Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
643 PM EDT Mon Aug 26 2024
Valid 12Z Fri Aug 30 2024 - 12Z Tue Sep 03 2024
...Heavy Rainfall/Runoff Threat for Southern to Southeast Alaska
into Friday/Saturday...
...Overview...
A primary main storm to impact Alaska during this forecast period
will be a deep low pressure system developing and tracking
eastward into and across the northern Gulf of Alaska Friday into
the weekend. A strongly supporting upper troughing/closed low will
be maintained through the weekend as several weaker shortwaves
reinforce the pattern and upper riding builds downstream over
northwest Canada. This sets up the potential for a multi-day heavy
rainfall event across Kodiak Island and Southcentral to the
Panhandle. Additional systems in this pattern are uncertain in
this energetic flow, but will be monitored in the coming days as
stronger guidance signals emerge. The rest of Alaska should be
relatively as another deep low should spin far enough north in the
Arctic Ocean.
...Guidance Evaluation/Preferences...
Models and ensembles show highly energetic and progressive flow in
a stormy pattern with below normal forecast spread and uncertainty
Friday into Sunday. A composite of reasonably well clustered
guidance from the 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF/UKMET/Canadian offers good
detail as consistent with above normal system predictability and
WPC product continuity. Gravitated to a 12 UTC NAEFS/ECMWF
ensemble means composite through longer time frames amid
increasingly growing flow embedded system uncertainties.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
Heavy rain will progress eastward with a likely deepened storm
track eastward into and across the northern Gulf of Alaska Friday
into Sunday. This sets the stage for a possible atmospheric river
to take aim across the Southern Coast into the Panhandle to fuel a
multi-day heavy rainfall event. Precursor rains over the next few
days and the aforementioned late week/weekend heavy rainfall
threat across this region may combine to increase the threat for
runoff/flash flooding over time. Gusty winds/enhanced waves may
support maritime/coastal hazards that may accompany this well
organized system.
Schichtel
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