Alaska is expected to see a gradual warming trend by the end of the week, ending the ongoing cold weather pattern. Temperatures will slowly moderate, though remain below average into next week. Gusty winds and wind chills below zero will persist, especially in Southcentral Alaska, along with winter weather advisories in effect for specific locations. Temperatures are expected to be in the 20s by the weekend.
ANCHORAGE, AK - The ongoing cold weather pattern that has gripped the state this month is showing signs that it will loosen its hold on the state by the end of the week. While this trend does look promising, temperatures are set to slowly moderate, yet remain below average into next week.
For many areas, temperatures will rise by 10 degrees into the weekend, with temperatures continuing that slow tick upwards as we head into the last full week of March.Gusty winds will be possible across Southcentral today and through at least the middle of the week, as low pressure remains in the eastern Gulf of Alaska. Our ridge out west in the Aleutians and Bering Sea continues to reinforce the cold weather pattern across the state, with any winds leading to windchills below zero through the day. Wind advisories remain in effect for the lower parts of the Matanuska Valley and coastal areas of the Kenai, while a winter weather advisory remains in effect for Thompson Pass. These locations could see winds of 50 to 55 mph, with wind chills hovering well below zero. Near Thompson Pass, winds will lead to blowing and drifting snow throughout the day. Kodiak will also see strong winds, although winds will largely be out of the northwest, leading to resuspension of ash moving across the island. While the rest of Southcentral will largely see north-to-northeasterly winds, all areas will see a reinforcing shot of colder air. The coldest stretch for Southcentral will be felt most into the night. This comes as temperatures are set to drop back below zero, with some of the coldest locations seeing temperatures near -10. Any winds look to subside by midweek for most locations, with temperatures slowly warming into the weekend. Southcentral can expect to see highs this weekend warming into the 20s. While still below average, it does begin a slow warming trend that will carry us through the end of this month. For many areas, temperatures next week will still remain below average, but only by about 10 degrees.Winter storm warnings have been trimmed back for many areas of the Southeast, with areas of the northern panhandle holding onto the warnings. An additional one to four inches of snow is expected for areas along and north of Juneau today, while locations to the south largely see rain or a rain/snow mix. The only exception will be near Hyder, where an additional three to five inches of snow is expected. More snow chances build in through the week, with little in the way of dry time to be expected. Juneau could pick up an additional 10 plus inches of snow by Wednesday, with more rounds of snow into the weekend. While not dealing with the cold weather pattern that most of the state has been under, Southeast will see temperatures about five degrees below average. Many areas will see highs in the 30s and 40s today.Temperatures are beginning another downward turn in the Interior, although this cold snap will be short-lived. The coldest stretch of weather looks to arrive Tuesday into Wednesday, with some locations seeing lows dropping back near -40. While we stay dry and quiet across the Interior, winter storm concerns remain for areas of the Alaska Range. While snow accumulations remain light throughout the range, the bigger concern will be gusts up to 60 mph. This will lead to blowing snow and reduced visibility down to less than a quarter of a mile. By Wednesday, temperatures begin to slowly inch upwards across the Interior. It will be a very slow rise in temperatures, but it will begin a trend towards warmer weather by the end of this month. While still expected to remain below average, temperatures will likely warm 10 degrees into the weekend. The average high for this time of the year is around 24 degrees, with the warmest day looking to be this weekend, with highs near 10.While temperatures still remain cold along the Slope, temperatures are actually hovering near to slightly below seasonal values. While things remain fairly dry for the Slope, we could still see some light snow showers with little accumulation. The bigger concern the next few days will be our winds. Winds of 15 to 30 mph will be possible, with gusts upwards of 40 mph as you head east of Deadhorse. Ground blizzard conditions will be possible in these locations, much like we saw with the winds last week. While temperatures remain near seasonal values for many areas of the Slope, the coldest weather remains across the Arctic Plains, where lows near -30/-40 will be possible. Mushers along the Iditarod Trail in Western Alaska will be met with gusty winds and bitter cold wind chills near -45. While the overall forecast favors ongoing dry conditions, we could see very light snow showers moving into the region from Tuesday to Wednesday. This will largely amount to less than half an inch, if that. Expect persistent northerly winds to remain with us through the end of the week, keeping wind chills and areas of blowing snow around.A ridge remains parked over the Western Aleutians, with signs of a subtle shift to the east through the week. If this happens, we’ll see drier weather return to the Central Aleutians, while areas of the Western Aleutians tap into Pacific moisture. Otherwise, we’ll continue to hold onto our ridge, trough pattern for the Aleutians. Some of the coldest air remains locked in place across the Eastern Aleutians with temperatures in the 10s and 20s.Turnagain Pass: Moderate avalanche danger above 2500 feet. Human-triggered and natural avalanches are still possible. Summit Lake: Moderate avalanche danger above 2500 feet. Human-triggered and natural avalanches are still possible. Seward and Lost Lake: Moderate avalanche danger above 2500 feet. Small wind slab avalanches up to 1 foot deep are possible.Following an extended stretch of winter weather, signs of warmer weather are heading our way as we enter the second half of this month. While temperatures will remain below normal in many areas of the state, we will see a slow rise. For many areas of the state, we’ll likely continue to hold onto dry weather. The rest of the month will see the best chance of any precipitation remaining in the Southeast.24/7 Alaska Weather: Get access to live radar, satellite, weather cameras, current conditions, and the latest weather forecast here. Also available through the Alaska’s News Source streaming app available on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.Second driver killed by falling tree on same roadway in less than a yearChild kidnapped nearly 6 years ago from California found more than 2,500 miles away from homeSoutheast sees more snow
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