


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Fairbanks, AK
Issued by NWS Fairbanks, AK
931 FXAK69 PAFG 082117 AFDAFG Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 117 PM AKDT Fri Aug 8 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Widespread rain in Western Alaska, heavy at times today through tomorrow. The rain moves east Saturday evening into Sunday with widespread showers expected. Temperatures will be cooler than normal for much of the state south of the Brooks Range, and warmer than normal north of the Brooks Range. Other than this rain, our attention turns to a coastal storm Monday and Tuesday in the Bering Sea which may bring impactful weather and high water levels to the the West Coast. && .KEY WEATHER MESSAGES... Central and Eastern Interior... - Light rain showers moving from south to north through the Interior today. - Heavier rain up to 0.50" in the Western/Central Interior, from Manley Hot Springs north/west. - Alaska Range gap winds up to 45 mph in the Eastern Alaska Range on Saturday. - Isolated thunderstorms possible across the Interior on Saturday and along the AlCan on Sunday. - More widespread rain in the Central and Eastern Interior on Sunday, drying out on Monday. West Coast and Western Interior... - Widespread rain today into tomorrow, heavy at times. Strong north winds to 40 mph along the coast through tomorrow. Friday/Saturday Rainfall Totals: - 0.25 to 0.50" in the Western Interior - 0.50 to 1.00"+ in the higher terrain of the Seward Peninsula. A potential Bering Sea storm Monday into Tuesday. IMPACTS: - 2 to 4 feet water rises possible, highest in the Norton Sound. - Wave run up and minor beach erosion. TIMING: - Highest water levels look to be Monday afternoon into Tuesday south of the Bering Strait. North Slope and Brooks Range.. - Heavy rain in Western Brooks Range with lighter rain across the Western North Slope and Arctic Coast today through Sunday. Rainfall totals: - 0.10 to 0.25" along the coast from Deadhorse west. (0.10 or less to the east) - 0.25 to 0.50" in the Arctic Plain west of Umiat. - 0.20 to 0.50" in the Central Brooks Range. - 0.50 to 1.00"+ in the Western Brooks Range. - Periods of rain will persist in the Western Brooks Range and Chukchi Sea Coast next week as a coastal storm moves northward. IMPACTS: - 2 to 4 foot water rises possible. Wave run up and minor beach erosion possible. TIMING: - Highest water expected Tuesday morning into Wednesday north of the Bering Strait. - Near normal temperatures with widespread highs in the 40s and 50s this weekend, warmer next week, in the 50s and 60s. && .FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION... A weak front is bringing light rain showers to the Central and Eastern Interior today. A low will develop over the West Coast today with widespread rain, heavy at times along the coast and in the Interior. This rain will spread east tomorrow and Sunday giving most areas a dousing of rain, heaviest in Western Alaska. Temperatures will mostly be in the 50s and 60s south of the Brooks Range this weekend with a couple smatterings of 70 in the Eastern Interior possible. Otherwise, a troughy pattern looks to persist into next week with a coastal low potential early next week in the Bering Sea. Impacts are labeled above. && .FIRE WEATHER... No major fire weather concerns for the foreseeable future. Widespread moderate to heavy rain in Western Alaska today into tomorrow. This rain moves into the Central/Eastern Interior on Saturday and Sunday with chances for thunderstorms. Isolated thunderstorms possible in the Central/Eastern Interior tomorrow, then in the Eastern Interior Sunday. Temperatures will be cooler than normal with highs largely in the 50s and 60s across Northern Alaska through the weekend and into next week. There may be a couple of 70 degree readings in the Eastern Interior today/tomorrow. && .HYDROLOGY... Moderate to heavy rain in Western Alaska will cause significant rises to rivers, streams and creeks this weekend into next week, but no flooding is expected. && .EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7... Another push of cool and wet weather returns on Monday night, bringing large amounts of rain into the West Coast once again. The driving force behind this system will be a low pressure system moving in from the Bering Sea and prolonged southwesterly flow from a ridge situated over the central/eastern Interior. We are going to be closely monitoring this system for potential coastal storm hazards, impacts are listed above. Looking further into next week, the low from the Bering Sea is expected to push a large swath of moderate/heavy precipitation from the Lower Yukon all the way up into the Brooks Range and east. Precipitation isn`t expected to reach the central/eastern Interior until midweek, and will mostly likely be of a lesser intensity than what will be seen across the West Coast and Western Interior. High temperatures will cool across the state into the low 60s/upper 50s, with lows in the low 40s. Thunderstorm chances mainly diminish going into Monday as the ridge moves farther east into Canada, bringing us closer into the fall season. Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4... A coastal storm is looking more likely Monday through Wednesday. Impacts will begin on Monday south of the Seward Peninsula with water rising around 2 to 4 feet above the normal high tide line Monday afternoon into Tuesday. North of the Seward Peninsula, impacts will begin Tuesday morning with water levels also 2 to 4 feet above the normal high tide line. Winds will be from the south/southwest with gusts potentially as high as 40 to 50 mph. Wave run up and minor beach erosion is expected from this. Impacts may persist into Wednesday, especially north of the Seward Peninsula. && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AK...High Surf Advisory for AKZ821-822-824-825. PK...Small Craft Advisory for PKZ801. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ802-852-857. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ803-808. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ805>807-810-853-854-856. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ809-855. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ811. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ816-817. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ850. Small Craft Advisory for PKZ851. && $$ Bianco Santiago - Extended