Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 546 PM EDT Sun Apr 09 2023 Valid 12Z Thu Apr 13 2023 - 12Z Mon Apr 17 2023 ...Cold pattern for much of Alaska this week and beyond... ...Overview with Guidance Evaluation/Predictability Assessment and Weather/Hazard Highlights... An amplified mean upper trough will persist over mainland Alaska this week along with a cold temperatures and occasional localized light snow focus from the Interior to the North Slope. The overall cold to much below normal cold pattern is expected to hold for much of Alaska this April as per latest guidance from the Climate Prediction Center. Meanwhile to the south, surface lows will consolidate/deepen and re-develop over the Gulf of Alaska late week into next week with upper trough amplification and persistence as aided by multiple stream energies. Expect periods of high winds/gap winds are possible on the backside of these maritime lows with some focus from the eastern Aleutians to the Alaskan Peninsula and Kodiak Island. Unsettled weather with periodic wrapping precipitation will linger for the southern coastline of Alaska, but more so for the Southeast Panhandle with protracted lead moisture potential as the main low system position is forecast to meander over the east-central Gulf of Alaska. Precipitation amounts do not appear to be excessive over the Southeast this week, but should be widespread and enhanced over favored terrain. Guidance shows a quite similar pattern evolution though these med-range time scales, but offer less than stellar run to run continuity with features rotating within main upper trough positions both over the mainland and the Gulf of Alaska. Accordingly prefer a blend of the 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF/CMC and GEFS/ECMWF ensemble means, with greater weighting on the ensemble means given uncertainties. This forecast plan was collaborated with local Alaskan weather offices and associated WPC product continuity is well maintained in this manner. Schichtel 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