Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
Issued by NWS Juneau, AK
900 FXAK67 PAJK 050006 AFDAJK Southeast Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Juneau AK 306 PM AKST Wed Dec 4 2024 .SHORT TERM...Rain has decreased in coverage during the day today for the panhandle with some areas still seeing rain at the time of writing. The rain is expected to increase in coverage this evening with the heaviest rain expected for the NE Gulf coast. The rest of the panhandle is still could see an inch to inch and a half with potentially localized higher amounts. With the incoming front, raised winds to match the current thinking as well as the precipitation amounts. .LONG TERM.../Friday through Wednesday/...Warm and wet weather for the start of the mid range, then a transition to a short drier and cooler period, then back to the warm and wet weather. Ensembles have been overall consistent depicting the mid range weather pattern. Operational models starting to fall more in line but still differences on location and timing of features Friday and Saturday. The Thursday gale force front low will shear apart into early Friday with diminishing precip and winds. For Friday night another low tracks towards the SE Gulf with winds nearing gale force. With the more southerly position of this system majority of precip will fall over the southern half of the panhandle. Drying trend for central and northern regions starting Friday afternoon continues into Saturday as the low center moves over the southern panhandle. As the low tracks eastward Sunday will have highest probability of dry weather. With the low to the south winds will shift northerly and bring in some cooler air. Overnight lows likely dropping below freezing but if there is precip, temps will likely be a bit warmer thus no snow, and if there is no precip, temps may be colder, but no precip equals no snow. Beyond the weekend mid level pattern with low to the west and ridge near SE AK puts us back into southerly flow will another series of fronts tracking in bringing warm temps and more moderate to heavy rainfall. Highest rainfall amounts aimed towards the NE Gulf Coast. && .AVIATION...Conditions deteriorate through the overnight hours as another front moves into the panhandle. Expect widespread LLWS across the panhandle, while ceilings fall into MVFR for most locations, with IFR conditions possible for a few sites. Conditions begin to improve tomorrow morning, especially across the southern panhandle, before another system arrives Thursday afternoon through Thursday night. && .MARINE...A gale force front is expected to move into the Gulf this evening bringing 11-16ft seas with the front. Seas through the Inner Channels are expected to respond as well with the highest seas being in the Clarence Strait area. This front is expected to move through quickly tonight before dissipating across the area. A second gale force front is then expected to move into the Gulf Thursday night into Friday morning bringing 10-15ft seas for the outside waters. && .HYDROLOGY...With the return of moderate to heavy rain to the panhandle, along with a melting snowpack, rises in rivers and streams are expected during the overnight hours with the potential for some to reach minor flood stage. As such, issued a flood watch for those zones where this is concern for some potential flooding. Areas outside of the watch should still keep an eye on smaller creeks and streams for rises. && .AJK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PUBLIC...Strong Wind from midnight AKST tonight through late tonight for AKZ317. Flood Watch through Thursday morning for AKZ320-325. Strong Wind from 9 PM AKST this evening through late tonight for AKZ323. MARINE...Gale Warning for PKZ022-036-641>644-651-652-661>664-671-672. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ011>013-021-031>035-053. && $$ SHORT TERM...SF LONG TERM....PRB AVIATION...GFS MARINE...SF HYDROLOGY...SF Visit us at http://www.weather.gov/Juneau