textproduct: Fairbanks

SYNOPSIS

Winter Storm Warnings issued in the Interior for blowing and drifting snow this afternoon. Falling snow ending in the Interior this afternoon. Wind will be increasing this afternoon resulting in very low visibility and potentially whiteout conditions at times from the Dalton Highway Summits to the Alaska Range Passes. Wind diminishes overnight leading to quieter and colder weather tonight into the weekend. Significant blizzard conditions are ongoing on the North Slope and in the Brooks Range with very heavy snow and strong wind continuing through tonight and into tomorrow. Chances for snow on the North Slope continue through early next week with periods of gusty winds expected after this round.

KEY WEATHER MESSAGES

Central and Eastern Interior... - Snow ending this afternoon. Another inch or so in Fairbanks with 1 to 3 inches east of Fairbanks.

- Significant blowing snow expected this afternoon and evening across all of the the Central and Eastern Interior, including the Alaska Range Passes. - Wind gusts of 25 to 45 mph expected with the strongest wind gusts expected in the higher terrain. - Significant blowing and drifting snow expected across much of the Interior this afternoon and evening. Wind diminishes tonight as skies gradually clear.

- Temperatures plummet tonight (where there are clear skies) to 30F below zero or colder. Very cold weather persists this weekend with widespread 40F below zero temps (50F below in the Eastern Interior) by Sunday night and Monday. - Some areas that clear tonight may reach 40F below zero, but many valleys will hold on to some cloud cover.

West Coast and Western Interior... - Much quieter weather than yesterday but wind continues with isolated areas seeing visibility below 1 mile, especially near Kotzebue and the Kobuk Valley. - Visibility restrictions are possible for the rest of the Western Interior where there has been recent snowfall, but it shouldn't be as significant.

- Much colder and calmer weather returns this weekend with clearing skies. Widespread temperatures in the Interior Valleys will be around 25F to 35F below zero with single digits above/below zero along the coast.

North Slope and Brooks Range.. - A significant blizzard is ongoing with heavy snow and very strong wind up to 70 mph along the coast. - Very impactful blowing and drifting snow will make travel impossible in some spots.

- Blizzard conditions continue through tomorrow with 6 to 12 inches of snow along the Dalton Highway between Atigun and MP 270. 1 to 3 inches of additional snow expected along the coast. - Blizzard conditions diminish in coverage tomorrow night.

- Another round of light snow on Sunday with around 1 to 3 inches of additional accumulation. More light snow is expected Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning with widespread accumulations around 2 to 4 inches. - Wind increases with gusts to 20 to 40 mph everywhere. Blizzard conditions will once again be possible.

FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

A trough is digging into the Western Interior with a strong ridge over southern Bering Sea. To the east, there was heavy, high ratio snow over the Central and Eastern Interior. Behind the trough will be gusty winds this afternoon and evening which will result in widespread blizzard or near blizzard conditions. Weather will improve late tonight into tomorrow for the Interior with temperatures dropping well below normal once again this weekend and next week. Periods of clouds may stick around as we have waves of energy dropping south through the trough. This would keep temperatures "warmer", but any clear skies in the Interior will support temperatures dropping into the 30s and 40s below zero.

The North Slope is currently going through very significant and dangerous winter weather with heavy snow, wind gusts ranging from 50 to 70 mph and whiteout conditions. We will continue to see poor conditions with nearly impossible travel through tonight and into tomorrow. There will be a brief break tomorrow night as winds calm down and snow lightens, but there will be another round of light snow on Sunday as a front moves overhead. This will bring another 1 to 3 inches of light snow and luckily, the wind remains weak. Another round of snow and wind moves in Monday afternoon through Wednesday night with accumulations around 2 to 4 inches and wind gusts as high as 40 mph possible. Blizzard conditions are once again possible next week.

The West Coast dodges most of the impactful weather, but remains cold and mostly dry outside of a few flurries and light snow showers this weekend into next week. Temperatures will drop this weekend, back to the 20s and 30s below zero in the Interior and near 0 along the coast.

EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7

Strong ridging over the Bering Sea is expected to persist much of the week, bringing mostly clear skies and colder temperatures. This will generally keep low pressure systems in the Gulf, leaving Eastern Alaska in a colder, drier pattern. This pattern of ridging in the west and troughing in the east keep the area below normal temperatures with the potential for scattered snow showers in the North Slope and Eastern Interior. Models are hinting at the potential for the ridge breaking down next weekend, but uncertainty remains.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

AK...Blizzard Warning for AKZ801>803-806-807. Winter Storm Warning for AKZ837>850. Blizzard Warning for AKZ804-805. Blizzard Warning for AKZ832. Blizzard Warning for AKZ834. Winter Storm Warning for AKZ835-836. Blizzard Warning for AKZ808>810. PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ807. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ808>812-855>858. Gale Warning for PKZ813-859. Gale Warning for PKZ814. Hurricane Force Wind Warning for PKZ815. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ854. Gale Warning for PKZ860. Storm Warning for PKZ861.