Brisk Wind Advisory 49, NWS Fairbanks, AK

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
211 PM AKST Thu Jan 22 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
A high pressure system over the Interior has compressed low level
atmospheric moisture into widespread low lying clouds across the
Western and Central Interior. A weak low pressure system moves
around this high pressure now through Saturday pulling warm, moist
air across St. Lawrence Island, through the Bering Strait and
Chukchi Sea Coast, and then across the North Slope. Snow, periods
of blowing snow, and periods of wintry mix/freezing rain are
expected with this system. Colder temperatures are expected to
return to the entire region early next week as a cold, dense
airmass moves from the high Arctic towards the Bering Sea Sunday
through Wednesday.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...
Central and Eastern Interior...

- Quiet and dry conditions with strong inversions will continue
  across the Interior to finish out the week, with areas of low
  stratus and fog. Coldest valley locations will drop down to
  around -15F to -25F.

- An even colder airmass will build in out of the northeast early
  next week, supporting coldest valley locations dropping to
  around -20F to -35F Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures rise
  Wednesday through the end of next week.

- Light snow chances increase early next week across the Interior
  as moisture and gradually warming temperatures lift north from
  the Gulf of Alaska through midweek.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- Widespread precipitation will continue to lift northeast from
  St. Lawrence Island to the NW Arctic Coast Thursday into Friday.
  Snow, warming temperatures, periods of wintry mix, and
  southerly winds gusting 30 to 40 mph expected.

 A. For St. Lawrence Island and the Bering Strait Coast: Mostly
snow expected through Thursday evening with wintry mix and periods
of freezing rain becoming more likely Thursday night into Friday
morning. A winter weather advisory has been issued.

 B. For the Chukchi Sea Coast including Kivalina: Snow and periods
of blowing snow expected. Snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches,
highest near Kivalina. There is a slight chance for some very
light ice accumulations embedded amongst the snow as temperatures
warm Friday. A winter weather advisory has been issued.

- Areas of low stratus and fog across the West Coast and Western
  Interior continue to keep temperatures well above normal, with
  colder and clearer conditions favored to build back in late Friday
  into the weekend.

- A colder and drier airmass will build in out of the northeast
  early next week, supporting the return of widespread subzero
  temperatures and dry conditions. Light snow chances look to
  return by midweek next week. Temperatures warm once more in the
  latter half of the week.

North Slope and Brooks Range...

- Widespread snow chances and breezy winds will continue to lift
  northeast from the Bering and Chukchi Seas today into Friday,
  shifting east Friday into Saturday.

- Total snow accumulations through Saturday around 1-3", locally
  higher around 3-6" for Point Hope, Eastern Arctic Coast, and
  Central/Eastern Brooks Range including Atigun Pass around 3-6".
  Wind gusts of 25-40 mph will lead to areas of blowing snow at
  times. Winter weather advisories have been issued for Point Hope
  and the Eastern Arctic Coast.

- Well above normal temperatures will continue through Friday,
  with highs reaching the 20s to low 30s. A much colder and drier
  airmass will build in out of the northeast early next week,
  supporting the return of widespread double digit below zero
  temperatures and dry conditions.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...
For Thursday through Sunday.
At the start of the forecast period Thursday, a broad ridging
pattern remains established across most of Northern Alaska. A weak
surface low moving from Siberia north and east across the Chukchi
Sea and towards the Beaufort Sea Thursday through Saturday pulls
large amounts of moist, warm air north from the North Pacific
through the Bering Strait and into the far western Brooks Range
Thursday and Friday. As the low moves east the warm, moist air
following it covers the North Slope bringing snow across the
region. Warmer than normal temperatures are expected through
Friday for the West Coast and North Slope due to the influence of
this system.

In the Interior large areas of low stratus and patches of fog lay
underneath the ridge. Moist air in the bottom few thousand feet of
the atmosphere is compressed under the ridge creating very
widespread low clouds across Interior Valleys. Clouds diminish
further east, especially southeast where drier low level air
significantly limited cloud development. These cloudy conditions
will continue in the Western and Central Interior so long as the
ridge holds.

The ridge pattern is expected to hold through at least Saturday
morning before a cold, dense airmass moves southwest from the high
Arctic over Northern Alaska Sunday through Tuesday. Temperatures
are expected to cool rapidly bringing most of the region well
below 0 as the ridge breaks down early next week.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...
For Sunday night through next Thursday.
At the start of the extended forecast period late Sunday, a cold,
dense airmass moves towards Northern Alaska from the high Arctic.
This feature will be strong enough to begin ridge breakdown and
allows significantly colder air to move into the region early next
week. As the ridge breaks down low pressure systems moving through
the North Pacific can begin to influence the region. By Wednesday
the cold airmass will have reached the Bering Sea allowing the
upper level low around it to pull warmer, more moist air further
north. Temperatures are expected to warm after Tuesday across
Northern Alaska along with increasing chances of light snow across
much of the Interior.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ801-814-815.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ820-821-827.
     Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ805.
PK...Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ806-807.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ810-858.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ811-854-856-857.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ812.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ851.
     Brisk Wind Advisory for PKZ859.
&&

Stokes

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