First true taste of summer just around the corner

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Things are much drier across Southcentral Alaska this morning, but additional rain will build into the region as we head throughout the day.

Unlike previous rain chances, Wednesday’s rain will largely impact the Mat-Su and the Copper River Basin. Rain will return to these regions through the mid-morning and early afternoon timeframe. While the rain won’t be as widespread as yesterday, be prepared for the likelihood that up to a tenth of an inch will fall for those locations.

Further south across the Anchorage Bowl and into the Kenai Peninsula, things will trend on the drier side. There is an outside chance Anchorage could see some rain into the evening, but that will largely hinge on how far showers dive south through the Valley. Any rain across Southcentral will taper off overnight into Thursday morning, with drier weather making a return to the region.

Southeast Alaska is already seeing the trend towards drier weather, although some isolated showers are possible through the Southern Inner Channels. We’ll see temperatures today topping out near 60 degrees for Southeast, with a gradual return to sunshine and warmth through the rest of this week. It’s looking likely that much of the Panhandle will see a stretch of drier weather, with the potential for highs to warm into the 70s over the next week.

Wildfire activity across the state has been helped by recent weather, although the McDonald wildfire continues to spread. With temperatures warming into the 60s and 70s through Interior Alaska today, another round of thunderstorms looks likely into the evening. Any storms could be severe with the potential for gusty winds and large hail. Remember that any thunderstorm development means lightning strikes, which brings with it the potential for new wildfires.

The North Slope is still dealing with snow melt leading to rising waters. While some minor flooding is possible, many area waterways/rivers have either crested or are nearing their crest, with waters set to recede by the weekend. Additional snowmelt will still occur, as daily highs will warm into the upper 30s and lower 40s through the weekend.

Looking ahead to the close of this week, there are sure signs that warmer weather will head our direction. It’s looking very likely that daily highs will top out in the 60s and 70s, with a chance for thunderstorm development near the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains. Most locations should stay on the drier side, except for areas that do manage to see any storms.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and enjoy summer finally building into Southcentral.

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