Waves of rain expected to hit Southcentral Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Prepare the galoshes! Grab the umbrella! Get ready for several rounds of rain to bring drought relief to Southcentral Alaska.

We’ve seen several hours of dry time since the nice dumping of rain we saw Wednesday night into Thursday, but the activity is once again set to ramp up again. While the system currently out west will impact a large portion of the state, the heaviest rain will fall right here in Southcentral.

The rain will move in between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this afternoon. Initially the rain will be light, with the heavier rain building in during the evening and overnight. We’ve already seen upwards of a quarter of an inch of rain for Bethel. As the rain moves into Southcentral it will encounter the mountains across the region. This will help enhance the rain and lead to the heavier rainfall, which is why many areas will see significant rain for the region.

The heaviest rain will occur through the overnight hours into Saturday, potentially leading to urban flooding, traffic impacts and ponding on the roads. Take it easy this weekend, as several waves of rain will stay with us. We’ll see some dry time Saturday afternoon, before another round of rain arrives Sunday. Due to the short breaks between each system, the threat for minor flooding will be stay with us through at least Monday.

As the system pulls off to the east and southeast, we’ll see Southeast Alaska get in on the action. While the rain will be lighter, the Panhandle will still manage to squeeze out 1 to 2 inches over the weekend, with localized heavier amounts.

When all is said and done, many across Southcentral will easily see 1 to 3 inches of rain. While localized heavier amounts will occur for areas near the mountains, all of us will see drought relief. With the rain remaining in the forecasts, this weekend will be a cool one. Many of us will struggle to break out of the 50s, with Saturday looking to be the coolest day. It’s possible we could see a day or two where highs will stay in the mid 50s.

Interior Alaska will also see impacts from this system, as rain builds in overnight into the weekend. While lower totals will occur through the Interior, the rain will help clear out the smoke and lower wildfire danger for the region.

This trend of wetter and cooler weather will stay with us through the next week or so, although the activity will become more isolated in nature through the first part of next week.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

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