Full Notification

...INCOMING STORM COULD BRING HEAVY SNOW TO THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE... .This weekend's snowfall event has high potential to be a heavy snow maker to the higher elevations of the Klondike, but for the Haines Highway there is still some uncertainty. Even higher uncertainty at sea level in Skagway and Haines. A low pressure system is forecast to track north through the eastern gulf through Saturday night. The low will then move northeast just south of Cross Sound and move inland towards Canada just north of Juneau. That being said, there is some evidence that the low could track west and stay in the gulf through Sunday or turn towards Canada and track south of Juneau on Sunday. These other tracks would greatly affect the final snowfall amounts but for now, the following amounts are based on the first track. Another variable is the precipitation type forecast. As this low moves north, the front side of the low will have northerly flow, that would usher in cooler air and support snow. But as the low tracks north, there will be a southerly push of wind that would switch the snow to rain. The question is whether or not the southerly push makes it that far north. There is more evidence in the models that the switch to rain would happen because of the southerly push but history and pattern recognition would say snow would last into Sunday afternoon. So the precip type forecast will be a challenge.

* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 8 inches possible passed mile marker 20. For Haines, amounts up to 2 to 4 inches.

* WHERE...Haines Highway and Klukwan.

* WHEN...From late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Ahead of this low, northerly flow would pull cooler air into the area, which would support snow. And as the low tracks into Canada, we would expect winds to stay out of the west, allowing for cooler air to continue to get pulled in and keep the chances for snow in the forecast. But the southerly push of wind could usher in warmer air that would switch the snow to rain. So low confidence on the precip type forecast for now. But if the temperature profile can stay cold enough to support snow, heavy snow would be likely late Saturday night into Sunday morning.

* AFFECTED AREAS: HAINES BOROUGH AND KLUKWAN

Instructions:

Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.