textproduct: Fairbanks

SYNOPSIS

An active weather pattern continues across Northern Alaska as a series of low pressure systems in the Bering Sea continue to eject multiple fronts from Western Alaska into the Interior. This setup will continue to support multiple rounds of rain/snow showers, gusty winds, and progressively warmer temperatures to the warmest levels we have seen across our region since October 2025 as we finish out the week. Pockets of freezing rain will remain possible where warmer air overruns colder air at the surface, with the main precipitation type favoring a rain/snow mix dependent on temperatures.

KEY WEATHER MESSAGES

Central and Eastern Interior...

- A series of strong low pressure systems moving north through the Bering Sea will send multiple fronts across the Interior this week into early next week with a mix of rain/snow showers and gusty winds, strongest across higher elevations and through Alaska Range Passes.

- Predominant strong, southerly flow over the Alaska Range will support much warmer conditions building in, as most locations see highs climb well into the 40s and 50s or more near normal levels for this time of year to finish out the week

- A Wind Advisory is in effect for Isabel and Windy Passes along the Richardson and Parks Highways tonight through Friday for southerly wind gusts up to 65 mph. Travel could be difficult at times.

- A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Dalton Highway summits north of the Yukon River and south of Coldfoot for wind gusts up to 40 mph leading to areas of blowing snow and reduced visibility at times.

- Once we see warmer temperatures move into place Thursday and Friday, they are expected to hold steady into next week with highs in the 40s/50s and overnight lows in the 20s/30s.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- A series of strong low pressure systems moving north through the Bering Sea will send multiple fronts into Western Alaska this week into early next week with a mix of rain/snow showers, gusty winds, and pockets of freezing rain.

- Predominant southerly flow will support much warmer conditions building in, as most locations see highs climb well into the 30s and 40s or more near normal levels for this time of year to finish out the week.

- Blizzard Warnings remain in effect tonight into Thursday from the Seward Peninsula north to Kotzebue and at St. Lawrence for strong winds and moderate to heavy bands of snow. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Thursday for the Yukon Delta for gusty winds and snow.

- Once we see warmer temperatures move into place Thursday and Friday, they are expected to hold steady into next week with highs in the 30s/40s to low 50s farther inland and overnight lows in the 20s/30s.

North Slope and Brooks Range...

- A series of strong low pressure systems moving north through the Bering Sea will send multiple fronts into Western Alaska and the Interior this week into early next week with a mix of rain/snow showers, gusty winds, and much warmer temperatures.

- Precipitation amounts into early next week are expected to remain light and mainly focused in the Brooks Range.

- A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Central Brooks Range for Anaktuvuk and Atigun Passes, where wind gusts up to 35 mph for areas of blowing snow and reduced visibility.

- Once we see warmer temperatures move into place Thursday through Saturday, they are expected to hold steady into next week with highs in the 20s/30s across the Arctic Coast and Plains to 30s/40s in the Brooks Range and overnight lows in the teens/20s.

FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Today through Friday Night. Afternoon satellite imagery shows a 970 mb surface low centered north of the Central Aleutians, with an occluded front and associated atmospheric river moisture building into Southcentral and Western Alaska. This system will continue to eject multiple fronts into Northern Alaska which will bring multiple rounds of rain/snow showers, gusty winds, and progressively warmer temperatures to the warmest levels we have seen across our region since October 2025. Pockets of freezing rain will remain possible where warmer air overruns colder air at the surface, with the main precipitation type favoring a rain/snow mix dependent on temperatures. Blizzard conditions have been observed across portions of the West Coast with most locations reporting prolonged period of quarter to half mile visibility with wind gusts peaking around 40-60 mph. This system is expected to continue to track north towards St. Lawrence Island and weaken throughout the day Thursday to around 990 mb by midnight.

As the main system in the Bering weakens throughout the day Thursday, another weaker closed low moving up through the Gulf of Alaska into Southcentral will bring in a large plume of atmospheric river moisture heading towards the Alaska Range. While heavy precipitation is expected south of the Alaska Range, strong downsloping is expected to keep the Tanana Valley mostly dry as noticeably warmer temperatures build in with chinook winds. This more organized plume of moisture will join with existing moisture closer to the Bering Sea low to keep rain/snow showers and gusty winds going Thursday into Friday as a series of fronts build across the Interior. Winds across our region will be strongest along the coasts, higher elevations, and particularly through Alaska Range Passes. Through Isabel and Windy Passes along the Richardson and Parks Highways tonight through Friday, southerly wind could gust up to 65 mph with gusts already as of 4 PM around 30-50 mph.

Outside of rain/snow showers and gusty winds leading to difficult travel conditions at times, the main overall weather theme to finish out this week into next week will be the significantly warmer temperatures moving into place. Deep southerly flow into Northern Alaska will lead to a significant warmup for everyone, with warmest areas across the Interior seeing temperatures climbing well into the 50s. More noticeably where temperatures across the North Slope have been consistently getting down to the negative double digits, they could see an almost 40-60 degree warmup to finish out the week as lows from around -20F to -30F climb to highs in the 20s/30s. Case in point, these temperatures later this week will be the warmest Northern Alaska has seen since October 2025. Following the winter we had, particularly in the Interior, these temperatures are most welcomed by this meteorologist.

EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7

Saturday through next Wednesday. An unsettled and warmer pattern is expected to continue across Northern Alaska into next week as a series of lows in the Bering Sea bring a mix of light rain/snow showers and areas of gusty winds. Following that first low in the Bering Sea weakening and dissipating on Friday, another weaker closed low will move into Southwest Alaska Friday night into Saturday. This weaker system will allow for continued moisture transport Northern Alaska, keeping rain/snow chances around but lighter in nature. Looking ahead, high confidence supports another strong ~950 mb low working north of the Central Aleutians Saturday night into Sunday. This system is expected to eject another front into Western Alaska Sunday into Monday with another round of more organized rain/snow and gusty winds. The main difference between the late week system and this early next week system will be its track, which is ultimately not expected to lift much farther north than the Central Bering Sea. As a result, we are looking at heaviest rain/snow focused farther west. Towards midweek next week, increased uncertainty surrounds activity in the Gulf and if it will lead to precipitation building more into the Interior. Until then, we will keep a warmer and unsettled pattern around as we finish out the month of April and head into May.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

AK...Wind Advisory for AKZ847-849. Blizzard Warning for AKZ816>818-820>824. Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ825-826. Blizzard Warning for AKZ827. Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ832. Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ809. PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ801. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ802-812-850-858. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ804. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ808-809-855. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ810. Gale Warning for PKZ811-857. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ813-859. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ814. Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ815-860-861. Gale Warning for PKZ816-817. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ816. Gale Warning for PKZ851-854.