ALASKA EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 106 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015 VALID 12Z WED APR 29 2015 - 12Z SUN MAY 03 2015 FOR THE HIGH LATITUDES... THE MODELS/ENSEMBLES HAVE YET TO SORT OUT HOW TO HANDLE ENERGY EJECTING EAST OF NORTHERN JAPAN EARLY NEXT WEEK AS IT STREAMS ACROSS THE NORTH PACIFIC. THE 00Z GFS/GEFS/UKMET DEPART MARKEDLY FROM THE CANADIAN/ECMWF/ECENS MEAN AS WELL AS CONTINUITY IN SHOWING MUCH LESS DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAILING SYSTEM COMPARED TO A LEAD SYSTEM THAT SLIPS SOUTHEASTWARD FROM THE BERING ACROSS THE ALEUTIANS TO START THE PERIOD ON WED. 12Z GFS STAYED WITH ITS EARLIER RUNS. OPTED TO USE THE STRONGER CLUSTER/CONTINUITY THOUGH DETAIL DIFFERENCES STILL PLAGUE THE FORECAST. RESULT WAS TO EMPHASIZE A MORE SUPPRESSED STORM TRACK IN THE SOUTHERN BERING AND ACROSS THE ALEUTIANS THAN THE FARTHER NORTH GFS. HOWEVER... CONFIDENCE IS LACKING GIVEN THE DIFFERENCES SEEN AT SHORT LEAD TIMES. THINGS SHOULD GET SORTED OUT IN ANOTHER MODEL CYCLE OR TWO. PRECIP FOCUS WILL BE ALONG AND SOUTH OF ABOUT 61N FROM THE ALEUTIANS TO SOUTHERN CENTRAL ALASKA TO THE PANHANDLE. FRACASSO