Weather closes North Slope Borough offices in three communities and Utqiaġvik schools

The North Slope Borough closed its offices in Atqasuk, Utqiaġvik and Wainwright on Thursday because of "current weather and road conditions," the borough said in a notice on its Facebook page.

"Please use caution when traveling and prioritize safety," the borough said.

The North Slope Borough School District also closed all Utqiaġvik schools Thursday. It cited inclement weather and poor road conditions.

The National Weather Service forecast for the Northern Arctic Coast, which includes Utqiaġvik, called for southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph through Thursday afternoon, with gusts up to 50 mph in the morning. A weather service observation at Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport in Utqiaġvik listed southwest winds of 28 mph with gusts to 40 mph and visibility of 10 miles.

The agency's forecast discussion said a mix of rain and snow was expected across the Chukchi Sea and northern Arctic coasts, including Utqiaġvik, through Thursday. Farther south, the weather service had a winter storm warning in effect until 4 pm Thursday for the south slopes of the Western Brooks Range and the Noatak Valley. It forecast 6 to 12 inches of snow near Red Dog Mine and 12 to 18 inches in the Western Brooks Range, with gusts as high as 35 mph. The weather service advised anyone who must travel to keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicle.

The borough's notice covered only Thursday and said nothing about Friday.