textproduct: Fairbanks

KEY MESSAGES... Central and Eastern Interior

- Fairly quiet weather will continue across the Interior through the weekend, with daily chances of light showers and minimal accumulations.

- A weak band of snow showers moves up from the south late Friday night through Saturday.

- Temperatures near normal or slightly above are expected throughearly next week with highs in the teens and 20s and lows in the single digits and teens. Coldest spots will drop below zero. Colder temperatures arrive late next week.

- Northeast winds will ramp up Friday night into Saturday, especially across higher elevations and northern Interior with gusts up to around 30 to 40 mph. Winds diminish on Monday.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- Isolated to scattered snow showers will continue through early next week.

- A period of more organized snow is possible for the Nulato Hills and Kobuk Valley on Saturday, resulting in modest snow accumulations of 2-5 inches, with more in areas of higher elevation.

- Temperatures will hold steady through early next week, with highs in the 20s/30s and lows in the teens and 20s.

North Slope and Brooks Range...

- Light snow and wind gusts up to 45 mph across the Arctic Coast will continue to lead to areas of blowing snow/low visibility. Blizzard Warnings here have been extended through Sunday morning with visibility dropping below one half mile at times.

- Snow chances for the arctic coast highest for Saturday night into Sunday, leading to blizzard conditions returning.

- Chances of snow showers continue across the northern arctic plains through early next week.

- For the Brooks Range, a band of stronger snow showers on Saturday, combined with breezy conditions Saturday morning through early Sunday for the Brooks Range will result in modest snow accumulations and reduced visibilities.

- Temperatures will hold steady or see a cooling trend through the weekend with highs in the teens and 20s and lows in the teens and single digits, likely going below zero for more mountainous areas.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/

The weather pattern remains unchanged, barring some increased chances for light snow showers over the FNSB area Friday night.

A broad area of upper level troughing (more a rossby wave than a trough) continues to stretch across Alaska, sending the Pacific jetstream - and subsequently the storm track - away from us and into the Gulf of Alaska. The interior instead will continue to see remnant frontal bands and shortwaves moving through the area. One currently over the North Slope will bring light snow through the day on Friday before snow subsides Friday night. Another band lifting north from the Alaska Range late Friday will bring chances of snow showers to the Central and Eastern interior Friday night, with only minimal accumulations for those areas expected. As the band moves north, moderate accumulations are looking increasingly likely on Saturday for the Nulato Hills and Kobuk Valley, along with the Brooks Range. Breezy winds in the eastern Brooks Range will arise concurrently with the snow and likely result in reductions in visibility for parts of the Dalton Highway and Yukon Flats.

Windy conditions continue across the North slope through most of the weekend, with blizzard warnings in effect from Utqiagvik eastward through Sunday. While winds remain elevated through the short term forecast, by late Sunday they will be increasingly offshore, as the Arctic High moves east.

Significant wave heights remain elevated (10-12ft) across the Northern Chukchi sea through Sunday, before diminishing on Monday, with near coastal areas along the Beaufort Sea joining them on Sunday courtesy of 25-35 kt winds. The southern Bering Sea will see waves build Sunday into Monday as a low moves through, reaching 12- 15 ft in the open waters.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Marginally more active weather possible for the Western Coast through the long term as the Pacific Storm track moves slightly north of its current position early next week, though still anticipate the overall forecast pattern to favor less active weather for the bulk of our area. For most locations, occasional periods of snow showers and gusty winds are expected. The one potential exception to this pattern taking shape in the southern Bering.

Even as most storms continue to steer clear of the interior through next week, a low will enter the far southern Bering Sea from Tuesday onwards. Ensemble guidance has continued to consolidate around a more southerly track, which would keep any impacts on the minimal side, as a high over the Arctic Ocean keeps the system steering south into the Alaska Peninsula. The only impacts from this over land will likely be a round of snow showers and potentially breezy conditions for the SW interior.

Temperatures continue to look to be largely on track with seasonable values for most locations expected, though a modest cooldown towards the middle of next week is not out of the question, depending track of the previously mentioned system.

Coastal Hazard Potential...No coastal hazards are expected through the forecast timeframe. Ensemble guidance is coming into better agreement that a system in the Bering during the middle of next week will likely move south of our area.

AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

AK...Blizzard Warning until 7 AM AKST Sunday for AKZ803>805. Dense Fog Advisory until noon AKST today for AKZ838>845-847. MARINE...Brisk Wind Advisory until 6 AM AKST Saturday for PKZ812>815- 859>861. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM AKST Saturday for PKZ812>815- 857>860. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 9 AM AKST this morning for PKZ812. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from 6 PM this evening to 6 AM AKST Saturday for PKZ812. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 6 AM AKST Saturday for PKZ813>815-858>860. Gale Warning from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 PM AKST this evening for PKZ814. Gale Warning from 9 PM this evening to 6 AM AKST Saturday for PKZ814. Gale Warning from midnight tonight to 6 AM AKST Saturday for PKZ815.