textproduct: Anchorage

SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)

*** A Flood Advisory remains in effect through late this evening for the Little Susitna River downstream of the Parks Highway. ***

Summer has returned to most of Southcentral this weekend with sun, a light breeze and temperatures in the upper 60s / lower 70s. Anchorage's high of 71 degrees is the hottest day of July so far; a far cry from highs in the 50s this past week. In Kodiak, northwest winds, albeit much lower than yesterday's peak of 61 mph, a sunny sky and temperatures in the middle 60s will be replaced by rain this evening.

Current placement satellite imagery of both a North Pacific ridge and a weak trough over Southwest Alaska compared with the 18Z and 0Z weather models' current placement of these features increasing forecaster confidence of fast-moving rain showers arriving in Kodiak Island this evening. Rain continues into mid-morning tomorrow with rainfall amounts ranging from 0.10" to 0.25"; highest in the mountains west of the city of Kodiak.

As this low moves into the Gulf of Alaska, winds turn southerly into Homer and Kachemak Bay ranging from 10 to 20 knots late Sunday morning into the early afternoon hours. Also, wind direction changes to a more northerly direction through the lower Cook Inlet west of the Kenai Peninsula Monday ranging from 15 to 25 knots. Monday mornig's weak ridging builds ahead of the passing of an afternoon / evening cold front through Southcentral bringing a mostly cloudy sky, widespread rain showers and temperatures cooling into the upper 50s / lower 60s.

-Johnston

AVIATION

PANC...VFR conditions and light winds will persist. Winds flip to southerly this afternoon and then back to northeasterly tomorrow morning.