ALASKA EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 1250 PM EST TUE JAN 28 2014 VALID 12Z SAT FEB 01 2014 - 12Z WED FEB 05 2014 ALASKA APPEARS TO BE AFFORDED A VERY STABLE MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST PERIOD...THIS DAY 4 THROUGH DAY 8 PERIOD. THE LONG SPELL OF WARMER AND WETTER WEATHER WILL BE COMING TO AN END...PRIOR TO DAY 4 (SATURDAY). THE 28/00Z GFS/GEFS AND ECENS/ECMWF SEEMED A GOOD MATCH WITH THE PREVIOUS GRAPHICS...WITH LITTLE TO NO CHANGES MADE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREAS. ONLY MINOR SPEED CHANGES WERE MADE AT MID-LATITUDES--BETWEEN 40N-45N FOR THE UNDERCUTTING ENERGY. THE MAIN HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS FORECAST PERIOD INCLUDE: AN UPPER-LEVEL HIGH POSITIONED OVER THE INTERIOR...AND A SERIES OF PACIFIC DISTURBANCES UNDERCUTTING THE HIGH AND DISLODGING THE MID-LEVEL ENERGY EASTWARD AND SOUTHEASTWARD...ALBEIT IN FRAGMENTS. GENERALLY...THIS LEADS TO A DRIER AND COLDER PATTERN FOR MUCH OF THE STATE WITH NEAR SEASONAL NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION...INCLUDING MUCH OF THE PANHANDLE. VOJTESAK