Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service College Park MD
550 PM EDT Sun Aug 24 2025
Valid 12Z Thu 28 Aug 2025 - 12Z Mon 01 Sep 2025
...Multi-system heavy rain/flooding/wind threats for Alaska this
week fueled by an atmospheric river with a tropical connection...
...Guidance Evaluation/Preferences...
The 12 UTC GEFS/ECMWF/Canadian ensemble mean solutions again seem
very well clustered through medium range time scales. This
portends pattern evolution and hazards signals with above normal
predictability despite some growth trend in deterministic model
forecast spread of embedded systems. An ensemble mean composite
is favored coupled with manually applied adjustments to ensure
sufficient surface system strength otherwise limited by the
blending process. This maintains great WPC product continuity.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
A persistent closed upper low/trough position over the Arctic
Ocean should finally weaken this week as another closed upper
low/trough loses influence over the far southeast Gulf of
Alaska/northeast Pacific. In between, a long fetch of deep
moisture and a pooling wavy frontal system/supporting main upper
trough position shifts over the Aleutians/Bering Sea. Aim will
remain on West/Southwest Alaska through mid-later week, with
multi-day rainfall/flooding and wind threats over coastal areas
spreading inland into the Interior to also focus into western
portions of Brooks and Alaska Ranges terrain. a well established
atmospheric river has connection to the tropical West Pacific.
Activity may be further enhanced early period as shortwave energy
rotates through the southern periphery of the Arctic Ocean closed
low. A main axis of heavy rain chances will pivot to become
orientated more Southwest-Northeast over Southwest/west-central
portions of the state. Energy and moisture will become more
focused later week into the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island,
and then especially with the potential for very heavy rainfall
potential into SouthCentral Alaska, with additional wet flow into
the Alaska Range This is both with downstream translation of the
supporting closed upper low/trough and deepened surface low/system
and triplepoint low foray into Gulf waters. There is an emerging
threat for a surge of high winds into coastal areas/waterways and
farther inland into terrain enhancing gap flows to monitor. More
details about threat focus can be found on the WPC Hazards Outlook
as now produced daily 7X week (linked below).
Upstream...there remains a strong signal to highlight development
and track of a deep storm across the Aleutians into southern to
southeast Bering Sea heading into next weekend that looks to offer
wrapping high winds/waves and heavy rain threats given another
long fetch moisture connection. This protracted maritime threat
should also steadily work downstream to support another round of
impactful weather with wind/rain threat focus from Southwest
Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula/Kodiak Island into SouthCentral
Alaska with transition from August into September.
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