ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Colder, calmer, and sunnier weather continues across mainland Alaska. Although clouds are expected in some areas, skies generally tend to clear and the morning will be cold. Some of the coldest conditions will remain inland, with maximum temperatures expected to drop an additional 5 to 10 degrees in the south-central region. The coldest weather in the state is expected through the middle of the week.
South Central:
Many areas in the Mid-South woke up this morning to temperatures 5 to 25 degrees cooler than they were at this time yesterday morning. This colder trend is expected to continue into the middle of the week, with daily maximum temperatures expected to continue to decline. By Wednesday, most of the region could see highs hovering in the low to mid 20s.
The weather will remain mostly mild this week, with a chance of snow showers towards the end of the week. Only a light amount of snow is expected at this time, with a few inches possible in Anchorage.
The return of snow means a brief warming trend will continue into the weekend, but the colder trend will continue for much of this month.
Southeast:
Patchy activity is occurring this morning as the low pressure system in the eastern Gulf of Alaska continues to weaken. Most of the showers will remain on the outer coast, but some inland locations may see showers that come and go through the morning. Much of the Panhandle is trending towards sunny skies this week, with colder temperatures likely to slowly make their way south.
The first half of the week will be mostly dry, but the second half of the week is expected to see some areas of rain or snow. All high-altitude locations will experience snowfall, and areas below sea level may experience areas of winter mix. This comes as temperatures are expected to drop into the mid-30s later this week, with nighttime lows in the 20s.
interior:
A generally quieter, colder weather pattern is taking hold in the interior, while light snow has fallen in the southeastern part of the region. The effects will slowly spread northward throughout the day, with 1 to 2 inches of snow expected. The big headline inland is that bitter cold is taking hold in the region. Most of this week will lead to single-digit highs, while overnight lows will be well below zero. Temperatures could drop as low as -20C in some inland areas into the morning.
Slope/Western Alaska:
Like the rest of the state, cold air is settling in on the slopes. It won’t be a severe cold, but daytime highs will remain in the 10% range, and nighttime lows will fall into the single digits. Scattered light snow is possible, but winds are possible throughout the week. Less than an inch of snow is expected to accumulate, with the possibility of localized blowing snow.
Light snow is possible in the west. These are expected to move toward Japan and the Middle East, but a general weakening trend is expected in inland areas. Areas of blizzard and light snow are expected to continue until the middle of the week, and daily maximum temperatures will remain in the 20s. Overnight lows are expected to drop into the single digits to 10s, with wind chills expected to get even colder at times.
Aleutian Islands:
Areas of rain, snow and wind will affect the Aleutian Islands this week, but there will be plenty of time to dry out. In most places, the rain isn’t all that impressive as there are only scattered regular activities throughout the week. The chance of a wintry combination increases during the night and early morning hours, when nighttime lows manage to fall into the low to mid 30s. High temperatures will reach the 40s this week, making the Aleutian Islands one of the few areas in the state not expected to experience significant cooling.
Future prospects:
After spending the first third of the month with temperatures well above average, the state is starting to cool down. The severe cold does not appear to affect the entire state, but the overall trend is expected to be cooler. This means there will be an increased chance of high temperatures in the 20s across the Mid-South, and it will be even colder in the north. There are signs that snow will accumulate in the southern part of the state later this week, but there are also signs that much of mainland Alaska will remain drier in the coming weeks.
Have a safe and wonderful Veterans Day.
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