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FXAK69 PAFG 101325
AFDAFG

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
425 AM AKST Wed Dec 10 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
Cold weather continues across Interior Alaska, with many areas
seeing temperatures deeply in the negatives. The North Slope,
which is in the single digits above or below, will itself drop
into the negative teens by late this evening as colder air moves
in behind a cold front and snowfall ends. From Thursday through
the weekend as a low from Siberia moves along the Arctic coast
from west to east, it will bring widespread snowfall of at least
an inch with much warmer temperatures to most of Alaska north of
the AK Range. On the North Slope, winds will increase today and
especially tonight into tomorrow as the low approaches, which
could result in blowing snow and reduced visibilities at times,
especially where they combine with falling snow. Early next week,
very cold conditions settling in over the region could drop
temperatures into the -40s or -50s in much of Eastern Alaska, even
outside typical cold spots.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...
Central and Eastern Interior...
- Cold weather will continue across the Interior today before
  warming Thursday and Friday. Cold valley locations will see lows
  in the -30s and -40s, with the Upper Tanana Valley falling to
  around -50F.

- Beginning on Thursday, another system will move into the area
  and yield snow totals widely of around 1 to 3 inches through the
  weekend, with higher totals of over 4 inches possible from the
  north slopes of the Western AK Range to the White Mountains.

- Considerably warmer temperatures are likely on Friday with this
  system, with highs widely rising into the positive single or
  double digits.

- Early next week, much colder air is going to settle back into
  the area, especially over the eastern half of the Interior,
  which may allow for even colder temperatures to be possible.

West Coast and Western Interior...
- Cold weather with lows in the negative teens and 20s will
  continue through tonight ahead of the next system.

- From Thursday through the weekend, much warmer temperatures are
  expected, with increasing clouds and generally around 1-4 inches
  of light snow. Highest totals are likely on the Chukchi Sea
  coast and elevated parts of the southern Seward Peninsula.

North Slope and Brooks Range...
- Light snow will continue across the eastern North Slope today
  before colder air is ushered in by a cold front in its wake by
  late this evening. Accumulations will generally be light.

- A more robust wave of snow is expected from Thursday into the
  weekend as a low moves along the Arctic coast. 2 to 4 inches of
  snow are widely possible across the area. Higher totals are
  possible in the Brooks Range and Arctic plains, mostly east of
  the Dalton Highway. Portions of the eastern Brooks Range
  southeast of Sagwon may receive between 6-8 inches of snow.

- As the low moves along the coast, widespread winds of 25 to 35
  mph, with higher gusts, will shift from SW to W and could
  combine with falling/fresh snow to blow and reduce visibilities.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...
Broad ridging is in place across the Bering Sea and eastern
Siberia while troughing extends across northwestern Canada into
the high Arctic. A shortwave aloft is bringing some thin high
clouds to parts of the Interior but very little in the way of
precipitation as it shifts to the southeast. Areas could see
temporary increases in temperature as this narrow cloud band
traverses the area. A cold front which has brought periods of
light snow to the North Slope will exit the area by late this
morning, bringing in a return of colder air with lows in the
negative teens in its wake.

Early Thursday morning, a low pressure system will move north off
of Siberia and into the Chukchi Sea before moving eastward along
the Arctic Coast. As this happens, winds will initially pick up
from the southwest before turning west on the Chukchi Sea coast
and North Slope, where sustained winds may rise to 25 to 35 mph
(potentially 40 in spots), with higher gusts.

The system will also bring widespread snowfall to Alaska north of
the Alaska Range through Saturday evening. With respect to the
North Slope, most areas are likely to see at least 1-2 inches of
snow, but parts of the Arctic and Chukchi Sea coasts could see
amounts upwards of 3-4 inches. Areas in the Brooks Range and
Arctic plains near and especially east of the Dalton Highway could
see totals of 4-6 inches or more. On the Norton Sound coast, the
Seward Peninsula, and St. Lawrence Island, totals of around 1-4
inches are possible, with higher totals in the inland higher
terrain regions of the southern Seward Peninsula with upslope
flow. Totals will widely be at least 1 to 3 inches across most of
the Interior, but higher totals of 4-6 inches with potentially
high snow-to-liquid ratios will be possible from the northern
slopes of the Western Alaska Range northeast toward the White
Mountains, including most of Fairbanks North Star Borough. Where
falling snow combines with high winds, especially on the
Arctic/Chukchi Sea coasts, there could be visibility-restricting
blowing snow and perhaps blizzard conditions. As the low moves
east of the area, most falling snow should end by Saturday
morning, although winds on the eastern Arctic coast could persist
for longer than other areas, which could prolong any visibility
concerns.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...
Through at least the first half of next week, the North Slope
could see multiple rounds of snow from a series of Arctic lows
moving either into the coast or into the Canadian Archipelago. As
these lows move into the area, winds on the eastern Arctic coast
could intermittently rise and lead to blowing snow. Elsewhere, a
strong high-pressure ridge aloft is expected to set up over the
Bering Sea, with cold troughing over northwestern Canada and a
very cold air mass extending from there into Eastern Alaska. With
the temperatures at 850 mb falling into the mid to lower -20s C,
surface temperatures from Mon December 15 through at least Wed
December 17 in much of Eastern and parts of Central Alaska could
reach into the -40s or even near -50F, even outside of typical
cold spots.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Cold Weather Advisory for AKZ835.
PK...Gale Warning for PKZ806-807-811-816-817-854-856-857.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ810-812-850-853-858.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ814.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ815.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ817.
     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ851.
     Gale Warning for PKZ851.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ860.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ861.
&&

$$

DS