589
FXAK69 PAFG 071335
AFDAFG

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
435 AM AKST Sun Dec 7 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
One more day of cold and windy conditions with very cold wind
chills, then winds diminish and ambient temperatures drop this
week for most spots. The exception will be on the North Slope and
in the Brooks Range where we expect clouds and chances for light snow
early this week, leading to milder temperatures. Some cloud cover
may drift into the Interior, but most spots should be clear.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...
Central and Eastern Interior...
- Cold and windy conditions once again today with minimum wind
  chills around 50F to 60F below zero (Yukon Flats and
  Dalton/Steese Highway Summits). Blowing snow will persist along
  the Dalton/Steese Highway Summits as well as the Richardson and
  Parks highway in the southern slopes of the AK Range.
- Wind diminishes gradually today and tonight with nearly calm
   winds by tomorrow afternoon.

- Ambient temperatures will drop once again tonight and tomorrow
  under clear and calm conditions.

- Temperatures in the 30s and 40s below zero (with no cloud cover)
  persist through much of the week. Some colder spots in the Yukon
  Flats and Eastern Interior may reach 55F below zero.
- With cloud cover, expect temperatures to be in the teens below
   zero. The best chance for clouds will be Monday night through
   Tuesday.

West Coast and Western Interior...
- A cold and windy day once again. Minimum wind chills will be
  around 40F to 50F below zero. Areas of blowing snow are
  possible, especially in the Middle Yukon Valley, though
  visibility restrictions will be kept to nearly 1 mile.

- Breezy conditions persist into tomorrow, but gradually weaken
  through the day with gusts around 10 to 20 mph by the afternoon.

- Cold and calmer weather persists thereafter with temperatures in
  the single digits above/below zero along the coast, and teens to
  about 30F below zero in the Interior through much of the week.

North Slope and Brooks Range..
- Cold with a slight breeze around 5 to 10 mph. Wind chills are in
  the 50s and 60s below zero, but will gradually increase today
  and tomorrow.

- A front brings clouds and areas of snow to the Slope and Brooks
  Range on Monday and Tuesday. Light snow can persist into
  Wednesday.
- Accumulations look to be around 1 inch or less along the coast
   and up to 2 inches in Atigun and Anaktuvuk Passes.

- A finicky setup develops Tuesday and Wednesday.
- A big high pressure over Eastern Siberia and another high over
   the Yukon.
- As a front pushes through the North Slope, it brings colder air
   aloft, but surface winds may end up being southerly due to a
   low in the Arctic and the high over the Yukon.
- If the flow is more northerly, it can bring cold temperatures
   and gusty winds along the coast. There may be very cold wind
   chills and areas of blowing snow by midweek. This will be
   monitored.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...
A 546 decameter ridge over the Chukotsk Peninsula is weakening
and will gradually shift southwest into the Central Bering
through tomorrow. A 504 decameter low in the Gulf is also
weakening and moving east through tomorrow. This will end our cold
and windy stretch. The aforementioned weakening ridge moving into
the Bering will allow for northwest flow into the North Slope and
Brooks Range. A shortwave trough (ridge rider) moving over the top
of the ridge will bring chances for clouds and light snow to this
area Monday and Tuesday with light snow accumulations possible. As
the main front passes through, another round of arctic air moves
in Tuesday afternoon. Along with this, west winds will be on the
rise across the Arctic Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. This brings
in a couple of potential hazards including very cold wind chills
and blowing snow from Tuesday to Thursday.

The Interior and West Coast however, will be cold with calm winds
and intermittent clouds. Any cloud cover across the state can
limit how cold it gets, but there will be periods of clear skies
and temperatures will likely plummet rapidly into the 20s to 30s
below zero in Western Alaska, 30s/40s below in the Central
Interior and potentially as cold as 55F below zero in the Eastern
Interior.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...
At the start of the extended forecast period Wednesday night, a
strong ridging pattern extends over the Bering Sea and weak
troughing sits over the Eastern portion of the state. This ridge
acts as a shield for the Interior deflecting lows attempting to
move into the region to the south or north. Model agreement is low
on exactly how each weaker low pressure system moves as it
interacts with the higher pressure ridge. But the interaction of
this ridge and the trough over Eastern Alaska likely keeps cold
northwest flow aloft over the eastern half of the state. There is
a chance that a strong enough low could try and dampen the ridge
slightly and enter Northern Alaska by the end of the week. This
would bring light snow, clouds and slightly modified
temperatures, but confidence is low in this outcome. Otherwise we
anticipate mostly cold and dry conditions through the end of the
week.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&


.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Cold Weather Advisory for AKZ811-833-838-842-843.
     Blizzard Warning for AKZ848-850.
     Blizzard Warning for AKZ832-834.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ801-802-850.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ803-804-853.
     Gale Warning for PKZ805.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ811-857.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ816.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ817.
     Small Craft Advisory for PKZ851.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ851.
     Gale Warning for PKZ852.
&&

$$