Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
007 FXAK68 PAFC 150201 CCA AFDAFC Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Anchorage AK 427 PM AKDT Tue Jul 14 2026 .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3)... ** Wind Advisory for South Anchorage, the Anchorage Hillside and Turnagain Arm. ** ** Flood Advisory is in effect for the Yentna River ** A series of low pressure systems will track through Southcentral through the end of this week bringing periods of rain and short- lived dry periods to the region. Steady rainfall, moderate to heavy at times, has persisted since early this morning across Southcentral Alaska. Rainfall amounts today through mid-afternoon range from 0.05" in the Western Kenai Peninsula to 0.27" in the Anchorage Bowl and Prince William Sound areas. A low pressure system continues to move northward through the Kenai Peninsula this afternoon with the heaviest rainfall in the Prince William Sound to, eventually, Copper River Valley. In its wake, scattered showers then dryer conditions will prevail in the western Kenai Peninsula and portions of the Anchorage Bowl overnight through late Wednesday morning. However, rain continues in the Mat- Su Valleys, Prince William Sound and Copper River Basin through late this evening. Gusty southeasterly winds are expected through much this evening, especially for gap wind prone locations. Winds coming out of the Turnagain Arm will at times bend into Anchorage and southerly winds pushing into the Sound will also accelerate northward through the Copper River Basin. The recent rainfall has resulted in issuing a flood advisory for the Yentna River. Tomorrow`s scattered showers will diminish through the day. Another low pressure brings rainfall to Southcentral Thursday. -Johnston && .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 through 3: Tonight through Thursday night)... Discussion: A complex low over the Bering Strait continues to send a series of shortwave troughs through the Bering Sea before rotating up into the Southwest Alaska Mainland. Each of these systems has brought, and will continue to bring, periods of more widespread rainfall to portions of the Aleutians, AKPEN, and Southwest Alaska. Plentiful moisture has been funneled up into the region with PWAT values above the climatological mean. Rainfall amounts over the past 48 hrs have ranged from 0.2-0.4" along the AKPEN and 0.5-1" from western Bristol Bay to the Kuskokwim Delta with less than 0.25" for most of the Aleutian Chain. This cool and wet trend will continue through the remainder of the week as the next few shortwaves impact the region. For tonight, rainfall will become more scattered and will gradually wind down as the system moves inland of Bristol Bay. Gusty northwest winds across Southwest and Bristol Bay, on the backside of this system, will decrease by late tonight. Inland areas will see a brief respite from widespread rain on Wednesday before the next system brings additional rainfall Wednesday night into Thursday. Speaking of the next system... It is already beginning to take shape off the coast of northern Kamchatka and will swing across the Bering Sea Wednesday. A swath of rain will work across the Aleutian Island`s from west to east bringing Small Craft winds to the North Pacific/Gulf side of the Aleutians. This system will work up towards Bristol Bay by Thursday and will be the driver for the next round of widespread rainfall for the AKPEN, Bristol Bay, and portions of the Kuskokwim Delta. - PP && .LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Saturday through Tuesday)... The latest model guidance shows strong confidence in a slow- moving, highly amplified upper-level trough consolidating along 165th parallel and lingering across much of Alaska well into next workweek. Smaller-scale details are less certain, especially with disturbances rounding the base of the trough and moving into the Gulf of Alaska, where moderate storm development is possible over the southern Bering Sea and northern Gulf. This pattern supports and extended unsettled stretch with daily rain chance region wide though precipitation will turn more widespread, organized and windier from the Southwest through Prince William Sound and Southcentral Alaska as moisture deepens and shifts northward. A multi-day heavy rainfall threat has been highlighted for those areas next week. Along the coastal waters, particularly the Gulf of Alaska and Southern Bering Sea, strengthening systems carry the potential for increasing winds and rougher seas. These conditions are likely to create hazardous marine environment for boating, commercial fishing and vessel operations, with heavier seas and gusty winds possible. Overall, the wetter and windier pattern across southern and coastal Alaska will require attention to accumulating rainfall impacts and marine hazards into early next week. -DD && .AVIATION... PANC...Periods of rain will continue into tonight, then eventually let up by Wednesday morning as the front associated with a low moving over Southwest pushes past the terminal. Southeast winds that have mostly been staying to the south will briefly bend into town this evening, with a few gusts between 25 and 30 kts briefly possible. Any lingering threat for LLWS will quickly diminish as the winds at the surface pick up late this afternoon and evening. Winds will briefly weaken somewhat and turn out of the south later this evening, but will likely become gusty again late tonight into Wednesday morning. Ceilings could also lower into MVFR range once winds turn out of the south overnight tonight. && $$