Utqiaġvik, Alaska 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

822
FXAK69 PAFG 070008
AFDAFG

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
308 PM AKST Fri Mar 6 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
A more active weather pattern is underway across Northern Alaska,
with a front lifting north through over the Alaska Range working
to support widespread light to moderate snow and gusty winds.
Strongest winds will be across higher elevations, along the West
Coast, and through the Middle Tanana Valley around Delta Junction.
Stronger winds will lead to areas of blowing snow at times with
localized blizzard conditions possible particularly along the West
Coast. Winds will peak today and tonight across the Interior
before subsiding on Saturday, with winds remaining elevated across
the West Coast through the weekend. Drier conditions are expected
to return for early next week outside of very isolated snow
showers further north and west as colder temperatures return to
the Interior. Gusty winds are expected to develop along the Arctic
Coast and Arctic Plains early next week, with a Winter Storm
Watch in effect for the Eastern North Slope.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...

Central and Eastern Interior...

- Cloudy skies continue as a low pressure system moves into
  Southcentral, supporting widespread accumulating snowfall
  through Saturday.

- Accumulating total snowfall amounts today through Saturday night
  will remain south of Bettles around 1-5", with locally higher
  totals in the Alaska Range around 5-12". For FNSB, look for 2-4"
  of snow.

- Winds have ramped up across the Interior today, strongest across
  higher elevations and around Delta Junction, leading to areas of
  blowing snow at times. Wind gusts will peak around 30-50 mph
  today and tonight before subsiding on Saturday.

- Warmer temperatures will accompany the increased cloud cover and
  widespread snowfall through Saturday, with temperatures trending
  much colder early to mid next week as skies clear and drier
  conditions return.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- Winds will continue to be elevated from the NW Arctic Coast to
  the Bering Strait, with gusts up to around 50 mph. Otherwise,
  cold and dry conditions persist.

- As a low pressure system moves into Southcentral and the
  Interior today into Saturday, wind will broadly increase across
  Western Alaska with strongest winds expected along the West
  Coast with gusts of 30-50 mph, locally stronger up to 60 mph.
  This will be more likely at the higher elevations.

- Associated with the strongest winds, areas of blowing snow could
  lead to localized blizzard conditions at times.

- Light snow from this system will move into the southeast
  portions of the Western Interior this afternoon. Snowfall
  accumulations expected to be around 1-3". Isolated snow showers
  will also continue across the West Coast.

- Warmer temperatures will accompany the increased cloud cover and
  widespread snowfall across the Western Interior through
  Saturday, as conditions remain cold and dry further north and
  west.

North Slope and Brooks Range...

- Cold and mostly dry conditions will continue through the
  weekend, with isolated snow showers possible at times as areas
  of low stratus persist.

- Northerly winds have ramped up along the NW Arctic Coast, and
  are expected to remain elevated through Saturday night.
  Northeast winds will increase across the Brooks Range today into
  Saturday. Gusty winds could lead to areas of blowing snow at
  times, especially further west and in the Brooks Range.

- Conditions will remain cold into early next week, with
  temperatures reaching down into the 20s and 30s below zero.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...Today through Sunday Night.

Early afternoon satellite imagery shows a 970 mb low pressure
system in the Gulf of Alaska lifting north into Southcentral. A
front has been ejected north over the Alaska Range into the
Interior, working to support widespread snowfall, increased
winds, and warmer temperatures. Snowfall first began in the
Alaska Range and Upper Tanana Valley, lifting north into the
Interior throughout the daytime hours. This system will be tapping
into subtropical moisture extending from a well organized
atmospheric river in the Pacific, which even with southeast flow will
remain conducive for widespread light snowfall across the
Interior. Best accumulating snow chances will remain confined
southeast of a line from Bettles to the Yukon Delta, with snowfall
amounts around 1-5" with 5-12" in the Alaska Range. For FNSB, we
are expecting around 2-4" of snow. Light to moderate snow across
the Interior will taper off late Saturday into Saturday night with
dry conditions back for Sunday outside of very isolated snow
showers. With those drier conditions and clearing skies Sunday
into Monday, cold temperatures locked up further north and west
will expand south with widespread double digit below zero air
temperatures returning.

With respect to winds, winds have been strongest across higher
elevations, the Middle Tanana Valley, and along the West Coast
where we have seen areas of blowing snow and localized blizzard
conditions. A combination of blowing snow and or falling snow
could lead to visibility down to around 1/2 to 1/4 mile at times.
Across the Interior, winds will be strongest across higher
elevations and around the Middle Tanana Valley. Pockets of
blowing snow outside of these areas will also remain possible
where the best overlap of falling snow and gusty winds set up. As
snow tapers off Saturday, drier conditions will build in early
next week as winds remain elevated along the Arctic Coast. Winds
are expected to steadily ramp up for the Eastern North Slope
Sunday into Monday, where a Winter Storm Watch for possible
blizzard conditions has been issued through Wednesday.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...Monday through next Friday.

The extended portion of the forecast starts off in relatively
good agreement with the main low now vertically stacked and over
the NE Gulf of Alaska. Most of the models continue to show the
potential for broad troughing to continue into the middle portions
of the week. Agreement continues amongst models for another
shortwave to ride up and over the ridge in the Bering, that was
set up during the short term, and move across the West Coast by
Wednesday afternoon. This will provide the West Coast with their
next round of snowfall. A brief period may come, across the
eastern portion of the state, for low temperatures between minus
30 and minus 40 to return. This is expected starting Wednesday
while the next system moves across the West Coast. This may
potentially bring the troughing back across the eastern portion of
the state by the end of the week, along with another chance for
snow showers.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ801-815-824-827-832-834-835-837-
     839-847>849.
     Winter Storm Warning for AKZ850.
     Blizzard Warning for AKZ820-821.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ804-805-808.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ838-840>846.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ801-802-805-810-811-851-857.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ803.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ804.
     Gale Warning for PKZ806-807.
     Gale Warning for PKZ816-850.
     Gale Warning for PKZ817.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ852.
     Gale Warning for PKZ853.
     Gale Warning for PKZ854-856.
&&

$$

SYNOPSIS.....MacKay
KEY POINTS...MacKay
SHORT TERM...MacKay
LONG TERM....Twombly