Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
659 PM EDT Fri Oct 07 2022
Valid 12Z Tue Oct 11 2022 - 12Z Sat Oct 15 2022
...Heavy rainfall and elevation heavy snow threat for
South-central to Southeastern Alaska mid-late next week to be
rejuvenated into next weekend with approach of an Aleutians/Bering
Sea storm...
...Guidance/Predictability Assessment and Weather/Hazards
Highlights...
The 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF/UKMET/Canadian solutions are well clustered
Tuesday/Wednesday and a composite seems to offer a good basis for
the main forecast components. The composite is well supported by
ensembles and maintain good WPC product continuity. Increasingly
transitioned to a more run to run consistent solution of the
compatible 12 UTC GEFS/NAEFS/ECMWF ensemble means Thursday-next
Saturday.
A vigorous Bering Sea low slated to slam into western/southwestern
Alaska Monday will lose organization but remain
energetic/unsettled while working inland into Tuesday/Wednesday
and spread a swath of lead precipitation and locally enhanced
winds across the Brooks Range and Interior. Expect widespread
post-frontal cooling in the wake of system passage across the
region.
While individual system timing and emphasis differences do grow
into mid-late next week in amplifying/phasing flow, model and
ensemble solutions still strongly favor a similar pattern
evolution aloft and highlight development of an amplified upper
trough from the Bering Sea through the Aleutians and amplified
upper ridging building over the central to eastern Gulf of Alaska.
There is a good signal for the tapping of additional mid-latitude
Pacific system energy and long fetch moisture to fuel a renewed
threat for multi-day heavy precipitation into south-central to
southeastern Alaska given an emerging flow channel to the state in
between the upper trough/ridge couplet.
Meanwhile, there remains an above normal ensemble guidance signal
in support of yet another potent storm expected to track generally
eastward from eastern Asia and the northwest Pacific early-mid
next week to the Aleutians/southern Bering Sea then Southwest
Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula later next week. This storm is
expected to then transition and increasingly reform later over the
Gulf of Alaska in about a week along with mid-latitude influx to
rejuvenate the wet pattern across south-central and southeast
Alaska. This deep low also offers a wind/waves and wrapping
enhanced rainfall threat broadly along the full path of the
system.
Schichtel
Hazards:
- Heavy precipitation across portions of the Alaska Panhandle and
mainland Alaska, Wed-Thu, Oct 12-Oct 13.
- Heavy precipitation across portions of the Alaska Panhandle,
Thu-Fri, Oct 13-Oct 14.
- High winds across portions of mainland Alaska, Mon, Oct 10.
- High significant wave heights for coastal portions of mainland
Alaska, Mon, Oct 10.
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