Spring arrives in Northern Hemisphere with mild weather across Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Temperatures may still be dropping below freezing through the night, but spring is officially here in the Northern Hemisphere.

To be more precise, spring begins as the sun crosses the equator at 1:24 p.m. AKDT. Temperatures have already been on the warmer side for the last week, with this week set to feature more warmth with areas of wintry mix across the region.

Icy conditions will be an issue this morning across Southcentral Alaska, as temperatures for all have dropped back below freezing. With a semi-wet weekend, roads have been refreezing through the night, leading to hazardous conditions. Remember to drive for the conditions and that posted speed limits are for typical driving conditions. As we are quickly heading into our freeze/thaw and breakup time period, it’s best to monitor your speed in the coming weeks.

Southcentral isn’t the only location seeing warmth building, as the North Slope is seeing temperatures climbing into the 10s and 20s today. The extent of this warmth is being felt all over the state and more so across Western Alaska. A storm in the Bering Sea is driving in strong winds out of the southeast, leading to many areas up and down the western coast experiencing winds in the 50 to 70 mph range. This is not only leading to blowing snow, but greatly reducing visibility. Use extra caution if you are going to be outside or traveling by snowmachine in many of the rural areas.

The first full week of spring will not only keep temperatures in the mid to upper 30s, but active weather looks to remain. While most of the impacts will be felt along coastal regions, inland areas of Southcentral could see isolated to scattered areas of wintry mix.

Have a safe and happy week!

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