ALASKA EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 1239 PM EST TUE MAR 04 2014 VALID 12Z SAT MAR 08 2014 - 12Z WED MAR 12 2014 THE GLOBAL NUMERICAL MODELS ADVERTISE NO SIGNS OF A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN THE BLOCKING REGIME THAT HAS HELD SWAY FROM THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC ACROSS NORTH AMERICA FOR MUCH OF THE PAST COLD SEASON. A MEAN, FULL-LATITUDE RIDGE REMAINS ANCHORED ALONG THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAIN, WITH A SPRAWLING EDDY VORTEX TO THE SOUTH OF ALASKA AND THE GULF. THE STEADFAST EUROPEAN CENTRE ENSEMBLE MEAN SHOWS SOME TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE CONTINUING THROUGH THE MEDIUM RANGE INTO THE PANHANDLE, WITH ANOTHER POOL OF DEEP-LAYER MOISTURE OVER THE WESTERN BERING SEA. OTHERWISE, DRY, SEASONABLY COLD WEATHER REMAINS THE STORY OVER MOST OF THE INTERIOR. ANY GIVEN DETERMINISTIC SOLUTION--GFS AND ECMWF MODELS, INCLUDED--HAS BEEN FAR TOO JUMPY TO INCORPORATE INTO THE MANUAL MASS FIELDS FOR THE FORECAST. CISCO