Full Notification

...HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED FOR THE PANHANDLE STARTING FRIDAY EVENING... .A large system moving in from the southwest Friday evening will bring the next round of substantial snowfall across the panhandle this weekend. This first warm front moving through will push over the area late Friday night into Saturday from W to E, followed quickly by another atmospheric wave that will continue the precipitation throughout the weekend. The warm front Friday night through Saturday will bring heavy snowfall across the panhandle through the morning hours, lasting through Sunday for the northern panhandle while the southern panhandle will begin to see a transition to rain as warm air pushes in. Uncertainty remains regarding the exact snowfall amounts and the precise timing of the transition to rain, however many areas are expected to see over 12 inches in 24 hours Saturday.

* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 15 inches possible. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

* WHERE...Central and Southern Panhandle.

* WHEN...From Friday evening through Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult and is discouraged.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heavy snow will impact the southern panhandle early Saturday morning and lasting into the late morning to afternoon, as the warm front brings a transition to rain starting with the outer coastline. PoW and Baranof Island will see the transition to rain first as the southerly flow and warmer air pushes in behind the front, with the 4 to 6 inches of snow accumulation in 6 hours expected in the early morning through midday as the transition to rain begins. Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Kake, and Angoon will see snow lasting longer into Saturday and higher snow accumulations due to the longer duration before transitioning to rain fully. These areas will see closer to between 8 and 12 inches in 12 hours during the day Saturday before transitioning to rain, with Wrangell and Petersburg potentially seeing the snow last longer into Saturday night and Sunday morning depending on the warming down to the surface. Heavy rain will follow after the snowfall ends, lasting into Sunday.

* AFFECTED AREAS: CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA ... ADMIRALTY ISLAND ... PETERSBURG BOROUGH ... WESTERN KUPREANOF AND KUIU ISLAND ... PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND ... CITY AND BOROUGH OF WRANGELL ... KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH ... ANNETTE ISLAND

Instructions:

Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.