912
FXAK69 PAFG 031104
AFDAFG

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
204 AM AKST Tue Nov 3 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...
Central and Eastern Interior...
- Dry today with mixed sun and clouds.

- A Tanana Valley Jet continues to gust 20 to 40 mph from Delta
  to Nenana through Wednesday afternoon.

- South gap winds continue in Windy and Isabel Pass with gusts
  to 50 mph, weakening this afternoon. Gusts increase again
  Wednesday morning, gusting 55 to 65 mph by the afternoon, and
  weakening again Wednesday night.

- Slight chances for snow, especially Wednesday as a front lifts
  from southeast to northwest. Highest chances for snow will be
  in the Interior terrain and north of Fairbanks, but a brief
  period of light snow in Fairbanks is possible.
*0.5 to 2 inches possible north of the Tanana Valley, a
  coating to 1 inch possible in the Tanana Valley.

West Coast and Western Interior...
- East winds gusting 25 to 45 mph along the coast persist today,
  turning northeast in the Bering Strait tonight and gusting up
  to 50 mph. This continues Wednesday then weakens gradually
  Thursday and Friday.

- Rain showers persist from the Yukon Delta to St. Lawrence
  Island today. Mixed rain and snow showers likely through the
  rest of the week with areas of light snow across Western
  Alaska Friday and over the weekend.

- Temperatures will be warmest today, then a gradual cooling
  trend is expected with highs dropping to near or slightly
  above seasonal norms by the end of the week.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
- Light snow continues along the Coast and Plains this week with
  accumulations around an inch or 2 from Wainwright east.

- East winds increase steadily Tuesday through Thursday with
  gusts around 35 to 45 mph, strongest winds will be Thursday
  and Friday along the coast, weakening this weekend.
*With light falling snow and snow on the ground, low
  visibility due to blowing snow is possible.

- Temperatures remain steady through the end of the week with a
  possible cooling trend this weekend into next week.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
Fairly quiet weather is expected with the most notable feature
being gusty wind east winds along the coast and southerly winds
through the AK Range Passes. Areas of light snow meander around
Northern Alaska with light snow accumulations, mainly less than
2 inches. The highest chances for accumulating light snow will
be in the Interior Terrain Wednesday afternoon into Thursday and
North Slope which has light snow through the week. Otherwise,
most of Northern Alaska`s temperatures remain near to slightly
above normal through the week.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
The upper level pattern is a bit messy as there is troughing
extending over the Bering Sea and into the Gulf as well as along
the Beaufort Sea Coast. In between is a ridge which is being
squeezed northwest as troughing takes over from south to north.
Today will be pretty similar to yesterday but clouds will be on
the increase in the Interior. Periods of light snow persist on
the North Slope with rain and snow showers in Western Alaska.
East winds will continue, especially along most of the
coastline, in the higher terrain of the Interior and from Delta
Junction to Nenana. In the Interior and along the West Coast,
winds will be weakening as a high lifts to the north, weakening
the pressure gradient. However, as the high lifts north, it will
result in an increasing pressure gradient along the Arctic
Coast allowing winds to steadily increase this week.

Temperatures will be cooling in Western Alaska as colder air
moves in aloft from the northeast as well as the south thanks to
an occluded low moving towards South-Central Tuesday night into
Wednesday. Any rain showers will will become mostly all snow
showers mid to late week. The occluded low will also provide a
front to the Interior which will likely bring light snow to
parts of the Central and Eastern Interior, especially in the
higher terrain. There is a chance for snow in the Tanana Valley,
including Fairbanks but it would be brief on Wednesday. Winds
through the AK Range will be gusty for most of the week,
strongest Wednesday afternoon and evening as the low in the Gulf
forces its energy from south to north through the Passes. These
may push 60 mph for a 6-12 hour period. Otherwise, the end of
the week looks to be fairly quiet as well with wind on the coast
mostly weakening. One feature we will be monitoring is another
low in the Gulf providing another front to the Interior. A bit
more widespread light snow is possible Friday into Saturday for
much of Northern Alaska. Snow amounts appear to be light, around
1 to 3 inches for now.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
Areas of light snow linger across Northern Alaska this weekend
thanks to some mid level moisture and shortwave troughs. It is
difficult to say when snow will start and stop in some locations
due to the uncertainty of the different shortwave placement, but
nearly everywhere has a chance to see some light snow. Another
low then moves into the Gulf early next week and this may bring
southerly or southeasterly flow to the Interior and North Slope.
With southerly flow, it would be a drier pattern for much of the
Interior and North Slope early next week with east/southeast
being slightly more snowy. Regardless, this doesn`t appear to be
all that impactful as most of the snow will be light. There is
an abundance of uncertainty after the weekend but there doesn`t
appear to be any significant weather as the pattern remains with
troughing over most of Northern Alaska.

Coastal Hazard Potential...
No significant concern as the storm track remains south.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM AKST this morning for PKZ801.
     Small Craft Advisory until noon AKST today for PKZ802.
     Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM AKST this afternoon for PKZ803-
     804-806-850.
     Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM AKST this evening for PKZ805-
     807-808-811-816-817-851>858.
     Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM AKST this morning for PKZ809.
     Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 PM AKST
     this evening for PKZ809.
     Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM AKST this evening for PKZ812.
     Gale Warning until 3 AM AKST early this morning for PKZ850-852-
     853.
&&

$$