Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK

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000 FXAK67 PAJK 251208 AFDAJK Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Juneau AK 408 AM AKDT Thu Apr 25 2024 .SHORT TERM...
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High pressure expands over the AK Gulf and Panhandle with the resulting blocking pattern providing more dry weather, light and variable winds, and warm temperatures. Residual rain showers over the southern panhandle end this morning. the remaining moisture and clearing skies allowed for some patchy fog formation. HiRes model boundary layer RH gave indication of marine layer formation which match initially with night time micro physics satellite imagery. However it wasn`t as wide spread as indicated by airport observations. Keeping an eye on if this stratus deck forms and possibly moves inland. Little change made to previous forecast as models remained in line. Main forecast question is if marine layer with form and how far inland it would track. .LONG TERM...Thursday a ridge will be building across the interior of Alaska, with zonal flow over the northern Pacific. These features will help block active weather from moving into the region, bringing dry conditions and light winds to the end of the week. Upstream of the ridge in the Bering Sea, a closed low will dig into the Gulf of Alaska early Friday morning, making a beeline for Haida Gwaii. As this feature ejects towards the archipelago, surface pressure will fall in the Gulf Saturday, with ensembles indicating a 998mb low and southeasterly 22-28 knot winds into the central Gulf and coastal waters. While there is uncertainty in the exact location and orientation of this feature, we will likely see elevated east winds out of Cross Sound and other east-to-west orientated passageways into Sunday, along with 25-30 knot southerly winds in Dixon Entrance and Hecate Strait, perhaps as far north as southern Clarence Strait. Regarding precipitation, a desiccant pattern continues for the future as our systems undergo cyclogenesis in dry regions and fail to steer ample tropical moisture into the Panhandle. Current IVT guidance suggests Saturday afternoon into Sunday afternoon will see some rainfall for the central and southern region, but amounts and rates fall below climate normal. One item to note is the central and southern Panhandle is now marked under a D0 Drought Intensity (meaning abnormally dry). Temperatures continue to trend warmer across the Panhandle, with the south reaching into the upper 50s by Friday. Extended period for the late weekend and beyond is still looking rather damp as a new low moves E across the southern gulf. Southern panhandle again will be the favored areas for rainfall, but some could reach as far north as Skagway and Cape Fairweather. Conditions start to dry again toward mid next week as more easterly flow develops.
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&& .AVIATION...
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Some MVFR conditions early this morning due to patchy for formation, otherwise another day of VFR with some sea breeze development in the late morning but no significant wind concerns. Watching for marine layer formation under the gulf high pressure. HiRes boundary layer indicates the low cloud deck moving inland tonight, but it also has more low clouds early today, which were not as wide spread.
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&& .AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...GFS LONG TERM....AP AVIATION...PRB Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau

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