ABAK01 PANC 271045
ANCSWSAK

ALASKA WEATHER SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VALDEZ AK
4 AM AST SATURDAY DECEMBER 27 2003

HIGH PRESSURE OVER MAINLAND ALASKA ATTEMPTED TO FEND-OFF ENCROACHING
LOW PRESSURE OVER THE BERING SEA EARLY SATURDAY. AT THE SAME TIME...
ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM EXITED THE GULF OF ALASKA OVER BRITISH
COLUMBIA.

CLOUDINESS WAS EITHER VERY LOW...OR VERY HIGH OVER MOST OF THE STATE
EARLY TODAY. SIGNIFICANT CLOUDINESS OCCURRED ALONG THE BERING COAST
AND NEAR THE SOUTHEAST PANHANDLE...IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEMS. SNOW FELL OUT OF THOSE CLOUDS IN THE WEST AT
BETHEL...AND ALONG THE SOUTHEAST AT KETCHIKAN AFTER MIDNIGHT.
LOW CLOUDS THICKENED OVER SOME INLAND BASINS...ENOUGH TO PRODUCE
SNOW OVER ANCHORAGE THIS MORNING. FURTHER WEST...RAIN WAS REPORTED
AT COLD BAY.

STRONG EASTERLY WIND...GUSTING FROM 35 TO 45 MPH ALSO AFFECTED THE
BERING COAST THIS MORNING. KOTZEBUE...NOME...POINT HOPE...SAVOONGA
...SHISHMAREF...UNALAKLEET AND GOLOVIN ALL REPORTED WIND AT THAT
STRENGTH. IN THE WEST...EASTERLY TO SOUTHERLY WIND BETWEEN 30 AND
40 MPH SWEPT HOOPER BAY...SAINT MARYS...SAND POINT AND EMMONAK EARLY
TODAY. WIND PERSISTED IN AREAS ALONG THE NORTH GULF COAST THIS
MORNING. SEWARD...VALDEZ AND SKAGWAY REPORTED NORTHERLY TO EASTERLY
WIND GUSTING FROM AROUND 20 MPH TO 35 MPH. WESTERLY WIND AT WHITTIER
RUSHED TO AROUND 25 MPH. WIND ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE WAS LIGHT.

EARLY MORNING TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 20 ABOVE AND 20 BELOW ACROSS
NORTHERN ALASKA. THE INTERIOR REMAINED IN THE DEEP FREEZE...WITH
TEMPERATURES IN THE MINUS TEENS TO MINUS 30S. WESTERN READINGS WERE
AS WARM AS 41 DEGREES...AT SAND POINT...AND AS COLD AS 29 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO...AT SLEETMUTE. TEMPERATURES OVER THE SOUTHCENTRAL WERE
SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR TO THOSE FOUND IN THE NORTH...RANGING FROM 22
ABOVE...AT KODIAK...TO 26 BELOW...AT GLENNALLEN EARLY TODAY. THE
SOUTHEAST SAW TEMPERATURES AS CHILLY AS 2 ABOVE...AT CORDOVA...AND
AS WARM AS 36 DEGREES ABOVE ZERO...METLAKATLA EARLY SATURDAY. WIND
CHILL EQUIVALENT TEMPERATURE FELL INTO THE MINUS 40S AT SELAWIK...
WAINWRIGHT AND DEADHORSE THIS MORNING.

$$
RRW DEC 03
 

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