Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
729 PM EDT Fri Oct 21 2022
Valid 12Z Tue Oct 25 2022 - 12Z Sat Oct 29 2022
...A Bering Sea low will bring a threat of high winds and waves to
the Aleutians early to middle of next week with locally heavy snow
possible for inland western Alaska midweek...
...Heavy mountain snows and coastal rain threat across the Alaska
Panhandle into the southern coastal section late next week...
...Overview and Guidance/Predictability Assessment and
Weather/Hazards Highlights...
The extended period will begin with a deepening cyclone entering
the western portion of the Bering Sea. Latest model guidance has
come into closer agreement on the placement of the cyclone center
compared with yesterday, but with the GFS/GEFS still tends to be
slower as the cyclone moves into the central portion of the Bering
Sea Tuesday morning. The cyclone center is forecast to move
onshore into southwestern Alaska by Wednesday morning, given very
good agreement from both the ensemble means and deterministic
guidance (cyclone center position is slightly faster than
yesterday's forecast). The system is expected to spread high
winds and waves across the Aleutians into southwestern Alaska
especially on the back side of the system where very gusty winds
can be expected to impact the Alaska Peninsula on Wednesday.
Precipitation amounts across the Aleutians are not expected to be
excessive. However, deep south to southwesterly flow from the
Pacific overrunning trapped inland cold air is forecast to bring a
threat of locally heavy snow across the inland sections of
southwestern Alaska late Tuesday into Wednesday. Toward the end
of next week, ensemble means show decent agreement on the
formation of a new center over the Gulf of Alaska and then become
the main cyclone center. Heavy precipitation is possible late
next week as this system edges closer to the southern coast while
moving toward the Panhandle. The ECMWF and CMC tend to be
slightly faster with this system compared with the GFS/GEFS.
The next system of concern is forecast to move into the Bering
Sea/Aleutians late next week into the weekend. There is quite a
bit of model spread on its track and intensity, as well as the
degree of phasing between the northern and southern stream.
The suite of Alaska products was based on 40% 12Z ECMWF/00Z/12Z EC
mean, 40% from the 12Z GFS/GEFS, and 20% from the 12Z CMC/CMC
mean, transitioning to mostly a comprise of the ensemble means by
Day 8. This blend maintains good continuity with yesterday's
forecast package.
Kong
Hazards:
- Heavy precipitation across portions of the Alaska Panhandle and
mainland Alaska, Thu-Fri, Oct 27-Oct 28.
- High winds across portions of mainland Alaska and the Aleutians,
Mon-Wed, Oct 24-Oct 26.
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