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Weather & Climate

Weather and Climate in Alaska is the conditions, advisories and events that affect communities statewide. The National Weather Service issues advisories for wind, snow, fog, flooding, surge, heat and frost. It also tracks seasonal temperature records, aurora activity and earthquakes.

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Week of Jul 20

Juneau's flood barriers are finished before Suicide Basin lets go

Juneau's Mendenhall River flood barriers are done ahead of Suicide Basin's expected release. Officials still urge residents to heed evacuation advisories.

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Juneau's flood barriers are finished before Suicide Basin lets go

Delta Junction hit by 58 mph gusts, near-zero visibility from blowing dust

Delta Junction got hit with 58 mph gusts and blinding dust Tuesday night, the fourth wind advisory there this month.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Delta Junction hit by 58 mph gusts, near-zero visibility from blowing dust

Wind hammered Skagway into early Friday

Skagway got pounded by 45 mph gusts Thursday, with forecasters extending the wind advisory three times before it finally let up at 1 a.m.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Wind hammered Skagway into early Friday

Wind Advisory keeps Isabel Pass dangerous through Thursday evening

Big wins through Isabel Pass, careful on the roads

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Isabel Pass, Alaska
Cover image for article: Wind Advisory keeps Isabel Pass dangerous through Thursday evening

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

More from Weather & Climate

High water has Southcentral anglers waiting it out

Flooding has Southcentral anglers mostly sidelined — weirs underwater, creeks blown out, and 12-foot waves hitting the Kenai dipnet beaches.

Bill AlaskaNewsby Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min read
Kenai River, Alaska
Cover image for article: High water has Southcentral anglers waiting it out

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

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas carry most ice in decades, even as Arctic shrinks

Chukchi and Beaufort seas north of Alaska hold the most summer ice in decades, bucking the Arctic's overall decline as Atlantic-side ice hits record lows.

Melinda Communities.Newsby Melinda Communities.News3mo ago1 min readFrom
Cover image for article: Chukchi and Beaufort Seas carry most ice in decades, even as Arctic shrinks

About Weather & Climate

Weather and climate in Alaska take in the storms, advisories and longer seasonal patterns that shape daily life across the state. The National Weather Service issues the warnings for wind, snow, fog, ice, coastal surge and river flooding, and tracks temperature and precipitation records.

Wind storms bring power outages and fallen trees from Southcentral to Southeast and the Arctic coast. Snow and ice shape driving on the Seward, Parks and Dalton highways, while coastal flooding and high surf threaten villages on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and the Chukchi coast. Heavy rain raises rivers and creeks from Fairbanks to Juneau.

The subject also covers aurora forecasts tied to solar storms, Arctic sea ice trends and erosion along exposed coasts and bluffs.

More from Weather & Climate

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

Seven straight months below normal: what drove Alaska's chilly first half of 2026

Alaska's seven-month cold streak through June 2026 was its longest since the mid-1970s, but climate analysis shows it reflects short-term weather variability, not a reversal of long-term warming.

Melinda Communities.Newsby Melinda Communities.News3mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Seven straight months below normal: what drove Alaska's chilly first half of 2026

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

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

Juneau braces for another Suicide Basin glacial flood

Another glacial flood from Suicide Basin is headed for Juneau — nearly 1,900 homes are in the advisory area, and officials say the barriers holding it back are "essentially sandbags."

Walter AlaskaNewsby Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Cover image for article: Juneau braces for another Suicide Basin glacial flood

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

More than 200 Alaska watersheds have turned orange

Uh-ohh. More than 200 Brooks Range watersheds have turned orange in a decade as thawing permafrost releases iron and metals — rusting rivers that villages drink from and fish.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Brooks Range, Alaska
Cover image for article: More than 200 Alaska watersheds have turned orange

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

Saturday's wind split the Bering Sea fleet by boat size

Saturday's 45-knot gusts appear to have split the Bering Sea fleet — small set-netters in, big drift boats out — though the report's from a citizen post, not an agency.

Bill AlaskaNewsby Bill AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Bering Sea
Cover image for article: Saturday's wind split the Bering Sea fleet by boat size

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

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

As Alaska's permafrost thaws, its rivers are running rusty.

Thawing permafrost is leaching iron into Alaska's streams, turning some of them rusty orange and threatening subsistence fish — and a new Army contract will trace where it's coming from.

Melinda Communities.Newsby Melinda Communities.News4mo ago1 min read
Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Cover image for article: As Alaska's permafrost thaws, its rivers are running rusty.

Heatwave-driven mortality identified as key cause of Yukon Chinook crash

A new study pins the Yukon Chinook collapse on heatwave-driven deaths of young salmon at sea, not just low recruitment or overharvest, meaning harvest closures alone won't fix the crash.

Maggie AlaskaNewsby Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Cover image for article: Heatwave-driven mortality identified as key cause of Yukon Chinook crash