Cool Today - Cold Tomorrow Morning.

Maps Are Courtesy Of The Midland NWS Office.

Today & Thursday-

Mid-level and high-level clouds have blanketed our skies overnight, and this has helped to keep our low temperatures this morning from falling as low as they could have. Low's so far this morning are coming in right around the freezing mark, a few spots are a few degrees higher, and a few spots are in the upper 20's. 

The Sacramento Peak Raws located at the Sunspot Observatory is reporting a low so far of 16, the Roswell Portable Raws located near Ft. Stanton is reporting 16, Dry Canyon east of Cloudcroft is reporting 18, the Sierra Blanca Snotel site is reporting 18, the Personal Weather Station (PWS) northeast of Cloudcroft (Grulke on Bigfoot) is reporting 19, while the Smokey Bear Raws near Ruidoso is reporting 23. My low here at the house has been 36 so far, one of the warmer readings in the valley.

Highs today are forecast to range from 54 in Artesia, 55 in Roswell, to 56 in Hobbs and Carlsbad. With clearing skies, light winds, and a cold dry airmass in place, tomorrow mornings lows will the cold with most of us here in the Pecos Valley seeing the mid 20's. A few of the normally colder spots may dip down a few degrees lower, with some places seeing lows near 20.  Our afternoon highs will be a little warmer tomorrow with readings ranging from near 60 to the low 60's.

This Weekend-

GFS 500 MB (18,000' MSL) Forecast Map.

Valid At 5 PM MST Sat Nov 12, 2011.

Our next storm will arrive this weekend. The models are forecasting a fairly warm (in relative terms) upper-level storm to move into the state this weekend. Ahead of it, we can expect to see warming temperatures and increase in the southwesterly winds, along with an increasing threat for Fire Weather Conditions Saturday and Sunday. 

Our afternoon highs on Friday will climb up into the upper 60's to near 70. As the storm gets closer, and the surface pressure gradient tightens up across eastern New Mexico on Saturday, we will see our afternoon readings climb up to near 80. We may have a shot at a few light rain showers Sunday and Monday...but at this time, it does not appear that we will see anything significant from this storm.

Alaska-

Map Is Courtesy Of The National Weather Service.

"Life-Threatening Epic Storm Continues to Impact Western Alaska Coast This Morning...

A powerful and extremely dangerous storm of near-record magnitude is now impacting western Alaska. Impacts will spread northwest and continue through Thursday in some communities. Coastal Flood and Blizzard Warnings are in effect for most of the Alaska’s west and northwest coasts. At 3:00 a.m. EST (11:00 p.m. AKST) the center of the low pressure system was located about 100 miles west of St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, with a minimum central pressure of 943 mb (27.85 inches). This is one of the deepest systems in recent history to move through the Bering Sea.

The storm is expected to move north-northeast this morning, as conditions worsen, creating a life-threatening situation for a large portion of the western Alaska coast today, especially in the Seward Peninsula near Nome, which is getting hit hard by blizzard conditions and 70 mph winds, along with 8 foot coastal storm surge. Mandatory evacuations were carried out for coastal and low-lying sections of Nome.

A potential for major coastal flooding exists with this system, raising waver levels 7 to 10 feet above normal, accompanied by hurricane force winds and preceded by blizzard like conditions.

More Details...

Fairbanks Weather Forecast Office:

http://pafg.arh.noaa.gov/

NWS Alaska Region:

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/

Latest NWS Public Information Statements from Alaska:

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/textforecasts.php?type=statement

Latest Storm Summary from NWS Hyrdometeorological Prediction Center:

http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc3.html

By: U.S. National Weather Service"

For more on this "Epic Alaskan Storm" please visit AccuWeathers post. 


Fox News is also taking about the storm- Storm Of 'Epic Magnitude' Hits Alaska.

Something To Watch In The Future-

Map Is Courtesy Of Policlimate.

The US GFS forecast model, is depicting a very cold slug of arctic air that will be pooling across the Yukon territory of Alaska and northwestern Canada by next Wednesday, November 16th. This model is forecasting surface temperatures in the -40F to -50F range. It will be interesting to watch, and see where this bitterly cold arctic airmass heads in about 10 days from now.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!