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National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) is the federal agency that forecasts weather and issues warnings across Alaska. It covers marine conditions, river flooding, avalanches, fire weather and aviation hazards, with offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.

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Week of Jul 20

Four wind advisories cover Alaska through Thursday with gusts to 60 mph

Four wind advisories are up across Alaska — and in Anchorage, weeks of rain have left the ground soft enough that 50 mph gusts could bring trees down.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Alaska
Cover image for article: Four wind advisories cover Alaska through Thursday with gusts to 60 mph

High surf and minor flooding for Alaska's west coast through Thursday

A Bering Sea low is pushing high surf and minor flooding into Alaska's west coast through Thursday night, with water 1 to 3 feet above the normal high tide line.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Norton Sound and Yukon Delta, Alaska
Cover image for article: High surf and minor flooding for Alaska's west coast through Thursday

Water is over roads in the Lower Matanuska Valley

Heavy rain has the Little Susitna up and water over roads near North Sushana Drive, with a flood advisory for the Lower Matanuska Valley until Friday morning.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Water is over roads in the Lower Matanuska Valley

Wind advisory: 50 mph gusts and 12-foot Cook Inlet waves threaten Kenai dipnetters Thursday

Yeah, maybe think about your choices before you just haphazardly go out - I don't know. I guess that's on you. Best of luck.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Wind advisory: 50 mph gusts and 12-foot Cook Inlet waves threaten Kenai dipnetters Thursday

Gale winds, 8-foot seas off Utqiagvik through Thursday

Gale winds and 8-foot seas off Utqiagvik make Chukchi waters dangerous for small boats through Thursday evening, with rough water returning Sunday.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Gale winds, 8-foot seas off Utqiagvik through Thursday

The Yentna is a foot over flood stage, and cabins are taking water

The Yentna is running a foot over flood stage, with water already in cabins at two Susitna Valley lodges and more rain coming through Thursday.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Susitna Valley, Alaska
Cover image for article: The Yentna is a foot over flood stage, and cabins are taking water

A storm hits Norton Sound just before Friday's gillnet opening

A Bering Sea storm hits Norton Sound Thursday with 45 mph gusts and 9-foot seas, a day before a 24-hour commercial gillnet opening.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Norton Sound, Alaska
Cover image for article: A storm hits Norton Sound just before Friday's gillnet opening

Bering Sea low to push 13-foot seas into Bristol Bay, Kuskokwim Delta Wednesday

Big seas, big problems

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Bristol Bay and Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Cover image for article: Bering Sea low to push 13-foot seas into Bristol Bay, Kuskokwim Delta Wednesday

Heat advisory in effect for Ketchikan, Hyder, and Annette Island until 7 PM

Heat advisory in effect for Ketchikan, Hyder, and Annette Island until 7 PM tonight as temperatures approach 80 degrees, unusual for Southeast Alaska.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Heat advisory in effect for Ketchikan, Hyder, and Annette Island until 7 PM

Rockfall risk added to Anchorage flood watch as second rain round targets Monday commute

Heavy rain expected Monday morning in Anchorage may trigger rockfalls on the Seward Highway and flood Chester and Campbell creeks through Tuesday.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Rockfall risk added to Anchorage flood watch as second rain round targets Monday commute

Flood Watch expands to Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula as atmospheric river intensifies

Flood watch expanded Sunday to Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula as atmospheric river brings 2 to 4 inches of rain and 55 mph winds through Monday. • Yentna River in Susitna Valley forecast to crest above flood stage by Tuesday, threatening cabins at two lodges. • River users warned to expect higher water levels and monitor forecasts closely through midweek.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Southcentral Alaska
Cover image for article: Flood Watch expands to Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula as atmospheric river intensifies

Week of Jul 13

Kennicott River rising after Hidden Creek Lake drains; crest expected Monday

Hidden Creek Lake is draining into the Kennicott River near McCarthy, expected to crest Monday with fast-moving water and debris. • Dangerous conditions extend downstream to the Chitina and Copper Rivers, putting boaters and subsistence fishermen at risk. • This annual glacial flood is called a jökulhlaup; NWS warns against parking, camping, or crossing near riverbanks.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News3mo ago2 min read
McCarthy, Alaska
Cover image for article: Kennicott River rising after Hidden Creek Lake drains; crest expected Monday

Flood Watch issued for Seward as atmospheric river targets Kenai Peninsula through Tuesday

National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch for Seward from early Sunday through Tuesday morning as an atmospheric river brings 3 to 5 inches of rain to the Kenai Peninsula.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Flood Watch issued for Seward as atmospheric river targets Kenai Peninsula through Tuesday

