Active weather remains, as rain, snow and winds are in the forecast
Power outages are possible today, as increasing winds could topple snow-laden trees
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Snow and rain have moved into Southcentral this morning, as a rather large low in the Bering is leading to winter weather across the state. Numerous weather alerts are in place across the state, from high wind warnings for Gambell/St. Lawrence, to coastal flood advisory for Southwest Alaska, and winter storm warnings for parts of Western Alaska. Even here in Southcentral, a winter weather advisory is in effect for the Susitna Valley through Friday.
The low will move inland later today, as it moves onshore in Western Alaska. Waves breaking the shoreline could lead to some coastal erosion, with winds gusting anywhere from 30 to 60 mph. Some of the highest winds in the last several hours have occurred through the Aleutians and Pribilof Islands, where winds have gusted upwards of 70 mph. As the storm moves inland, we’ll see winds gradually die down for coastal regions, but that likely won’t occur until late tonight or early tomorrow morning.
While the low will be hundreds of miles away from Southcentral, we’ll still see the effects of the storm today and Thursday. Winds have already begun to pick up across the region, with temperatures warming 10 to 20 degrees warmer than Tuesday morning. This warmth is leading to a changeover to rain near the coast, while inland locations remain with all snow. While inland locations can expect to see a transition to some wintry mix later today, it will primarily be short-lived and occur between 11 am and 3 pm. Beyond that, we should see a transition back to snow, with more rounds of wintry mix Wednesday night into Thursday. While this storm doesn’t have the potential to bring significant snow to much of the region, parts of the Susitna Valley could see up to 2 feet of snow north of Talkeetna.
Snow will primarily fall for the Susitna Valley, Copper River Basin, and Valdez/Thompson Pass, while the rest of Southcentral will see a shot at rain mixed in with the snow through today and Thursday. Windy conditions will develop throughout the day as well, leading to the potential for some power outages. Gusts anywhere from 20 to 40 mph could topple snow-laden trees. If you live near locations where trees are bending under the weight of the snow, be cautious throughout the day as winds increase.
To Southeast we go, where rain and snow can be expected through the next few days. The best chance for snow will be for the Northern Inner Channels and communities nestled well inland against the mountains. The Haines Highway could see some hazardous travel as rain and snow stick around the day. Southeast will see primarily rain occurring through this week, with all locations seeing a shift towards snow, if not a wintry mix, this weekend into next week.
Beyond Friday, colder air spills into the state. Temperatures across Southcentral will dip into the 10s for highs, with overnight lows likely dropping near or below zero. The good news is we’ll catch 3+ days of quiet and sunnier weather to dig out from the record snow.
Have a safe and wonderful Wednesday!
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