Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service College Park MD
651 PM EDT Thu Aug 21 2025
Valid 12Z Mon 25 Aug 2025 - 12Z Fri 29 Aug 2025
...Multi-day heavy rain/flooding and wind threat for the Mainland
this weekend into next week as fueled by an atmospheric river
with a tropical connection...
...Guidance Evaluation/Preferences...
The 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF/Canadian solutions are best clustered valid
for Monday into Wednesday in an energetic pattern with above
normal predictability. A composite maintains good WPC product
continuity and has good ensemble support. The 12 UTC GFS then
ejects an anchoring closed upper low/trough position eastward over
the Arctic Ocean mid-later next week more so than other guidance,
a recent bias for blocky high latitude systems, so instead prefer
a blend of more compatible guidance of the 12 UTC ECMWF/Canadian
models and the ECMWF/NAEFS ensemble means.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
Expect a deep, closed upper low/trough position will remain
anchored over the Arctic Ocean well into next week as a mid-
upper latitude closed upper low/trough slowly loses influence over
the far southern to southeastern Gulf of Alaska/Northeast Pacific
as a maritime hazard. In between, a long fetch of deep moisture
and a pooling wavy frontal system/supporting main upper trough
shift over the Aleutians and the Bering Sea to take aim on
Western/Southwestern Alaska well into next week, with multi-day
rainfall/flooding and wind threats spreading broadly inland
across much of the Interior and also affecting the Brooks and
Alaska Ranges. This well established atmospheric river has
connection to current west Pacific Tropical Depression Lingling.
Activity may be further enhanced and protracted as shortwave
energy rotates through the southern periphery of the Arctic Ocean
closed low. The trajectory/axis of the heavy rain will slowly become
orientated more Southwest-Northeast over Southwest/west-central
portions of the state before slowly shifting transitional focus
to the Alaska Peninsula and southern Alaskan with downstream
translation of the supporting closed upper trough and deepened
surface low/system foray into Gulf waters mid-later next week.
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