ALASKA EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 157 PM EST FRI JAN 15 2016 VALID 12Z TUE JAN 19 2016 - 12Z SAT JAN 23 2016 VERY LITTLE CHANGE MADE TO THE PREVIOUS MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST. FOLLOWED THE 15/00Z EC ENSEMBLE MEANS AND ITS DETERMINISTIC RUN THROUGH DAY 6 IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC AND GULF OF ALASKA. AFTER DAY 6...THE DETERMINISTIC ECMWF SOLUTION WAS NOT FAR OFF ITS MEAN---WHICH WAS NOT A BAD WAY TO TRACK A DAY 6-8 WAVE --- FROM OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN---TO THE WESTERN ALEUTIANS. THIS DEVELOPING CYCLONE WILL INTRODUCE A WETTER PATTERN FOR THE ALEUTIANS AND SOUTHWEST PENINSULA. DOWNSTREAM... THIS SOLUTION ANCHORS THE VERTICALLY-STACKED LOW IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC --- VERY NEAR 52N 145W FOR DAY 6-7. WITH THAT PLACEMENT...THE LOWER 48'S WEST COAST WILL RECEIVE THE BULK OF THE 'NEGATIVE-TILT' MID-LEVEL ENERGY. SHORTWAVE ENERGY WRAPPING COUNTER-CLOCKWISE AROUND THE EAST AND NORTH PERIPHERY OF THE STACKED LOW---WILL AFFECT THE SOUTHERN COAST LINE --- BUT MAKES VERY LITTLE HEADWAY INLAND (OVER THE INTERIOR) DURING THIS MEDIUM RANGE PERIOD. AND THE LOW-LEVEL FLOW (WIND DIRECTION) FOR THE PANHANDLE REMAINS IN A SOUTH TO EAST-SOUTHEAST PATTERN WITH AN OCCASIONAL EAST WIND BEHIND THE INDIVIDUAL MIGRATORY SHORTWAVES. I COUNTED SIX DIFFERENT SHORTWAVES STREAKING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST (OLYMPIC PENINSULA) DURING THE NEXT 8 DAYS. PORTIONS OF THESE SHORTWAVES---ARE 'TRACK-ABLE' FEATURES ROTATING 'COUNTER-CLOCKWISE' ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA. IN OTHER WORDS...THE PANHANDLE WILL BE THE 'ACTIVE' REGION OF THE STATE. VOJTESAK