Weather Alert in Alaska

Recent Locations: Solana Beach, CA   Wrangell, AK   Lincoln, MI  

Winter Storm Warning issued February 18 at 3:14PM AKST until February 20 at 6:00AM AKST by NWS Juneau AK

AREAS AFFECTED: Cape Fairweather to Lisianski Strait

DESCRIPTION: ...ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS THE PANHANDLE TO END THE WEEK... .A front moving across the gulf and developing low across the northern coast will bring snow showers to the panhandle beginning late Wednesday night. With stable cold dry continental air in place ahead of this system, precipitation is expected to remain snow throughout the event with high snow ratios. The initial frontal wave will push eastward into the panhandle with the northeast gulf coast seeing showers late tonight and highest snow accumulations expected along the outer coast with orographic enhancement. For most areas, snow is expected to be light and fluffy in nature due to cold temperatures both aloft and down to the surface. * WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 9 to 12 inches. * WHERE...Cape Fairweather to Lisianski Strait. * WHEN...From 3 AM Thursday to 6 AM AKST Friday. * IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow showers are expected to begin early Thursday morning and increase in intensity through the day as the initial frontal band pushes into the outer coast. A secondary batch of heavier showers is expected to impact the area soon afterwards as the surface low develops and begins to drop southward into the gulf.

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.

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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.

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Weather Topic: What are Shelf Clouds?

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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.

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