textproduct: Fairbanks

KEY MESSAGES

Central and Eastern Interior... - Areas of light snow move from Alcan Border northwest today. A few snow showers possible from Eagle to Fairbanks this afternoon and evening, highest snow chance is in the terrain. * 1 inch or less in the E Interior terrain, with a coating possible elsewhere.

- Light snow moves to the Dalton Highway Summits, Yukon Flats and Southern Brooks Range Friday morning and persists through Saturday morning.

- A 2nd area of light snow moves into the SE Interior Friday afternoon and pushes towards Fairbanks Friday night/Saturday. * 0.5 to 2 inches possible, most in the E Interior terrain with around 1 inch in Fairbanks.

- Northeast winds remain breezy, mainly over the terrain from the Porcupine River southwest. These will be a mainstay into next week with persistent gusts upwards of 25 to 35 mph.

- Drier and colder weather returns Sunday and into next week with many spots likely not warming out of the teens.

West Coast and Western Interior... - Gusty wind between 30 and 45 mph persists in the Bering Strait through Thursday night, then gradually weakens on Friday then returns Saturday night.

- A few snow showers, mainly from the Seward Peninsula south through Friday. An area of light snow moves into the Western Interior from the east on Saturday with snow showers persisting into early next week. * Snow totals around 0.5 to 2 inches through Sunday night across Western Alaska, highest in the terrain.

- Temperatures from the Seward Pen Coast south will be around freezing while the Interior dips into the teens and 20s from Friday through the weekend.

North Slope and Brooks Range... - Areas of light snow persists along the coast with gusty winds likely through the weekend. Periods of low visibility to 1/2 mile or less at times are likely.

- East/Northeast winds increase through tonight with gusts up to 50 mph along the Beaufort Sea Coast and 40 mph for the Chukchi Sea Coast. This persists through Friday evening but wind remains gusty through the weekend, between 25 and 35 mph.

- Fairly quiet weather otherwise with temps remains near or above seasonal norms.

SYNOPSIS

Not much to speak of in terms of impacts. Areas of light snow and gusty wind will lead to periods of low visibility at times along the Arctic Coast through the weekend. Otherwise, there will be some snow showers and breezy conditions along the West Coast and periods of light snow, mainly in the Eastern Interior through Friday, then towards the Central and Western Interior Friday night through Saturday. Snow totals across Northern Alaska will remain light with most spots below 2 inches.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

The overall pattern is as messy as it gets with 500mb vorticity showing a closed upper low over the Chukchi Sea Coast, an inverted trough over the Eastern Brooks Range, weak southeast flow over the Interior with a decaying front moving in from the south, and a broad upper low over the Bering Sea. All of this is bringing pretty quiet weather to Northern Alaska overall. One key feature not mentioned above is a high over Siberia which is one of main components for strong winds along the Arctic Coast. As we move through Thursday and Friday, the high will gradually shift east, increasing a pressure gradient along the Arctic Coast, allowing for wind gusts up to 50 mph. Shortwave energy moving from east to west will also bring chances for snow, making for areas of blowing snow and low visibility. We do see the gradient weakening this weekend, but gusty winds remain likely with chances of snow persisting, so blowing snow is still possible through the weekend.

Along the West Coast, gusty northeast wind persists through the Bering Strait and in St. Lawrence Island through tonight and will weaken on Friday, we do see another pressure gradient set up bringing gusty wind once again Saturday night through Sunday. There isn't a ton of precipitation in Western Alaska besides some snow showers around thanks to consistent transient shortwaves moving from east to west, mainly from the Seward Peninsula south through Friday. Heading into Saturday, areas of light snow will try to move into the Western Interior from the east with very light accumulations possible. This energy may close into a weak upper low, supporting continued areas of light snow into Sunday, but there is uncertainty with where the energy moves. Current guidance suggests it gets caught up in the Bering Sea upper low and gets pulled west towards St. Lawrence Island, increasing light snow chances along the coast. Regardless, this doesn't appear to be too impactful as snow fall amounts remain on the lower end.

The Central and Eastern Interior also remains fairly quiet with a Tanana Valley Jet gradually weakening today. Northeast winds remain breezy, mainly over the terrain from the Porcupine River southwest. These will be a mainstay into next week with persistent gusts upwards of 25 to 35 mph. Areas of light snow will come in waves through the weekend. The first arrives today near Alcan Border and moves north/northwest through the evening then reaches the Brooks Range by midday Friday. As this snow lifts north, there is a chance for some blowing snow in the Dalton Highway summits midday Friday through Saturday. Otherwise, the next round of snow moves over the Southeast Interior once again Friday morning then towards the Central Interior Friday afternoon/evening and progressing northwest with light snow near the Brooks Range once again Saturday afternoon. There isn't a lot of moisture with these fronts, but 0.5 to 2 inches are possible for much of the Interior through Sunday night. The highest amounts will be in the terrain of the Eastern Interior with lower amounts towards Fairbanks.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

The pattern remains pretty similar heading into next week with a persistent reinforcement of a low in the Gulf, weak energy over the Bering and a high in the Arctic keeping it gusty with light snow along the coast. There will be an abundance of moving parts across Northern Alaska, Arctic, Bering Sea and Gulf and it is nearly impossible to say exactly what the pattern will look like. However, I wouldn't anticipate too much of a change through the middle of next week. I expect weak fronts to continue bringing light snow chances to the Interior, northeast winds in the Bering Strait and along the Arctic Coast as well as snow showers meandering around Western Alaska and the North Slope thanks to some weak shortwave energy. Temperatures will be near normal early next week with chances for below zero in many locations if skies are clear.

Coastal Hazard Potential... No concerns at this time.

AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

AK...Winter Weather Advisory until 3 PM AKST Friday for AKZ803>805. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM AKST this morning for PKZ806- 811. Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 PM AKST this evening for PKZ806-807. Small Craft Advisory from 9 PM this evening to midnight AKST tonight for PKZ806. Small Craft Advisory until noon AKST today for PKZ807-816-856. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM AKST early this morning for PKZ810. Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ811. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ812>815-817- 851-854-857>861. Brisk Wind Advisory until 9 AM AKST this morning for PKZ813. Brisk Wind Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ813. Brisk Wind Advisory until 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ814-815- 859>861. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 9 AM AKST this morning for PKZ814-815-861. Gale Warning from 9 AM this morning to noon AKST today for PKZ814. Gale Warning from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ814-860. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from 3 AM to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ815. Gale Warning from midnight tonight to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ815. Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ816. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 6 AM AKST early this morning for PKZ858. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until noon AKST today for PKZ860. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ860. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from midnight tonight to 6 AM AKST Friday for PKZ861.