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Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
722 FXAK67 PAJK 191441 AFDAJK Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Juneau AK 641 AM AKDT Sun May 19 2024 .SHORT TERM...Cloud cover continues to build as a front approaches the panhandle, and widespread rain will return to SE AK through Sunday. Aloft, a vertically integrated low in the western gulf has begun to weaken as occluding takes place. The low still remains fairly respectable by dry-season standards, with a depth of approximately 526 decameters at 500 mb per operational guidance as of the time of writing. While the low itself will slowly fill in through the next few days as it moves into the eastern gulf before sliding off to the SE, its associated cold front is already at SE AK`s doorstep. Cloud cover is increasing, and a few occasional showers have begun ahead of the main system. Warm air advection ahead of the front will encourage widespread stratiform precipitation to move through the area from W to E through the day on Sunday, with precip amounts of between 0.25 and 1 inch of rain anticipated through Sunday night. By early Monday morning, the front itself will have moved through the panhandle, with the now rapidly occluding off the coast of Cape Spencer and moving off to the SE. Precipitation rates will drop off as the decaying system races off to the SE, with breaks in the clouds for much of the area Monday night, and widespread clearing skies by Tuesday. For additional details, see the long term forecast discussion. The surge of southerly warm air advection ahead of the approaching front will see winds increase across the area. Anticipate gale force and small craft conditions for the outer coastal waters, and small craft or near small craft conditions for the inner channels as winds and waveheights increase through Sunday. For land-based locations near sea level, winds will be strongest in the northern half of the panhandle and in outer coastal communities. The primary changes to the forecast were to broadly increase wind speeds in the inner channels and for land-based locations, as well as to solidify the track of the approaching low through the next few days. Some minor adjustments were also made to sky cover and temperature grids during the morning hours of Sunday. .LONG TERM.../ Monday through Thursday night / Progressive pattern continues across the gulf and Southeast Alaska. Residual showers on Monday are being moved out of the area by a ridge across the gulf Tuesday into early Wednesday. With potential breaks, may need to watch for patchy fog development, however, do not have mentioned in forecast at this time. The next front in the pattern will be moving across the gulf Wednesday and looks to be pushing into the panhandle Thursday. This front is not looking as strong as the mid week one, so just anticipating light rain and minor increase in the winds. && .AVIATION...An occluding cold front moves across the Panhandle today bringing moderate rain and a few hours of LLWS along the coast. Currently we are VFR across most areas, expect MVFR CIGS as the front moves over later this morning. Could see some isolated clearing this evening but expect MVFR and pockets of IFR Monday morning. && .AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...Frost Advisory until 7 AM AKDT this morning for AKZ320-321. MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ651-652-664-671-672. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ012-013-032-033-053-641>644-661>663. && $$ SHORT TERM...GFS LONG TERM....Bezenek AVIATION...AP Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau