Mountains, and some flooding issues will be possible with
enhanced run-off. Another round of moderate to heavy rain is on
the horizon for early next week across the south-central mainland,
with daily 1-2 inch totals possible each day. Farther north,
several inches of snow is likely for the higher terrain of the
Brooks Range as moisture lifts northward ahead of a strong low
pressure system, and moderate rain for the valley locations.
Gusty winds and rough seas will also be commonplace across the
Aleutians and coastal areas as multiple low pressure systems
affect the region.
Hamrick
Hazards:
-Heavy rain across portions of the Alaska Panhandle and southern
mainland Alaska, Thu-Fri, Sep 8-Sep 9.
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