003
FXAK69 PAFG 071335
AFDAFG

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
435 AM AKST Wed Jan 7 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
As an upper level low pressure system tracks southeast into the
Gulf of Alaska today, snow showers will continue across the
Interior as a colder and drier airmass builds in out of the west.
Breezy winds along the West Coast and NE Arctic Coast will lead
to areas of blowing snow through Thursday, with elevated winds
across the Southeast Interior today also leading to blowing snow.
Farther north across the North Slope, very cold temperatures with
wind chills as cold as 70 below zero continue for the Eastern
North Slope, with a Cold Weather Advisory now extended through
Friday morning. As clearer skies make a return upon the exit of
the ongoing system, temperatures will trend colder across Northern
Alaska through Friday. A frontal boundary remains on track to
lift north from the Gulf of Alaska Friday into the weekend,
bringing increased winds, snow chances, warmer temperatures, and
cloudier conditions.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...

Central and Eastern Interior...

- Snow chances will continue across the Interior today, tapering
  off tonight into Thursday. Light additional snow accumulations
  expected. Wind gusts up to 30 mph in the Upper Tanana Valley and
  Alaska Range today will lead to areas of blowing and drifting
  snow at times.

- Skies will clear from south to north tonight through Thursday as
  winds lessen. This setup will support temperatures returning to
  the 30s/40s below zero through Friday morning, with coldest
  areas dropping to around 50 below zero.

- Another round of snow, breezy winds, and warmer temperatures
  will build back into the Interior Friday through the weekend, as
  a front lifts north from the Gulf of Alaska.

- Winds will steadily increase Thursday night into Friday across
  the Interior, remaining elevated through Saturday. Strongest
  winds are expected in the Middle Tanana Valley, Alaska Ranges
  Passes, and across higher elevations.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- Breezy winds continue along the West Coast through Thursday,
  with wind gusts up to around 30-40 mph leading to areas of
  blowing and drifting snow at times and low visibility.

- Snow showers continue for St. Lawrence Island through Thursday,
  where around 1-2" of snow is expected. Light snow gradually ends
  across the Western Interior throughout the day today with light
  additional accumulations.

- Predominant dry conditions will return later today into
  Thursday, as clearer skier work to support colder temperatures
  across Western Alaska. Widespread 20s/30s below zero with even
  colder wind chills will return as a result, with coldest areas
  dropping to around 40 below zero.

- Another round of snow, breezy winds, and warmer temperatures
  will build into Western Alaska Friday through the weekend, as a
  front lifts northwest from the Gulf of Alaska.

- Winds will steadily increase Thursday night into Friday across
  Western Alaska, remaining elevated through the weekend.
  Strongest winds are expected along the West Coast and across
  higher elevations.

North Slope and Brooks Range...

- Very cold and dry conditions will remain in place over the North
  Slope and Brooks Range through Friday. Widespread temperatures
  in the 20s/30s below zero will persist with much colder wind
  chills.

- Wind chills as low as 70 below zero will continue for the
  Eastern North Slope, where a Cold Weather Advisory has been
  extended and is now in effect through Friday morning.

- N/NE wind gusts up to 40 mph will continue across the NW Arctic
  Coast and Western Brooks Range through today, leading to areas
  of blowing and drifting snow at times and low visibility.

- Snow showers remain on track return by the weekend, as moisture
  from the Gulf of Alaska lifts north over the Interior towards
  the North Slope with slightly warmer temperatures and another
  round of gusty winds for the Brooks Range and NW Arctic Coast.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...Today through Friday Night.
Early morning satellite imagery shows a broad 500 mb low around
492 dm centered over Anchorage shifting southeast towards the Gulf
of Alaska, with clearer skies and drier conditions further west
and cloudier and snowier conditions further east. As this H5 low
continues to track towards the Panhandle, snow chances will
continue across the Interior and Alaska Range today before
subsiding later today into tonight as predominant dry conditions
return to Northern Alaska. Winds will remain elevated today along
the West Coast, NE Arctic Coast, Brooks Range, Upper Tanana
Valley, and Alaska Range, leading to areas of blowing and drifting
snow with low visibility at times. As of 430 AM AKST per Alaska
511, the Richardson Highway remains closed from MP 202 to MP 218
between Donnelly and Paxson due to blowing and drifting snow with
low visibility. Winter Weather Advisories and Blizzard Warnings
for the Eastern Alaska Range south of Trims Camp (Isabel Pass) and
Bering Straight will be allowed to expire later this morning
around 7 AM AKST, as conditions are expected to gradually improve
throughout the day today. Winds along the West Coast and Arctic
Coast will however remain elevated through Thursday, with gusts up
to around 30 to 40 mph.

As clearer skies continue to expand across Northern Alaska today
into Thursday, colder temperatures are expected to return with
widespread 20s/30s below zero expected as coldest areas drop to
the 40s to around 50 below zero for Friday morning. Winds will
lead to even colder wind chills at times. These colder conditions
for the Interior and Western Alaska looks to be short lived
however, as a strong low pressure system around 960 mb lifts
northeast into the Gulf of Alaska for Friday. This system will
eject a front north Friday into Saturday with widespread snow,
clouds, gusty winds, and warmer temperatures to finish out the
work week into the weekend. Strongest winds and areas we will be
keeping an eye on will include the West Coast, Brooks Range,
Middle Tanana Valley, Alaska Ranges Passes, and across higher
elevations. For these areas, increased confidence supports areas
of blowing and drifting snow leading to reduced visibility at
times. We will continue to evaluate the potential for additional
hazard issuance over the coming days.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...Saturday through next Wednesday.
Models remain in reasonable agreement through the weekend, as a
front from the Gulf of Alaska lifts north all the way to the North
Slope as the trough axis deepens, forming a closed low over
Western Alaska. Upper level ridging over Siberia and Western
Canada will help focus snow chances and gusty winds over Northern
Alaska, with strongest winds expected for the West Coast, Brooks
Range, Middle Tanana Valley, Alaska Ranges Passes, and across
higher elevations. That closed upper level low over Western Alaska
will help to keep winds elevated through the weekend as snow
chances persist, with highest snow totals through the event
focused in the Alaska Range and Interior. A first look at snow
totals shows around 2-5" across the Interior and 4-8" through
Alaska Range Passes, with lesser amounts along the West Coast and
North Slope. With this front, temperatures are expected to see a
warming trend through the weekend with warmest conditions expected
in Southcentral north through the Alaska Range into the Southern
Interior. This is where the intrusion of warmer 850 mb
temperatures are expected, while 850 mb temperatures further north
and west remain in the 20s/30s below zero which will help keep
conditions colder.

Looking ahead towards early next week, a low around 970-980 mb
will lift north through the Gulf of Alaska Sunday into Monday,
setting the stage to allow for several additional low pressure
systems to follow suit towards Northern Alaska. With upper level
ridging remaining in place over Siberia and Western Canada, this
pattern will help keep snow chances going through early next week
as temperatures trend more near normal for most. Should we see a
Alaska Range Chinook Event, we could see temperatures across the
Southern Interior warm to levels above our latest forecast, which
we will continue to monitor heading into next week. By mid to
late next week, ensemble models are pointing towards broad upper
level ridging returning to Northern Alaska.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ850.
     Blizzard Warning for AKZ821.
     Cold Weather Advisory for AKZ804-805-808>810.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ802-809.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ805-806-856.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ807-850.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ808-810.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ815.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ816-817-851-854.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ817-854.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ852-855.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ853.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ861.
&&

$$

MacKay