Still so very close...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Stop teasing, Mother Nature, please! For the second day in a row, the official high temperature at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport fell just shy of what has been an elusive 50 degrees. This is the 5th latest the city has gone without reaching that temperature. A reminder, the latest was May 12, 1971.

The forecast for Southcentral remains largely unchanged for Sunday and Monday. Some morning sunshine followed by clouds with spotty to scattered showers for Sunday afternoon and evening. High temperatures again flirting with 50 degrees officially at the airport on the city’s west side. Rain -- along with wet snow for the Chugach Range -- stays scattered into Monday morning, but becomes more widespread during the afternoon and evening.

Then it gets a little tricky. A strong, winter-like storm system intensifies over the southern Bering Sea then tracks into Southwest with a new low forming near Kodiak Island on Monday. Sound familiar?

Sadly, yes it does. Similar to this past Wednesday, computer forecast models show a similar set-up for Monday night and Tuesday across Southcentral. Because of this, I’ve added the chance for snow showers, even at sea-level, including the Valley, Anchorage, and the western Kenai Peninsula.

Once that storm system clears on Wednesday, sunshine returns in earnest for the region. With some warmer air aloft, this will finally allow temperatures to warm well into the 50s by the end of the week.

Speaking of 50s, Fairbanks has seen 50 degrees or better every day this week with the exception of Wednesday, May 3rd when it was 48 degrees. The tripod at Nenana still stands tall on the Tanana River in Nenana, but the ice continues to thin, and waters upstream opening up with each passing day.

Much of Saturday’s weather across the rest will be repeated on Sunday. Southeast will see a mix of sun and clouds with highs ranging from the upper 40s to middle 50s on Sunday, with few hit-or-miss showers late in the day. The Interior will see a break from the scattered early morning snow and afternoon rain showers as highs reach the upper 40s to around 50 degrees.

Middle 20s an a few flurries or snow showers will occupy the North Slope. Western Alaska stays seasonably chilly, but warmer with highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Finally, the Aleutians stay unsettled with clouds, some sun, along with scattered areas of rain and wet snow in the morning. High temperatures will be warmer with highs generally in the lower 40s.

Copyright 2023 KTUU. All rights reserved.