Southcentral sees a sunny stretch; western Alaska braces for more snow and wind

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – As quickly because the calendar flipped from February to March, Mom Nature adopted swimsuit with a welcome change for Southcentral and Southeast with sunny and quiet climate, albeit chilly. A lot of layers might be seen on racers and spectators alike through the ceremonial begin of the 2023 Iditarod in downtown Anchorage Saturday morning. Formally at Ted Stevens Anchorage Worldwide, the thermometer dipped to 4 levels above zero simply earlier than 8:30. A brisk north-northwest wind of 10 to fifteen m.p.h. made it really feel prefer it was 5 to 10 under zero through the morning festivities. The saving grace was ample sunshine inflicting a gradual, however sluggish, climb to 19 levels for the afternoon excessive, which was nonetheless 11 levels under the 30 12 months climatological regular for March 4.

The sensible, however chilly, day was courtesy of a giant space of excessive stress masking the jap two-thirds of the state. Southeast Alaska additionally loved sunshine on Saturday with temperatures starting from 25 in Skagway to 41 in Ketchikan. Because the excessive strikes nearer, sunshine will prevail, however chilly northerly winds will even be on the rise for Sunday inflicting a a lot colder finish to the weekend with afternoon excessive temperatures starting from 19 in Skagway to 33 in Ketchikan. Bundle up for certain!

Talking of bundling up, bitter chilly temperatures, and dangerously low wind chill values (appears like) within the 50 to 60 diploma under zero vary had been discovered from the Brooks Vary northward to the arctic coast. Such circumstances will proceed for Sunday, which will even embrace areas of blowing and drifting snow and tremendously lowered visibilities.

Alaska’s west coast will once more bear the brunt of a giant low stress system transferring northeastward throughout the Bering. The storm will deliver a big swath of snow and gusty winds from the Yukon Delta northward throughout the Seward Peninsula on as much as the Lisburne Peninsula the place a number of winter climate alerts have been issued into Monday morning.

Oh, in case you missed it, meteorological spring began March 1, and one thing else to sit up for… we “spring ahead” subsequent Saturday evening.

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