textproduct: Anchorage

SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)

Conditions will remain generally clear and dry across much of Southcentral through the next several days as a ridge of high pressure continues to build over the region from interior Alaska.

A stalled and decaying stationary boundary draped over the Copper River Basin this morning is resulting in some lingering low and mid level cloud cover across the basin and along the foothills of the Talkeetna, Chugach, and Kenai Mountains. Some of these clouds may drift over Palmer and Anchorage this morning before drier air advects over the region and the cloud cover erodes by midday. An isolated shower is also possible over the mountains today. Gusty winds for Seward and Whittier this morning will begin to wind down by late this afternoon.

As high pressure settles over the region, temperatures over the next several days will trend slightly above normal for the end of July, with daytime highs in the upper 60s to near 70F along the coast and lower to upper 70s for the typical warmer locations across interior Southcentral. Given the dry airmass in places, expect early morning low temperatures falling into the low to mid 40s for many locations. There may even be a few locations across parts of the Susitna Valley, Western Kenai Peninsula, Copper River Basin that see early morning low temperatures in the upper 30s...if skies remain clear.

Areas of low stratus and fog will likely develop and expand in area over the Gulf today as the ridge builds and the subsidence inversion strengthens. The main forecast challenge over the next 24 to 48 hours will be the extent of development, how this airmass advects toward the coast, and which locations along the immediate coast see an increase in cloud cover.

-TM

AVIATION

PANC...VFR conditions and light winds will generally persist; however, a cloud deck at 3,500 ft that developed north and east of the terminal overnight will likely drift over Anchorage and the terminal this morning before eroding by around noon. Winds will be light through the day with a general west wind between 5 and 10 kt late this morning through late this evening.