754
FXAK69 PAFG 182107
AFDAFG
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
107 PM AKDT WED MAR 18 2026
SYNOPSIS
GENERALLY DRY AND COLD CONDITIONS LOOK TO DOMINATE THE FORECAST
FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. STRONG WINDS TODAY AND TOMORROW WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BLOWING SNOW ALONG THE WEST COAST WHILE WINDS
BEGIN TO SUBSIDE ALONG THE EASTERN ARCTIC COASTLINE. WHILE
TEMPERATURES WILL RUN SOME 25 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL
THROUGHOUT THE INTERIOR AND ALONG THE WEST COAST THE NEXT FEW
DAYS, THERE ARE SIGNS OF TEMPS BEGINNING TO MODERATE A BIT BY THE
WEEKEND.
KEY WEATHER MESSAGES
CENTRAL AND EASTERN INTERIOR...
- CONTINUED MUCH COLDER THAN NORMAL ACROSS THE INTERIOR WITH
OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES CONTINUING TO RUN 25 TO 30 DEGREES
COLDER THAN NORMAL.
- NORTHEAST WINDS IN INTERIOR VALLEYS WILL BECOME BREEZY BY THIS
WEEKEND WITH GUSTS UP TO 15 MPH.
- TEMPS MODERATE A BIT BY THE WEEKEND, BUT REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL
NORMS.
WEST COAST AND WESTERN INTERIOR...
- PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS, BUT ENDING
OVERNIGHT.
- A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR KOTZEBUE, THE
SEWARD PENINSULA EXCLUDING THE SOUTHERN COASTLINE, AND THE
YUKON DELTA COAST FOR BLOWING SNOW AND STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS
WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.
- TURNING MUCH COLDER TONIGHT AND INTO THE WEEKEND. LOW
TEMPERATURES WILL MAINLY STAY IN THE 20 TO 30 BELOW RANGE, BUT
50 BELOW IS POSSIBLE WITH WIND CHILL.
NORTH SLOPE AND BROOKS RANGE...
- AS WINDS SUBSIDE TODAY, A TEMPERATURE DROP IS EXPECTED FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE WEEK WITH LOW TEMPERATURES POTENTIALLY
REACHING THE NEGATIVE 30S AND 40S.
- LOOKING AT THE UPCOMING WEEKEND, MORE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE FOR THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST. WINDS WILL BE RAMPING UP
AGAIN BY FRIDAY.
FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
THE PRESENCE OF A STRONG UPPER RIDGE OVER EASTERN SIBERIA
CONTINUES TO EXERT INFLUENCE ON SENSIBLE WEATHER ACROSS MUCH OF
NORTHERN AND WESTERN ALASKA. AT THE SURFACE THERE IS CURRENTLY A
1045 MB HIGH OVER THE CHUKCHI PENINSULA OF RUSSIA. THIS IS WORKING
IN TANDEM WITH A 990 MB LOW IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF ALASKA TO
CREATE STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS THROUGH THE BERING STRAIT. AS SUCH,
BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE VISIBILITIES ALONG PORTIONS
OF THE WEST COAST THROUGH TONIGHT AN INTO EARLY FRIDAY. IN
ADDITION, A RATHER STRONG SHORTWAVE IS CURRENTLY TRACKING
SOUTHWARDS THROUGH WESTERN ALASKA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME
ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW ALONG THE WEST COAST AND INTO THE WESTERN
INTERIOR THROUGH THIS EVENING. FOLLOWING THIS TROUGH PASSAGE, MUCH
COLDER CONDITIONS WILL SETTLE IN ACROSS WESTERN ALASKA WITH TEMPS
RUNNING AS MUCH AS 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY.
MEANWHILE, VERY COLD CONDITIONS PERSIST THROUGHOUT INTERIOR
ALASKA AS OVERNIGHT READINGS OF 25 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ARE
EXPECTED BY THURSDAY MORNING THANKS TO A STRONG SURFACE HIGH OVER
THE WESTERN YUKON OF CANADA. IT IS NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF
POSSIBILITY FOR TEMPS TO POTENTIALLY DROP TO -40 ONCE AGAIN OVER
SOME OF THE INTERIOR VALLEYS TONIGHT.
FARTHER NORTH WINDS HAVE FINALLY SUBSIDED ALONG THE EASTERN ARCTIC
COASTLINE. BUT THIS BREAK WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE
WILL PUSH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH THAT REGION FRIDAY. AS THIS
HAPPENS ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG EASTERLY SURFACE FLOW IS EXPECTED
WHICH IN TURN COULD PRODUCE MORE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AS BLOWING
SNOW LOOKS QUITE LIKELY. AS SUCH, A NEW WINTER STORM WATCH HAS
BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EASTERN ARCTIC COAST STARTING FRIDAY MORNING.
EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7
THE DOMINATE RIDGE THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE OVER EASTERN SIBERIA
WILL BEGIN TO BUILD EASTWARDS OVER THE BEAUFORT THROUGHOUT THE
EXTENDED PERIOD. WHILE STRONG WINDS AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL
LIKELY BE ONGOING SATURDAY MORNING, WIND SPEEDS WILL BEGIN TO
SUBSIDE AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER NORTHERNMOST
ALASKA OVER THE WEEKEND.
AS THIS 1040 SURFACE HIGH SETS IN OVER THE WEEKEND, THE GRADIENT
ACROSS ALASKA'S INTERIOR WILL STRENGTHEN AS A SERIES OF STORMS
MOVE INTO THE GULF. THIS WILL RESULT IN SOMEWHAT BREEZY CONDITIONS
WHICH IN TURN COULD HELP TEMPS MODERATE JUST A BIT. WHILE TEMPS
WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL, THE BITTER COLD OF RECENT DAYS SHOULD
EASE UP SOMEWHAT.
COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...NONE
AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
AK...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ817-818.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ820-821.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ823.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR AKZ825.
PK...BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ801-802-810-852-857.
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ803-811.
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ805>807-817-853-854-856.
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ808-816-850-855.
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ809.
BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ851.
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