Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
170 FXAK67 PAJK 062344 AFDAJK Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Juneau AK 344 PM AKDT Mon May 6 2024 .SHORT TERM.../Through Tuesday night/...Showers give way to stratiform precipitation Tuesday night with the end result being the same: continued wet weather across Southeast Alaska for this short term forecast period. As with the showers, the rain will not necessarily be continuous, but rather on again and off again. Additionally, rainfall totals have been modest, totally enough to elicit small responses from the smaller waterways but not enough to threaten flooding or even bankfull status anywhere. Expect less than 1 tenth of an inch to as much as a third of an inch depending on the location for both tonight and tomorrow. The next front approaches on Tuesday night and will feature 12-hour totals ranging from 0.2 inches over the far northern inner channels to 0.8 inches over the central southern inner channels. P-type will be rain everywhere except along the Klondike Highway near the Pass with less than a half inch tonight but possibly 1.5 inches on Tuesday night. Light winds over land and inner channel marine winds of 15 kts tonight will give way to breezy conditions developing over land on Tuesday and windy conditions with 30 to 35 mph gusts Tuesday night. Favored locations for those stronger gusts will be the southern outer coast, south of Frederick Sound, and in the downtown Juneau area. .LONG TERM...The gale force system that entered the panhandle on Tuesday will continue to sweep N through the Wednesday, bringing with it rain and blustery conditions across the panhandle. In its wake on Wednesday, onshore flow will prevail, maintaining continued chances of precipitation. Another gale force system - this one more of a rain-producer than a wind-maker, will move into the panhandle late on Wednesday. The primary center of circulation for this low is further W in the Gulf, and so anticipate that the strongest winds will largely stay onshore. The associated plume of moisture will move in force through the N panhandle, centered along the NE Gulf Coast and the Yakutat area, though anticipate that the Icy Strait Corridor will see respectable precipitation totals. Up to 2-3" of rain are anticipated along the NE Gulf Coast, with lower totals elsewhere in conjunction with this system. The plume of moisture moves W through Thursday, weakening substantially in the process, before largely falling apart as it approaches the southern panhandle. Lingering chances of precipitation will last after the system departs, before a potential break in the rain during the latter half of Friday and through much of Saturday across a large part of the area. This is not yet set in stone - there remains some disagreement in ensembles. Another system is likely to arrive for the latter half of the week. && .AVIATION.../Variable conditions across the panhandle as widespread rain showers move through the area. Generally conditions have been bouncing back and fourth between VFR and MVFR with some brief gusty winds as each shower moves through. Freezing levels have also been low with the JAWS profilers around juneau showing snow down to 2500 feet today. These conditions will not be changing all that much through the next 24 hours with showers continuing to be expected. Winds will be getting worse however for Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night as a somewhat potent front for this time of year moves inland. Expect some low level wind shear and possible turbulence late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night as the front moves in. && .MARINE...Marine winds generally 15 to 20 kts tonight, increasing to 25 kts on Tuesday morning, further increasing to 35-40 kt gales late in the day Tuesday. Strongest winds will be over the eastern Gulf, but areas of gale force winds will also develop over some of the inner channels with the most extensive being over Clarence Strait. Seas building to 4-7 ft on the inside and as much as 16 ft on the outside in advance of frontal passage. Seas on the outside dominated by wind wave with long period swell making up slightly more than half of the combined seas. && .AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...None. MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ661>663. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ022-032-033-035-036-641>644-651-652- 664-671-672. && $$ SHORT TERM/MARINE...Fritsch LONG TERM....GFS AVIATION...EAL Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau