Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
626 PM EDT Fri Apr 11 2025
Valid 12Z Tue 15 Apr 2025 - 12Z Sat 19 Apr 2025
...Another in a series of deep storms to offer heavy
precipitation and high wind/wave threats for the southern tier of
Alaska and the northern Gulf of Alaska Tuesday-Thursday...
...Guidance/Predictability Assessment...
Prefer a composite blend of the now well clustered 12 UTC
GFS/ECMWF/UKMET/Canadian models to provide maximum detail as
consistent with a pattern with above normal predictability valid
Tuesday-Thursday. Forecast spread has decreased from prior run
cycles, trending deeper and with a westward shifted main low track
up toward the Mainland from the North Pacific. This trend seems
reasonable given the already well defined nature of the current
system off of Japan. Forecast spread increases slower than normal
over longer time frames in the wake of the main low this
period,but added to the composite blend minority influence from
the 12 UTC ECMWF/NAEFS ensemble means to smooth the less certain
smaller scale rough edges.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
A leading northern Gulf of Alaskan low will lose influence and
weather focus by Tuesday. However, the guidance signal has risen
in support of the development and northward track of a deep low
from the Northern Pacific towards the eastern Aleutians and Alaska
Peninsula/Bristol Bay Tuesday into Thursday, with weakening
system energies and precipitation possibly lingering over the
northern Gulf of Alaska next Friday into Saturday. The surface system
will have potent upper low/trough support aloft and coupled downstream
upper ridge amplification will act to slow eastward progression
more than indicated over the past few guidance run cycles. Mean
moist southerly flow wrapping near and east of the low will focus
a multi-day period with locally heavy precipitation potential from
southern Alaska into portions of Southeast Alaska, mainly Tuesday
into Thursday. In this period of deepest low strength and
pressure gradients, northerly winds and gap winds on the backside
of the low both over the eastern Aleutians and the Alaska
Peninsula as well as with leading winds up through Kodiak Island
and southern Alaskan coastal areas through especially the Alaska
Range may prove quite strong and gusty. The low will also present
a well organized maritime hazard to monitor. While additional
influx of upper through energies will meanwhile work up into/over
the Interior, significant moisture or more than localized pockets
of snow are not expected there.
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