Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Hope, AK

.SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 through 3/Today through Tuesday)...

Northerly flow continues over Southwest Alaska and the Bering Sea. The large blocking ridge visible in satellite imagery continues to remain in place centered over the western Aleutians.
This persistent pattern continues into this week, with relatively inactive weather expected across Southwest Alaska, the Bering Sea, and the Aleutians. A weak shortwave moving north-to-south across coastal Southwest has resulted in some light snow showers across the Kuskokwim Delta early this morning and are expected to quickly come to an end.

An Arctic trough digging southwards across the Interior and stretching into the Gulf of Alaska will again allow for northerly to northwesterly winds to strengthen across Southwest Alaska, the Alaska Peninsula, and the eastern Bering Sea. Winds are expected to strengthen throughout the day today, and will remain elevated through at least the first half of this week as low pressure develops in the Gulf while the ridge over the western Bering remains nearly stationary. These stronger winds combined with low- level cold air advection will lead to areas of heavy freezing spray in coastal waters along the ice edge and the Pacific-side of the Alaska Peninsula. Periods of blowing snow and reduced visibilities will also be possible for locations including the Kuskokwim Delta coast and portions of the Alaska Peninsula as winds pick up and antecedent conditions remain favorable. This pattern is expected to remain persistent through much of the week, with any variation in the forecast due to weak shortwaves rounding the ridge and promoting snow showers along the Aleutian Chain.

-JH

.LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Tuesday night through Saturday)...

The long-term begins late Tuesday with the stagnant high amplitude pattern in place -- a deep sub 500 dm upper-level low anchored over the northern Gulf and a stout 560+ dm ridge over the North Pacific and Western Bering/Aleutians.

The result of this pattern is continued cold across the state, with the core of the arctic airmass draped across the Copper River Basin and Interior and Western Alaska. Expect temperatures to remain well below average with overnight lows well below zero and daytime highs struggling to climb out of the single digits and teens for the typically coldest locations. Closer to the Southcentral coast, temperatures will still be well below normal, but not quite as cold as multiple surface lows keep clouds and areas of snow showers along the coast.

Between the two longwave features, multiple shortwaves will dive south across the eastern half of the Bering through the week.
These shortwaves will bring periods of snow to the Pribilofs, eastern half of the Aleutians, and Alaska Peninsula. In addition to the snow showers, gusty northerly winds will maintain along these same areas, with the strongest winds and gusts likely across the Alaska Peninsula and the coastal waters from the Barren Islands to Unimak Island. Gusty winds will also continue across favored gap and mountain pass locations across Southcentral as cold air continues to spill southward and the tight pressure gradient between a surface ridge over the Interior and multiple surface lows persists.

AVIATION

A shortwave brings light snow showers to the area through 18Z as a weak low in the Gulf of Alaska moves into Prince William Sound.
VFR conditions and northerly winds 10 to 15 kt expected afterward. Another shortwave brings the chance for light snow late this afternoon into this evening. Overnight into Monday, northerly wind gusts range from 20 to 30 knots.