ALASKA EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 126 PM EST SUN DEC 04 2016 VALID 12Z THU DEC 08 2016 - 12Z MON DEC 12 2016 ...BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES TO PERSIST FOR THE INTERIOR/SOUTH CENTRAL REGION AND THE PANHANDLE... ENSEMBLES MOSTLY HAVE A HANDLE ON THE LONGWAVE PATTERN FOR THE NEXT WEEK. UPPER HIGH IS FORECAST TO STAY CLOSER TO NW ALASKA THAN PREVIOUSLY FORECAST, HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE SYSTEM OFF OF HAIDA GWAII THU/FRI REMAINS AT OR BELOW 50N. THIS WOULD DECREASE THE THREAT FOR OVERRUNNING PRECIPITATION FOR MUCH OF THE PANHANDLE BUT THE COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW IN FROM THE EAST THANKS TO STRONG HIGH PRESSURE IN NW CANADA. A COUPLE OTHER SYSTEMS WILL PASS NEAR THE WESTERN OR CENTRAL ALEUTIANS DURING THE PERIOD BUT SPLITTING UPPER PATTERN JUST OFF KAMCHATKA SUPPORTS TAKING THESE SOUTHEASTWARD LATER THIS WEEK. BLEND OF THE 00Z ECMWF/CANADIAN AND ECMWF ENSEMBLE MEAN OFFERED A GOOD STARTING POINT OVERALL. BY NEXT WEEKEND INTO MONDAY, SFC LOW MAY ATTEMPT TO LIFT NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE GULF PER THE ENSEMBLES -- THE 00Z ECMWF AND CANADIAN ENSEMBLES SHOWED THIS BEST AS THE GEFS ENSEMBLES HAVE BEEN WEAKER/LESS DEFINED AND FARTHER NORTH WITH THE INCOMING SYSTEM BACK BY THE ALEUTIANS, BUT STILL AT LEAST SHOW LOW PRESSURE HEADED TOWARD THE GULF AROUND NEXT MONDAY. KEPT THE INTERIOR QUITE COLD VIA THE STABLE AIRMASS (-30S/-40S) WHICH MAY PERSIST INTO NEXT WEEKEND BUT HARD TO TELL WHEN THE INVERSION MAY BREAK. 2M TEMP MIN/MAX BLENDS WERE STILL COLDER THAN MOS GUIDANCE ALONG THE COAST/PANHANDLE (BACKED OFF ON THOSE NUMBERS) BUT NOT COLD ENOUGH IN THE INTERIOR. FRACASSO