AGAK78 PACR 251929 HMDACR HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL DISCUSSION NWS ALASKA PACIFIC RIVER FORECAST CENTER ANCHORAGE AK 800 AM AKDT TUE NOV 24 2009 ...FLOOD POTENTIAL... THE FLOOD POTENTIAL IS CURRENTLY LOW STATEWIDE. ...HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS... PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS OVER THE LAST 7 DAYS WERE WAY DOWN BY OVER HALF FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK. VALUES RANGING BETWEEN 2 AND 3.5 INCHES WERE RECORDED AT THE FAVORED LOCATIONS WITH A LOW IN THE GULF EARLY IN THE PERIOD NAMELY PORTAGE... WHITTIER AND THE SOUTHERN SOUTHEAST. OTHERWISE UNDER THE EFFECTS OF A RIDGE IN THE BERING COLD NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT KEPT THE INTERIOR AND WEST DRY AND BELOW NORMAL IN TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION. A PATTERN CHANGE BEGAN ON FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK WHEN A LARGE STORM ENTERED THE WESTERN BERING THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE OVER THE BERING SEA BY SATURDAY. THE MORE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN IN THE BERING USHERED IN A RETURN TO MUCH MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MAINLAND. WITH A LOW IN THE BERING A WAVE TRAIN HAS DEVELOPED THAT ALLOWS STORM SYSTEMS TO CLIMB THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN AND CROSS INTO THE GULF. THE FIRST OF THESE SYSTEMS IS POISED TO REACH THE SOUTHEAST ON WEDNESDAY AND THEN ANOTHER ON FRIDAY. SNOW ON THE BACK SIDE OF THESE LOWS WILL BE LIKELY COVER THE SOUTHCENTRAL MOUNTAINS AS RAIN AND SNOW MIX AT LOWER ELEVATIONS. MODELS ARE PREDICTING BETWEEN AND 2 AND 3.5 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FROM PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND TO THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE AND WILL MOST LIKELY BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN. MORE FAVORED WINDWARD AREAS COULD SEE DOUBLE THOSE AMOUNTS. ICE HAS QUICKLY FORMED OVER MANY RIVERS AND LAKES ACROSS MAINLAND ALASKA WITH THE RECENT COLD SNAP. SEVERAL INCHES OF ICE ARE BEING REPORTED BY ICE OBSERVES IN THE INTERIOR AND COPPER RIVER BASIN. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS HAVE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE SOUTHCENTRAL REGIONS DURING THE LAST WEEK WITH A FOOT OR TWO BEING RECORDED IN THE KENAI AND CHUGACH MOUNTAINS. ................................................................... THE HYDROMET DISCUSSION WILL BE ISSUED EVERY TUESDAY FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH APRIL. A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THE HYDROMET DISCUSSION IS AVAILABLE AT HTTP://APRFC.ARH.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/GHMD.PHP $$