Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service College Park MD
729 PM EDT Tue Jun 10 2025
Valid 12Z Sat 14 Jun 2025 - 12Z Wed 18 Jun 2025
...Guidance Evaluation/Preferences...
The medium-range forecast period through next Wednesday for the
Alaskan domain will likely feature a 500-mb ridge gradually closing
off into a separate anticyclone over northern Alaska while
multiple vortices from the Bering Sea and northern Pacific will slide
toward and be absorbed into the Gulf of Alaska cyclone under a
confluent upper-air pattern. Even though deterministic global
model solutions show increasing divergence in resolving the timing
of the various vortices, the agreement among ensemble means
remain very well through Day 8 with respect to the aforementioned
evolution of the synoptic scale pattern.
The WPC Alaskan medium forecast package was mainly derived from a
composite blend of moderately well-clustered guidance comprising
of 40% from the 12Z ECMWF and 00Z/12Z EC mean, 40% from the 12Z
GFS and 12Z GEFS, and 20% from the 12Z Canadian and its ensemble
mean. The composite blend transitions to mainly a blend of the
ensemble means by Day 7 & 8.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
No hazardous weather is forecast for the Alaskan domain through
the medium-range forecast period. The main concern in terms of
rainfall under this synoptic pattern will be across the southern
Alaska Peninsula Friday into Saturday when moderate to locally
heavy rainfall is expected ahead of a pair of occluded cyclones
with gale-force winds. Lingering precipitation early this weekend
across portions of the Panhandle is expected to taper off later on
Saturday as an old occluded low retrogrades and moves further
offshore, eventually be absorbed by the system sliding through
the eastern Aleutians. The southwestern coastal sections will also
see a good chance of rain from this system this weekend. By early
next week going into midweek, chance of rain will be on the
increase for the southern coastline into the Panhandle as the
Aleutian system merges with the Gulf of Alaska low. The southern
interior sections can also expect an increasing chance of
scattered showers and thunderstorms from early to midweek next
week along the northern edge of the Gulf of Alaska circulation.
Under the gradually amplifying ridge forecast for northern
Alaska, afternoon temperatures are expected to soar well into the
80s for the eastern interior especially across the Yukon Flats by
this weekend. This is followed by a slow moderation forecast by
the NBM. The strength of the upper ridge will be watched in
subsequent forecasts for any signs of 90-degree heat going into
early next week.
Kong
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