Blizzard conditions build into Southwest Alaska, with warmer weather next week

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Temperatures are even colder this morning across the state, with Thursday and Friday set to bring the coldest weather of the season. Many areas remain well below zero, with parts of Southcentral Alaska dipping below zero to start the day.

While the cold weather stays with us to close out this week, a shift to a southerly flow this weekend will drive in more warmth. Meanwhile, a frontal system will build into Southwest Alaska today, bringing snow, winds, whiteout conditions and reduced visibility.

SOUTHCENTRAL:

The coldest air of the season is here, with many locations across the region waking up to near or below-zero conditions. Slightly warmer weather, although still cold, is settling into areas near the Gulf Coast. While Thursday will remain sunny and dry, gap winds will remain with us. Be prepared for areas from Seward, Whittier and Valdez could see winds gusting 40 to 60 mph.

Even colder conditions will be likely tonight into tomorrow morning, with a sure sign that temperatures will likely dip below zero for the Anchorage Bowl. This cold snap will be short-lived, as temperatures return near seasonal values next week.

High pressure to our west will shift east into the Gulf of Alaska, leading to the return to southerly flow. While this will open the door for temperatures to climb nearly 20 degrees, we’ll still see temperatures remain nearly 5 to 10 degrees below freezing. We’ll stay on the dry side well into next week, with plenty of sunshine in the forecast.

SOUTHEAST:

Winter weather advisories are still in effect for Southeast Alaska as snow accumulations of 3 to 8 inches look likely. Temperatures for Thursday will stay near or below freezing for most locations, as colder air slowly settles into the region. Expect snow to end from north to south today, with overnight lows dropping into the 10s and 20s.

The good news with this upcoming cold snap is that any snow we see will linger. The upcoming forecast favors temperatures to remain below freezing for most locations, although the two coldest days look to be this weekend. It’s possible we could see highs topping out in the single digits and teens on both days.

Extreme cold is likely for areas of the Klondike Highway into the weekend, where wind chills could drop as low as -40.

INTERIOR:

Some light snow is accompanying the bitter cold this morning, with very light accumulation expected. Some of the coldest conditions are west of Fairbanks, where temperatures this morning are hovering near -40. This bitter cold will continue to shift east, with temperatures for many in the Interior expected to slowly drop through the day.

Farther south near the Alaska Range, the gaps and passes of the mountains will continue to see blizzard conditions through early this morning. Be prepared for parts of the Alaska Highway to see reduced visibility due to areas of blowing snow. Trends are still with us, that will most likely paint Friday morning as the coldest of the season for many across the Interior.

Beyond Friday, temperatures slowly warm back into the 10s. This comes as southerly flow is reintroduced to the state, with light snow showers possible Saturday into Sunday.

NORTH SLOPE/WESTERN ALASKA:

Temperatures along the Slope remain below average, with the return to warmer weather into the weekend. A blizzard warning is still in effect for Kaktovik, where gusts up to 45 mph will lead to visibilities dropping to one-quarter mile or less. While the below-average weather lingers into tomorrow, expect temperatures to climb back near or above zero into the weekend. This comes as a frontal system pushes across the state, which will also lead to some light snow/blowing snow for the Slope this weekend.

Western and Southwest Alaska will see the greatest impacts as the week comes to a close, with heavy snow, winds and reduced visibility expected. Many areas through Southwest Alaska remain under a blizzard warning, with the Kuskokwim Delta Coast and Bristol Bay seeing 8 to 10 inches of snow. Lighter amounts will fall north, although areas near Nome could still see 3 to 5 inches of snow accumulation. Accompanying the snow and winds will be warmer weather, we’ll see highs rapidly warm through the day, with a nearly 40-degree temperature swing by late this evening. It’s likely that before midnight, temperatures near Bethel could top out near 10 degrees.

While most locations will see snow, areas near Nome could see a wintry mix or freezing drizzle into Friday evening. As the storm moves north, expect blizzard conditions as far north as Kotzebue. Winds will gust upwards of 50 mph for Western Alaska into Friday, with whiteout conditions looking likely.

ALEUTIANS:

High pressure near the Eastern Aleutians and Alaska Peninsula will shift east through the day, this will open the door for southerly flow and warmer weather to return. Areas of rain and snow will also build into the Aleutians, with temperatures set to warm into the 40s. While parts of the Aleutians will see the return to drier weather, areas of the Central and Western Aleutians will continue to hold onto active weather as several upper-level disturbances sweep through the area.

OUTLOOK AHEAD:

The coldest air of the season won’t last that long, as temperatures are set to warm into next week. While most of the state will see temperatures climb back above average, Southcentral and Southeast will still remain fairly chilly. Temperatures will still warm for Southcentral, although only warming near seasonal values. It’s likely we’ll spend most of next week in the low to mid-20s. Southeast will see the coldest stretch of weather this week, with temperatures moderate back into the upper 20s later next week. This warm and cold pattern will likely stay with us through the month of February, although there are no signs of any significant warm snap like we’ve experienced for most of the month.

Have a safe and wonderful Thursday!

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