Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
705 PM EDT Sun Jul 02 2023
Valid 12Z Thu Jul 06 2023 - 12Z Mon Jul 10 2023
...Synoptic Overview and Guidance/Evaluation Preferences...
A low pressure system over the eastern Aleutians should weaken as
it lifts north into Bristol Bay late this week. The associated
upper level trough/shortwave will slide across Mainland Alaska
next weekend. More uncertain energy rounding the base of troughing
over the Arctic/Siberia may try to move into the Bering Sea around
next weekend with a second weaker upper low moving towards the
western Aleutians around Sunday-Monday. Upper level ridging may
try to build back in across the Gulf and into western Alaska next
Monday.
The 12z ECMWF is noticeably displaced to the northeast with the
initial low moving into Bristol Bay on Thursday, and faster/more
amplified with troughing across the Mainland next weekend. The 12z
ECMWF is also more aggressive with additional energy behind this
across the Bering Sea. Late in the period, the ECMWF suggests
troughing will hang around over at least the Western Mainland
(with an upper low over the Gulf), but the GFS and CMC attempt to
bring ridging back into the region at this time. This also
translates to issues in strength of the next low pressure system
towards the Western Aleutians and into the Bering Sea next Sunday
and Monday. The ensemble means seem to favor the GFS and CMC, but
in a much weaker/more washed out fashion. The WPC blend favors the
GFS/CMC over the ECMWF, with greater contributions from the
ensemble means later in the period to help smooth out some of the
smaller scale details which are impossible to resolve at this time
frame. Overall, this maintains fairly good continuity with the
previous shift as well.
...Weather/Hazards highlights...
The initial low into Bristol Bay and associated troughing in
Western Alaska will create a fairly wet pattern for much of
coastal and western Alaska into the Brooks Range through the
weekend with several inches of rain possible in some of the higher
terrain and areas closer to the southern Coast. Upper troughing
should keep the western and central Interior and into the Brooks
Range cooler, with daytime highs 10-20 degrees below normal for
this time of the year. Temperatures in parts of the eastern
Interior and into Southeast Alaska should however stay above
normal and warm (with temperatures into the 70s and 80s).
Santorelli
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