Weather Alert in Alaska

Recent Locations: Fairbanks, AK  

Winter Storm Warning issued February 19 at 10:59AM AKST until February 20 at 3:00AM AKST by NWS Juneau AK

AREAS AFFECTED: City and Borough of Yakutat

DESCRIPTION: ...ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS THE PANHANDLE TO END THE WEEK... .A front moving across the gulf has begun to impact the panhandle with snow showers spreading along the outer coast and reaching southward to Petersburg and Wrangell as of 1045 am Thursday. The highest snow accumulations are still expected along the outer coast with orographic enhancement. A secondary batch of heavier showers will develop along the northern panhandle and progress southward as a deformation band associated with the surface low Thursday night into Friday. For inland areas, snow is expected to be light and fluffy in nature due to cold temperatures both aloft and down to the surface. Coastal communities will likely see wetter snow due to slightly warming surface temperatures through the day. * WHAT...Heavy snow. Additional snow accumulations of 5 to 8 inches. * WHERE...City and Borough of Yakutat. * WHEN...Until 3 AM AKST Friday. * IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The initial band of snow showers was slightly delayed, which will lead to slightly lower snow totals than previously forecast. A secondary batch of heavier showers is still expected to impact the area in the afternoon and evening hours as a surface low develops and drops southward into the gulf. Temperatures approaching freezing are leading to wetter snow characteristic and this will continue for a majority of the event.

INSTRUCTION: If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water with you in case of an emergency. People are urged to prepare their property before the onset of winter weather. For the latest road conditions, where available, call 5 1 1 or visit 511.alaska.gov.

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Weather Topic: What is Precipitation?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Precipitation

Precipitation Next Topic: Rain

Precipitation can refer to many different forms of water that may fall from clouds. Precipitation occurs after a cloud has become saturated to the point where its water particles are more dense than the air below the cloud.

In most cases, precipitation will reach the ground, but it is not uncommon for precipitation to evaporate before it reaches the earth's surface. When precipitation evaporates before it contacts the ground it is called Virga. Graupel, hail, sleet, rain, drizzle, and snow are forms of precipitation, but fog and mist are not considered precipitation because the water vapor which constitutes them isn't dense enough to fall to the ground.

Next Topic: Rain

Weather Topic: What are Shelf Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Shelf Clouds

Shelf Clouds Next Topic: Sleet

A shelf cloud is similar to a wall cloud, but forms at the front of a storm cloud, instead of at the rear, where wall clouds form.

A shelf cloud is caused by a series of events set into motion by the advancing storm; first, cool air settles along the ground where precipitation has just fallen. As the cool air is brought in, the warmer air is displaced, and rises above it, because it is less dense. When the warmer air reaches the bottom of the storm cloud, it begins to cool again, and the resulting condensation is a visible shelf cloud.

Next Topic: Sleet

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