Rain forecast for Yentna and Skwentna gravel bars through Monday night

Rain forecast for the Yentna and Skwentna River basins Saturday night through Monday night may push rivers to bankfull, threatening gravel bars and low-lying camping areas.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Western Susitna Valley, Alaska
Cover image for article: Rain forecast for Yentna and Skwentna gravel bars through Monday night

Wind advisories warn of 65 mph gusts across Interior Alaska this weekend

Wind advisories for Interior Alaska through noon Monday warn of gusts up to 65 mph, downed trees, power outages, and hazardous driving conditions for high-profile vehicles.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Interior Alaska
Cover image for article: Wind advisories warn of 65 mph gusts across Interior Alaska this weekend

Salmon River near Hyder still rising; road to Canada at risk

A glacial outburst flood is pushing the Salmon River higher near Hyder, threatening the community's only overland road out. Crest timing remains uncertain.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Salmon River near Hyder still rising; road to Canada at risk

About National Weather Service

National Weather Service

weather.gov ↗222 W 7th Ave #23, Anchorage, AK 99513, USA

The National Weather Service (NWS) is the federal agency that forecasts weather and issues advisories, watches and warnings across Alaska. Part of NOAA, it has offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau and runs the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center.

Its products include winter storm warnings, high wind warnings, wind advisories, flood watches, high surf advisories and dense fog advisories, along with marine, river, aviation and fire weather forecasts. It also keeps the climate records that place rainfall and river levels in context.

Its warnings guide travel decisions on highways such as the Parks and the Klondike and help coastal communities from the Yukon Delta to the Arctic coast prepare for storms off the Bering Sea. It works alongside other federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.

More from National Weather Service

Anchorage trades summer warmth for a cool, wet stretch

Anchorage is trading peak-summer warmth for a cool, wet stretch — near-60 highs, repeated rain into next week, and jacket weather at the low end of July's normal range.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Anchorage trades summer warmth for a cool, wet stretch

Yentna River forecast to crest above flood stage tonight

The Yentna River near Lake Creek is set to crest above flood stage Wednesday night, sending water into several cabins — in a roadless area reachable only by bush plane and boat.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Yentna River near Lake Creek, Alaska
Cover image for article: Yentna River forecast to crest above flood stage tonight

Freezing rain possible at Kaktovik and Point Thomson through Wednesday night

Freezing rain and lower-30s temperatures threaten Kaktovik and Point Thomson through Wednesday night, a mid-July hazard the National Weather Service warned Tuesday.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Beaufort Sea Coast, Alaska
Cover image for article: Freezing rain possible at Kaktovik and Point Thomson through Wednesday night

Yentna and Skwentna rivers headed for high water

Rain's about to shove the Yentna and Skwentna to bankfull — so if your camp is on a gravel bar this week, it's about to become a sandbar with a view of the bottom.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Yentna and Skwentna rivers, Alaska
Cover image for article: Yentna and Skwentna rivers headed for high water

A glacier-dammed lake is emptying into the Salmon River near Hyder

A glacier-dammed lake above Hyder is draining out the bottom of the Salmon Glacier, swelling the Salmon River and threatening the Premier road — like it has almost every summer since 1961.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: A glacier-dammed lake is emptying into the Salmon River near Hyder

Wind Advisory: gusts to 65 mph forecast for Anchorage Tuesday

Wind Advisory in effect for Anchorage Tuesday, July 14, 4 AM to 10 PM, with gusts to 65 mph. Secure outdoor objects and expect difficult driving and possible power outages.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Wind Advisory: gusts to 65 mph forecast for Anchorage Tuesday

Higher-than-normal tides along western Alaska's coast through Tuesday

Higher-than-normal tides hit western Alaska's coast through Tuesday, up to 3 feet over the high tide line in Eastern Norton Sound. Move gear off the beach.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Eastern Norton Sound, Alaska
Cover image for article: Higher-than-normal tides along western Alaska's coast through Tuesday

Week of Jul 6

Heat advisory warns Arctic Plains villages of 80-degree Monday

National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for Arctic Plains villages warning of 80-degree temperatures Monday, when most homes lack air conditioning.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readFrom
Arctic Plains, Alaska
Cover image for article: Heat advisory warns Arctic Plains villages of 80-degree Monday

NWS Juneau narrows wind advisory to Ketchikan, Annette Island, Prince of Wales

NWS Juneau narrowed a wind advisory Monday afternoon to Ketchikan, Annette Island, and Prince of Wales Island through 7 p.m., with southeast winds gusting to 45 mph and heavy rain expected.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readFrom
Southeast Alaska
Cover image for article: NWS Juneau narrows wind advisory to Ketchikan, Annette Island, Prince of Wales

