Weather & Climate
RSSWeather 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 6
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.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
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.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Beaufort Sea nearly ice-locked in early July, a level unseen since before 2001
The southern Beaufort Sea is nearly ice-locked in early July with less than 0.3 percent open water, the highest ice extent since 2000.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Anchorage Assembly asked to add $75K to Rabbit Creek road contract after heavy breakup damage
Anchorage Assembly will vote July 7 on adding $75,000 to a Rabbit Creek road maintenance contract after this winter's heavy breakup damaged roads faster than expected.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Week of Jun 29
Barents Sea hits record low ice while Beaufort stays locked, splitting Arctic in two
Barents Sea hit record low ice in June while Alaska's Beaufort Sea stayed locked, shifting when North Slope communities can hunt and travel.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago3 min read
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.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Chukchi Sea ice runs above median for third straight late June
Sea ice off Wainwright sits thick and late for the third straight June, delaying walrus and whale hunts in an Iñupiat community where ice sets the hunt's terms.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readFrom 
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.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
More from Weather & Climate
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.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
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.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
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.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Week of Jun 22
Weekend rain could push Interior Alaska rivers to a rare high
Rain starting Saturday evening could push Interior Alaska rivers to levels seen only once every 5 to 10 years — a warning to anyone recreating near the water.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
NWS warns Susitna Valley gravel bars may flood by Wednesday
National Weather Service warns gravel bars and campsites across the Susitna Valley will flood by Wednesday as 1 to 2 inches of rain falls and rivers crest.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Klehini River flows elevated near Klukwan as snowmelt continues in Chilkat Valley
Elevated snowmelt is pushing the Klehini River near Klukwan above normal through Monday evening, with flows exceeding 6,000 cubic feet per second.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Week of Jun 15
If you're camped on a Susitna gravel bar this week, watch the river
Up to 3 inches of rain is about to hit the Susitna Valley, and the gravel bars everyone camps on are exactly what floods first. Maybe move the tent.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Heat and fire risk converge across Interior Alaska for solstice weekend
Interior Alaska's longest weekend brings heat its houses can't handle and lightning that could light the woods. Hydrate, and go check on grandma.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
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
Alyeska Seeks Land to Armor the Pipeline Against Floods
Alyeska wants more North Slope land to wall the pipeline off from flooding — the same week the rivers are rising, and a year after the Sag took out the Dalton Highway for real.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
High Water Threatens Alaska's Only Road North
A rain-fed surge down the Koyukuk could wash out the Dalton Highway — the lone road feeding the North Slope oil fields — the same way 2015's flooding shut it for 28 days.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Nuiqsut's Lifeline River Is Rising Again
The Colville is flooding again from Umiat toward Nuiqsut — a year after hitting its highest level on record — and it's the only road the village's fuel and fish travel on.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Sag River nears bankfull, threatening Dalton Highway washout
Sagavanirktok River near bankfull on North Slope threatens Dalton Highway washouts between mileposts 310 and 340 through Thursday afternoon, with ice-blocked culverts posing particular risk to the primary road serving oil fields and communities.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Flood Watch: Koyukuk rises threaten Coldfoot, Wiseman, Bettles
National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch through Tuesday evening for the Upper Koyukuk Valley after heavy rain and snowmelt pushed steep water rises toward Wiseman, Coldfoot, and Bettles along the Dalton Highway.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Week of Jun 8
Palmer faces blowing dust, 45-mph gusts as Gulf storm hits Sunday
Palmer and the Lower Matanuska Valley will face 45-mph wind gusts and blowing dust Sunday, creating hazardous driving conditions on the Glenn Highway.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Red Flag Warnings span Interior Alaska as fire season intensifies
Delta didn't start a fire. But it could be burning, cause the wind is churning.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
60 mph gusts forecast for Portage, Anchorage Hillside Sunday
Strong winds with gusts to 60 mph will hit Portage and Anchorage Hillside on Sunday, with potential for downed trees and power outages.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
North Slope rivers expected to rise as snowmelt, rain combine
It's finally spring in the arctic
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Delta Junction faces back-to-back Red Flag days with 55 mph gusts
Delta Junction faces Red Flag Warnings Saturday and Sunday with 55 mph gusts, 20 percent humidity, and dry grass ready to burn. Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection urges residents to skip burning this weekend.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Gale-force winds, 15-foot seas forecast for Yakutat waters this weekend
Gale-force winds and 15-foot seas will hit Yakutat waters Friday night through Sunday, with heavy rain expected to bring 2 to 4 inches to the area.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min read
Dense fog blankets Kenai Peninsula for third straight day
Dense fog cut visibility to a quarter mile on the Sterling Highway between Soldotna and Homer for three straight mornings, prompting the National Weather Service to issue repeated advisories through Friday morning.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Utqiaġvik records second-coldest May high in 105 years
Utqiaġvik recorded its second-coldest May high in 105 years at 29°F while most of the Arctic ran warm, triggering river ice jams that flooded Holy Cross and its airstrip in late May.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readFrom 
Yakutat braces for gale-force winds, 10-15 ft seas this weekend
Gale-force winds and 10 to 15 foot seas will hit Yakutat's coastal waters starting Friday night through the weekend, with 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Frost advisories hit Fairbanks gardens during planting season
Frost advisories across Fairbanks and Interior valleys this week threaten early-season gardens, with temperatures expected to drop into the low 30s overnight through Wednesday.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min read
Mid-June snowstorm closes Atigun Pass, Arctic gateway for North Slope projects
The Arctic doesn’t respect summer.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min read
Week of Jun 1
Red Flag Warnings hit Southwest Alaska three days running
Red Flag Warnings covered Southwest Alaska on June 3 and 4 as hot, dry conditions and 20 mph winds created rapid fire spread risk in remote communities from the Kuskokwim Valley to Bristol Bay.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Central Brooks Range through Monday
Surprise Surprise, more snow in the Arctic
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Fairbanks spruce pollen hits season high in UAF count
Fairbanks spruce pollen hit a season record of 346 grains per cubic meter on June 5, according to University of Alaska Fairbanks counts that track allergy triggers and climate patterns.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Yukon River sport fishing closed for kings and chums through 2026 as seven-year rebuilding effort continues
Alaska closed all sport fishing for king and chum salmon in the Yukon River drainage through 2026 under emergency orders due to weak run forecasts and a U.S.-Canada treaty requiring seven years of rebuilding closures.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Bristol Bay's ice is starting to break — and it's about to set off a cascade of fish and fishermen
Lake Aleknagik's ice is breaking in southwest Alaska, triggering young salmon migration and opening the first fishing window of the season at stream outlets where trout and char gather to feed.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Week of May 25
Alyeschem breaks ground on North Slope methanol plant
Alyeschem broke ground May 15 on Alaska's first Arctic petrochemical plant at Prudhoe Bay, converting natural gas into methanol with AIDEA's $70 million financing and operations expected by late 2027.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readFrom 
Bristol Bay lakes still ice-covered as May ends, compressing early-season fishing window
Bristol Bay lakes remain ice-covered as of late May, delaying salmon fishing until mid-June on the Naknek and late June on the Alagnak, though resident fish like rainbow trout are biting well where access exists.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska summer outlook leans warmer, but not as a simple El Niño story
El Niño is likely to emerge soon, but that does not guarantee stronger impacts in Alaska.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readFrom 
