Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service College Park MD
748 PM EDT Thu Sep 11 2025
Valid 12Z Mon 15 Sep 2025 - 12Z Fri 19 Sep 2025
***Heavy rain likely for southern and southeast Alaska for early
next week as Gulf low approaches***
...Overview...
The beginning of next week is expected to be rather unsettled
across the Gulf Coast from the Kenai Peninsula to southeast Alaska
as a storm system moves in from the southwest. This low weakens by
midweek as attention then turns to the central and western
Aleutians with the next low pressure system developing over that
region, and this should track in the general direction of
southwestern mainland Alaska by next Thursday.
...Guidance Evaluation/Preferences...
The guidance has a decent overall handle on the general weather
pattern to begin next week, although the GFS is farther to the
northeast than the model consensus with the weak low near the
Arctic Coast. Meanwhile, the non-NCEP guidance is generally east
of the GFS/GEFS with respect to the Gulf low Monday into Tuesday.
Looking ahead to mid-week, the EC/ECENS is faster with the low
near the Aleutians, and the CMC is stronger with an arctic low
for the end of the week. Today's WPC forecast is about 100 miles
or so farther south with the Gulf low compared to yesterday's
forecast on Monday. There has also been a slight northward trend
with the Aleutians low with today's forecast. A general
deterministic model blend was employed to start with on Monday,
followed by gradually increasing the ensemble means to about half
by next Friday.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
An organized low pressure system is likely to bring gusty winds
and periods of moderate to heavy rainfall to portions of the
Kenai Peninsula, South-central mainland, and Southeast Alaska
early next week. This should reach peak intensity on Monday,
which is when the frontal system should arrive along the Gulf
Coast. The low should weaken going into Tuesday night and
Wednesday, with a corresponding abatement in precipitation. Rainy
conditions and gusty winds then affect the Aleutians and the
Alaska Peninsula by Wednesday into Thursday. Temperatures will
likely be average to above average across the central to eastern
Interior, and likely below average over the West coast beneath the
upper trough.
Hamrick
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