NWS issues overlapping fire-weather alerts across northern Alaska through July 9

Fire-weather alerts cover northern Alaska through July 9 with dry fuels, lightning risk, and winds up to 35 mph across the Seward Peninsula, Kobuk, and Koyukuk valleys.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readFrom
Northern Seward Peninsula and Upper Kobuk Valleys, Alaska
Cover image for article: NWS issues overlapping fire-weather alerts across northern Alaska through July 9

A wildfire is burning in protected caribou habitat in the Kanuti refuge

A lightning fire is burning in protected caribou habitat inside the Kanuti refuge near Allakaket. Crews are holding it in place; no communities are threatened.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Cover image for article: A wildfire is burning in protected caribou habitat in the Kanuti refuge

Nearly 1,900 Juneau homes are under an evacuation advisory as a glacial flood nears

Nearly 1,900 Mendenhall Valley homes, almost double last year, are under an evacuation advisory as Suicide Basin fills toward a major glacial flood expected in early August.

Alaska Newsby Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Nearly 1,900 Juneau homes are under an evacuation advisory as a glacial flood nears

Selawik landfill fire smoke poses distinct health risk beyond wildfire haze

A landfill fire near Selawik is sending toxic smoke into the air, posing greater health risks than typical wildfire smoke for elders and children.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Selawik landfill fire smoke poses distinct health risk beyond wildfire haze

A tale of two Junes at the top of the world

Alaska's North Slope just had its coolest June since 2018 — even as the wider Arctic logged its warmest since 1950. Same month, opposite stories.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: A tale of two Junes at the top of the world

A strong El Niño is likely this winter, warm and wet for Southern Alaska

A strong El Niño is 90% likely this winter, tilting Southern Alaska warmer and wetter — but on the coast that often means rain over snow, and the Interior may stay dry.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago1 min read
Southern Alaska
Cover image for article: A strong El Niño is likely this winter, warm and wet for Southern Alaska

Fire Weather Watch issued for Lower Kobuk Valley through Wednesday

Fire Weather Watch in effect for Lower Kobuk Valley through Wednesday evening as temperatures near 80 degrees and humidity drops to 35 percent, raising lightning ignition risk across dry fuels.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Lower Kobuk Valley, Alaska
Cover image for article: Fire Weather Watch issued for Lower Kobuk Valley through Wednesday

Red Flag Warnings cover five western Alaska regions Tuesday as lightning threat may push to North Slope

Red Flag Warnings cover five western Alaska regions Tuesday as dry conditions and lightning threaten new wildfires, with storms possibly reaching the North Slope Wednesday.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Western Alaska and Interior Alaska
Cover image for article: Red Flag Warnings cover five western Alaska regions Tuesday as lightning threat may push to North Slope

Alaska's quiet June fire season faces July's heat and lightning

Interior Alaska faces rising wildfire risk this weekend as July thunderstorms arrive over fuels that stayed wet through June's quiet fire season.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Interior Alaska
Cover image for article: Alaska's quiet June fire season faces July's heat and lightning

Week of Jun 29

Wind advisory, heavy rain target southern Southeast Alaska through Monday evening

Wind Advisory and heavy rain hit southern Southeast Alaska through Monday evening, with gusts to 45 mph and 1 to 3 inches of rain expected across Prince of Wales Island, Ketchikan, and Sitka.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Wind advisory, heavy rain target southern Southeast Alaska through Monday evening

Ketchikan is about to get drenched

Ketchikan and Annette Island could get up to 2.75 inches of rain Monday — a real soaking, even for one of the rainiest corners of the country.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Ketchikan is about to get drenched

Rough water off Alaska's Arctic and Northwest coasts, easing by Sunday

Small craft advisories are up for Alaska's Arctic and Northwest coasts through Friday — winds near 25 knots, seas to 7 feet — before things calm down by Sunday.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Arctic and Northwestern Alaska coastal waters
Cover image for article: Rough water off Alaska's Arctic and Northwest coasts, easing by Sunday

What "Lake No Lake" is, and why the Taku is running cold and full of debris

Lake No Lake is exactly that — a basin behind a glacier that fills, then drains all at once. It just did, sending cold water and debris down the Taku. No flooding expected.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: What "Lake No Lake" is, and why the Taku is running cold and full of debris

A landslide has closed the Dalton Highway, the main road to the North Slope

A rain-triggered landslide closed the Dalton Highway north of Coldfoot on Monday — blocking the main road to the North Slope and the freight bound for the oil fields.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Dalton Highway, Central Brooks Range, Alaska
Cover image for article: A landslide has closed the Dalton Highway, the main road to the North Slope

Taku River glacial outburst flood warning in effect until 11 p.m. tonight

A glacial outburst flood warning is in effect on the Taku River until 11 p.m. tonight, with fast water and debris hazardous to boaters.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Taku River glacial outburst flood warning in effect until 11 p.m. tonight