Thursday September 25 weather briefing for ARISE, Fairbanks Alaska mission region

** target area of the day: satellite underpass tracks in the area of 72-76N and 125-150W  **

Current synoptic overview and short range forecast for the next flight day, Friday Sept. 26:
The upper level flow continues to be mostly westerly in the northern part of
the state but a combination of short wave features moving through and the advance
of a frontal system over the Alaska peninsula is causing southerly flow
and warm air advection in the south eastern region. Occasional cloudiness at
the mid level and significant high clouds are forecast for the northern
half of the state.  North of Barrow and through to Banks Island is relatively
cloud free at the high levels.  At the surface a ridge of high pressure
is squeezed and stretches from west to east with the 1032 hPA center
over the Beaufort Sea north of Barter Island.  Meanwhile a frontal
system over the Alaska peninsula and Gulf of Alaska advances.

Outlook for succeeding flight day, Saturday Sept. 27:
The dominant features in the Saturday forecast are an approaching
low pressure system now in the Chukchi Sea, High pressure centered
over Banks Island moving eastward, and the low and frontal system in
the Gulf of Alaska near Kodiak Island.  Although the forecast calls for
significant high clouds, there is a dry slot between the frontal band from
the southern system and the frontal band from the northern system.
The mid level clouds are present in interior Alaska near Fairbanks and
southward but there is a large area between Fairbanks and Banks Island that is
relatively free of mid level clouds.

Austin Conaty, SSAI        Global Modeling and Assimilation Office

Thursday September 25 weather briefing for ARISE.pdf