Wet and windy weather for Southern Alaska as fall storms arrive

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Hopefully you got outside the last two days, as rain and snow are replacing the sunny weather we’ve seen across Southcentral Alaska.

A warm front lifting north through the Gulf of Alaska is the focus point for rain and snow that is lifting through the region. In addition to the wet weather, winds have been increasing across Southcentral, with some locations seeing winds as high as 40 mph. While rain is in the forecast for today, much of the day will feature some drier time.

Areas in the Mat-Su and into the Copper River Basin are seeing some snow showers as warmer air builds into the region with a changeover occurring. This could make traveling difficult for some of the roads through the Copper River Basin, but recent warm temperatures should only allow for any accumulation this morning in the Valley to remain confined to grassy surfaces. Dry time looks to stay with us into the afternoon before another band of rain builds into the region towards the evening hours. The heaviest rain today will remain from Kodiak through Prince William Sound, where 0.75 to 1.50 inches of rain looks possible.

Southeast Alaska is also seeing heavy rain from this event, with the main focal point being the Northern Inner Channels. It’s here where upwards of two-plus inches of rain looks likely through Friday, with some locations across the Panhandle seeing winds as high as 40 mph. While the heaviest rain today remains through the Northern Inner Channels, we’ll see it shift south into Friday before more widespread rain arrives into the weekend.

A winter weather advisory is in effect for the Eastern Alaska Range where blowing snow could limit visibility. This comes as moisture lifts north out of Southcentral bringing areas of snowfall to the Interior through the evening hours.

As the week draws to a close, we’ll hold onto scattered showers across Southcentral. Highs will warm near 50 degrees Friday, with a slow cooling trend into next week. It’s highly possible that much of next week could see highs in the upper 30s and lower 40s.

Have a safe Thursday!

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